The Airmen's Stories - F/O M G Homer

Michael Giles Homer, of Swanage, Dorset was born on 17th April 1919, the son of George James Wood Homer and Millicent Homer.

He attended Wellington College from 1933 to 1936.

Homer entered the RAF College, Cranwell in January 1937 as a flight cadet. On graduation he was commissioned and joined 106 Squadron at Thornaby on 17th December 1938.

In early 1940 Homer was serving with 44 Squadron, operating Hampdens from Waddington. On 12th April he was captain of an aircraft which carried out a high-level bombing attack on two enemy cruisers in Christiansand Bay. He pressed home his attack in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and attacks by enemy fighters, one of which his air gunner shot down.

He then got his damaged aircraft safely back to base. For this operation Homer was awarded the DFC (gazetted 26th April 1940).

Above: P/O D French, Homer and P/O W Mulloy after receiving their DFCs from the King.

In August he volunteered for Fighter Command and joined 1 Squadron at Northolt in early September 1940. On the 7th he damaged a Do17. Homer was posted to 242 Squadron at Coltishall on 21st September.

He was shot down and killed on the 27th, when his Hurricane P2967 crashed in flames at Bluetown, Mintching Wood, Milstead near Sittingbourne.

Homer was 21. He is buried in Godlingston Cemetery, Swanage.

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His brother was killed serving with the RAF in India in 1944. On 18th July 1944 Hudson III, V9106 of 353 Squadron, crashed after stalling on takeoff from Mauripur following a double engine failure. All aboard were killed.

G/Capt. JW Homer
W/Cdr. EA Wollaston
F/Lt. WG Wainwright-Fahey
F/O LG Greenwood
F/O DW King
F/O AH Squires
Sgt. GTWH Cocksedge

All are buried in Karachi War Cemetery.

A memorial plaque is fixed near his crash site (below).