Private 295153 David Homer

Died of Wounds on Monday, 22nd October 1917, age 21.
Buried in Grave XXX. F. SA. at Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas De Calais, France.

2nd/7th Bn., Manchester Regiment. 199th Brigade of 66th Division.
Formerly 203188 South Staffs Regiment.

Son of David and Alice Homer, of 276, Whitehall Rd., Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Great Bridge, Enlisted: West Bromwich, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Salem Chapel, and St. Peter's, Greets Green memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/502316/

Genealogical Data

1901 Census
276 Whitehall Road, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
David Homer (35, Labourer in Ironworks, born Swan Village), his wife Alice (29, born Swan Village), and their 4 children: William (6, born Swan Village), David (4, born Swan Village), Richard (2, born Swan Village), Alice (1 week, born Swan Village).

1911 Census
276 Whitehall Road, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
David Homer (45, Furnaceman, born West Bromwich), his wife Alice (39, born West Bromwich), and their 7 surviving children of 8: William (16, Screwer, born West Bromwich), David (14, Glass Works), Richard (12, School, born West Bromwich), Alice (10, School, born West Bromwich), James (6, born West Bromwich), Nellie (3, born West Bromwich), and Arthur (10 months, born West Bromwich).

Personal Data

David Homer's South Staffs number 203188 indicates that he belonged to the 1/5th Battalion South Staffs at the time of the renumbering of the Territorial Forces in early 1917.

After David's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £4/9/2d (4 pounds, 9 shillings and 2 pence); this was paid to his father, also David, in March 1918. His War Gratuity was £3/0/0d (3 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his father in November 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that David had enlisted within the previous 12 months.

Action resulting in his death

David Homer had initially joined up with the 1/5th South Staffs, but by the time of his death was serving with the 2/7th Manchesters, in 199th Brigade of 66th (2nd East Lancs) Division. The last large action in which the 66th Division was involved before David Homer's death was the Battle of Poelcapelle on 9th October 1917, a month before the end of the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

This was almost two weeks before David's death so it is entirely possible that this was not the action in which he was wounded. On 9th October, 199th Brigade was intended to be in reserve, but was called into action due to the late arrival of other Brigades. 2/7th Manchesters forced their way into the Cemetery, adjacent to the current day Tyne Cot, but at the end of the day all 66th Division troops were ordered to withdraw due to unsupported flanks and lack of communication.

45 men of the 2/7th Manchesters were killed on the 7th - 9th October, so it is likely that David was injured at that time. He would have been evacuated through the Casualty Clearing system, and arrived at the Base Hospitals at Etaples. It was here that his died on 22nd October, and was buried in Etaples Military Cemetery.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.