HOMER, Herbert William
| Service Number: | 3509 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 February 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 26th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Kington, Herefordshire, England, 1 March 1894 |
| Home Town: | Indooroopilly, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Lady Hawkins Grammar School, Kington, Herefordshire, England. |
| Occupation: | Clerk-Queensland Railways |
| Died: | Wounds, 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England, 1 June 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Grave XI. E. 8. INSCRIPTION - IN MEMORY OF DEAR BERT BELOVED SON OF MR. & MRS. HOMER OF KINGTON |
| Memorials: | Indooroopilly War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3509, 7th Field Ambulance | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 3509, 7th Field Ambulance, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 24 May 1915: | Embarked Private, 3509, 7th Field Ambulance, HMAT Ascanius, Brisbane | |
| 20 Oct 1916: | Honoured Military Medal | |
| 12 Mar 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sergeant, 26th Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Apr 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 26th Infantry Battalion | |
| 3 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 3509, 26th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), BW to back DoW England | |
| 1 Jun 1917: | Involvement Second Lieutenant, 26th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 26th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Second Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-06-01 |
Help us honour Herbert William Homer's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was one of four brothers who served with the AIF.
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 23 and the son of Benjamin George and Elizabeth Sarah Homer, of Station Rd., Indooroopilly, Queensland.
Births Mar 1894 Homer Herbert William Kington 6a 542
His brother Harry Raymond also fell. They are honoured on the Kington, Herefordshire parish war memorial.His other brothers also served in the AIF.
Alfred Charles, Ernest Thomas and Lauderdale George.
Births Dec 1898 Homer Alfred Charles Kington 6a 511
Births Sep 1896 Homer Ernest Thomas Kington 6a 523
Births Mar 1893 Homer Landerdale George Kington 6a 536
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 1st June…… Herbert William Homer was born at Kington, Herefordshire, England on 1st March, 1894.
According to information supplied by his mother for the Roll of Honour – Herbert William Homer came to Australia when he was aged 16 years. The family arrived on 21st December, 1910 on Norseman.
The 1916 Australian Electoral Roll for the division of Brisbane, subdivision of Taringa, Queensland listed Herbert William Homer, Clerk from Belgrave Rd, Indooroopilly. Also listed at the same address – Benjamin George Homer, Carpenter, Elizabeth Sarah Homer, Home Duties & Landerdale George Homer, Carpenter.
Herbert William Homer enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 2nd September, 1914 as a 20 year old, single, Railway Clerk from Indooroopilly, Queensland.
On 24th May, 1915 Private Herbert William Homer embarked from Brisbane, Queensland on HMAT Ascanius (A11) with the 7th Infantry Brigade, 7th Field Ambulance, A.M.C., “A” Section.
He was appointed Lance Corporal on 19th July, 1915.
Lance Corporal Herbert William Homer proceeded to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) at Gallipoli on 4th September, 1915.
He was to be Temporary Corporal from 18th October, 1915 (Vice L/ Sergeant Bell evacuation sick on 17th October, 1915).
On 15th December, 1915 Temporary Corporal Homer was admitted to 1st Field Ambulance at Mudros with Jaundice. He was admitted to 7th Field Ambulance at Anzac on 17th December, 1915. Temporary Corporal Homer reported for duty on 25th December, 1915.
Temporary Corporal Herbert William Homer was to be Temporary Sergeant from 2nd January, 1916 whilst carrying out duties of Sergeant Clerk.
He disembarked at Alexandria on 10th January, 1916 (after the evacuation of Gallipoli). He was to act as Sergeant Clerk from 11th January, 1916 vice Sergeant Bailey evacuated & rejoined his Unit on 12th January, 1916 from Transport Details.
The rank of Corporal was confirmed on 18th February, 1916 at Ismailia vice Corporal Pearce placed on Supernumerary List.
Corporal Homer embarked from Alexandria on 14th March, 1916 on Minneapolis & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 19th March, 1916.
The rank of Sergeant Clerk was confirmed on 2nd April, 1916 at Fort Rompu, France vice Sergeant Bailey evacuated sick on 2nd January, 1916.
Sergeant Herbert William Homer was recommended for a Military Medal on 18th June, 1916 for “Constant and unfailing devotion to duty as a bearer, Gallipoli Peninsula from 13.9.15 until evacuation.”
Sergeant Herbert William Homer was awarded the Military Medal. (London Gazette – 27 October, 1916 & Commonwealth of Australia Gazette – 19 April, 1917)
He was to be Staff Sergeant from 25th September, 1916 while posted in Belgium.
Sergeant Herbert William Homer was recommended for a Meritorious Service Medal on 3rd October, 1916 by O.C. 7th Australian Field Ambulance for “This N.C.O. has also done consistently good work since the Unit arrived in France. He has been acting as Senior Sergeant Clerk since January, 1916 and has been untiring, most conscientious in carrying out his duties, which were most arduous during the large number of evacuations during the fighting on the SOMME.”
On 12th March, 1917 Sergeant Homer was transferred from 7th Field Ambulance to 26th Infantry Battalion on 12th March, 1917.
He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant on 7th April, 1917 (A.I.F. List 165).
Second Lieutenant Herbert William Homer was wounded in action in France on 3rd May, 1917. He was admitted to 6th Australian Field Ambulance on 3rd May, 1917 with Bomb wound to Back. Second Lieutenant Homer was transferred & admitted to 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 3rd May, 1917 with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to Back & was placed on the Seconded List for being evacuated wounded. He was transferred to 3rd Ambulance Train on 15th May, 1917 & admitted to 2nd Stationary Hospital at Abbeville, France on 16th May, 1917. Second Lieutenant Homer was transferred to Le Havre on 19th May, 1917 & embarked for England on Hospital Ship Grantully Castle.
He was admitted to 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England on 20th May, 1917.
Second Lieutenant Herbert William Homer died at 3 pm on 1st June, 1917 at 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England from wounds received in action in France – G.S.W. (gun shot wound/s) to Supra Clavicular region.
He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England where around 360 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
Herbert William Homer was one of five brothers to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force – three surviving.
Private Harry Raymond Homer, 3593. Died of Jaundice on 12th November, 1915 & was buried Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/h.html
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