William Cropper's Story.
Birkenhead News 07 October 1916Heswall Hero Dies of Wounds.
Holder of D.C.M. and Military Medal.
Quite a gloom was cast over Heswall on Sunday when the news was received that Sergt. William Broster, D.C.M., M.M., of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, had died of wounds received in action on 25th Sept. His officer, Lieut. Robert Barrett, writes from France to Mrs. Broster, of the Village, Heswall, as follows :- “It is with extreme regret that I have to report that your boy has died of wounds received on the 25th September (Monday). He is buried in a registered grave, and I am going o ver this afternoon to see that it is all right and clean. You can have no idea what a fine example he showed to the men under his charge. He was fearless of danger and strong under all sorts of horrible and fatiguing circumstances. He has left a name behind him for the youngsters of the ‘King’s’ to copy, and the battalion has sustained a loss that cannot easily be remedied. Please accept my sincere and heartfelt sympathy.”
Sergt. Broster’s late Commanding Officer, Lieut-Colonel E. J. Harrison, of “Denham Hall,” Ness, in a letter to Mrs. Broster, says: “I am very sorry indeed to hear of the death of your son, and I am writing to sympathise with you in your great loss. I knew him well, for I was his C.O for over a year, and I admired him immensely, and I am sure the present C.O. will miss him very much, for he had such a brilliant record. You must have been proud of him when he won the D.C.M. and later a Military Medal.”
Sergt. Broster, who was 24 years of age, enlisted about two years ago. He had a brilliant career in the Army, and had seen much fighting. He was awarded the D.C.M. early this year for conspicuous bravery in rescuing two wounded colleagues under heavy fire. Later he gained another distinction for gallantry in the field, being awarded the Military Medal. At the same time he was recommended for a commission, and at the time of his death he had gone through all the formalities, and was waiting to be gazetted. In civil life prior to the war Sergt. Broster was employed on the staff of the Liverpool Tramways at the Head Office. He was a very popular youth in Heswall and district, and connected with many local organisations, including the Heswall Football Club, the Heswall and District Homing Society, of which he was secretary, and the Church Young Men’s Club, and was staff-sergeant in the Church Lad’s Brigade. His younger brother Ted is now serving in France with the same regiment.