HOMER, William

William Homer was born in Brierley Hill and lived at 26 Brick-kiln Street. He volunteered for the Worcesters and joined the 9th (Service) Battalion to arrive on Gallipoli on the 10th September 1915. He was promoted to Corporal but after a Field General Court Martial on the 19th September was reduced to Private and later transferred to the 2nd Battalion. They fought on the Somme during 1916 and then followed up the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line. Near Bouchavesnes Private Homer took part in the daring Clery Raid on the nights of 27-28 February when a raiding party entered the German trenches to take prisoners and came back with soldiers of a Prussian Guards regiment. The brigade commander congratulated William Homer for ‘distinguishing himself in the field’. In April they moved forward to take part in the Battle of Arras. They were not involved in the opening battle on the 9th April and were in support for the major attack of the 14th April. They came into the front line on the 23rd April for the third phase which was a concentrated attack on the fortified village of Croisilles. They held the front line trenches when the assault battalions suffered heavy losses. It was a busy day for the Worcesters, although casualties were light. Four men, including Private William Homer, were killed at the end of the day when they were hit by a shell while resting in a trench. William Homer had been in action for 15 days. He is buried in St. Leger British Cemetery (C27) and is commemorated on the Brierley Hill and Brierley Hill church Memorials.