HABEL, Louis

Carl Louis Habel was born in Murtoa in 1883, the son of Johann Carl and Emilie Clara Habel. In 1909, he married Florence Annie Shearwood, born 1889 in Collingwood, and in 1914, they were living at 1089 Hoddle Street, East Melbourne, with their two children, Melville Carl, born 1909, and Arthur Louis, born 1913. Carl Louis Habel was then working as a labourer. 

He must have worked hard for his family. When he enlisted for World War 1, on 27 July, 1915, his occupation was 'grocer' and the family had moved to 25 Victoria Parade, Collingwood. He enlisted to serve in the First World War on 27 July, 1915, but appears not to have been called up until the following year. His service record and his embarkation record seem contradictory. According to his embarkation record, he left Australia on board HMAT Ayrshire A 33 on 3 July 1917. However his army service record shows him at Ascot Vale, training with the 10th Depot Battalion, A Company, on 4 August, 1916 and according to a note on his record, he was crossed off the roll and did not embark. However on 2 October, he marched in from overseas to the 2nd Training Battalion at Perham Downs in England, so the note on disembarkation may have referred to an earlier ship. 

Louis Habel seems to have stayed in Perham Downs as a Sergeant with the 2nd Training Battalion from latec 1916 to early 1918. He then reverted to ranks, probably of his own choice, and embarked for active duty in France, leaving England on 29 July, 1918, and landing at Havre, before marching out to the 7th Battalion, where he was taken on strength in the field on 10 August 1918. Although he had missed most of the active part of the war, the 7th Battalion was then in northern France, part of the Alled advance at the Battle of Amiens in August, 1918, the blackest day for the German army, according to General Von Ludendorff. 

The war ended on 11 November, 1918, and the troops wre gradually moved back to England for the journey home. Louis Habel did not return until 8 March, 1919 and finally returned to Australia on 30 September that year. He was discharged form the army on 9 December, 1919.

FLorence Habel died in 1925 at South Melbourne. In 1937, Louis Habel was living with his son Arthur at 250 Point Nepean Rd., Mentone and working as a shop assistant. He died aged 56 in 1939 at Campbellfield, Victoria.