HAEBERLE, William

NAME                  HAEBERLE               William
RANK                  Signalman                  33058                                                                                        
REGIMENT         1st Canadian Army - II Canadian Corps - II Canadian Corps Headquarters Signals -                                                1st Royal Canadian Corp of Signals - Advanced Wireless Section
                            “swift, skilled, alert”                                                                                                                  Born                     September 9, 1919 - Caster - Alberta                                                                                Residence           Clifford - Ontario                                                                                                                              Died                     September 27, 1943          24 years                                                                                  Cemetery             Brookwood Military Cemetery - Pirbright - Surrey - England
                             47   A   2
Mother                 Mrs. Emma Haeberle - Mildmay - Ontario.                                                                          Brother                Louis was posted with the 5th British Columbia Coastal Regiment of the Royal Canadian                                         Artillery and was based at Victoria - British Columbia                                                            Sisters                  Dora Haeberle lived in Kitchener - Ontario                                                                                                                 Mrs. Frieda Kimmel lived in Dobbinton - Ontario                                                                                                         Mrs. Marie Kleist lived in Mildmay - Ontario

William was born in Caster, Alberta on September 9, 1919. His family at some point moved to Huron County in Howick Township. He was raised in the Lutheran faith and would have attended St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Before his enlistment he worked as a labourer and a farm hand
William enlisted into the Canadian Army in Walkerton on September 10, 1939 into the 97th Battery of Royal Canadian Artillery with the rank of Gunner. At the time of enlistment he stood 5' 6" and weighed 138 pounds. He had a dark complexion with brown eyes and black hair.                                                                                            When the Battery was based in Listowel Gunner Haeberle was hospitalized for 4 days with Influenza and then received furlough from April 15-28, 1940. Less than a month later the Battery was posted to Camp Petawawa to the Artillery Training Centre. Between October 28-November 11 he had received a Leave of Absence. Between November 28-December 7 he was hospitalized at the Base Hospital for severe bronchitis.                                  The 97th Battery then at some point was posted to Sussex Camp in New Brunswick and between              October 15-29, 1941 was granted furlough. On November 12 he was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada and embarked from Canada. A day later he was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army overseas. Gunner disembarked in Gourock - Scotland on November 22.                                                                      Between January 13-18, 1942 he received his Landing Leave and it was not until between May 6-12 that he received leave again. On August 11 he was admitted to No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station and the same day being admitted to No. 8 Canadian General Hospital and then No.1 Canadian Army Reinforcement Unit. On August 12 he was posted to the 7th Field Regiment - Royal Canadian Artillery. On September12 he was taken to No. 5 Casualty Clearing Station and from there to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital until September 28. Upon discharge he went to No. 1 Canadian Army Reinforcement Unit. On November 12-December 23 Gunner Haeberle proceeds to a Driver Mechanics Course and qualifies as a Class II Driver Mechanic. From January 15-24, 1943 he is granted leave. On February 6 he qualifies as a Cummins Diesel Mechanic "Q1". On March 15 he qualified as a Driver Mechanic "Group C". On April 18 he is granted 7days leave. On June 21 he remusters and transfers to the Canadian Corps of Signals as a Driver Mechanic and the rank of Signalman. On September 27 Signalman Haeberle was a passenger on a motorcycle and he was sitting directly behind the driver. He was
not strapped in and should have been, but he was wearing a crash helmet. The driver had to swerve to avoid
hitting a person on a bicycle in front of them and Signalman Haeberle was thrown from the motorcycle striking his head on the road. The accident occurred at 10:50 hours.
On the way to the hospital he was unconscious and bleeding from the head. His respiration was slow and he
was breathing 1-2 times per minute. He was taken to #14 Canadian General Hospital in Burstow in Surrey and did not survive the short journey to the hospital. His injuries included serious and fatal head injuries. He had suffered a fractured skull and had contusions on the brain. He had also suffered contusions to his legs, left hand and right thigh. He passed away at 11:05 hours as he was wheeled into a reception room.
The Royal Canadian Corp of Signals was responsible for all communications. These communications were
transmitted in a variety of ways by using telephones, signal flags, morse code etc. They also monitored the
enemy radio transmissions and aided in elaborate deceptions. 

In November of 1943 Signalman Haeberle's mother received the Memorial Cross and at a later date Signalman Haeberle was awarded the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.

Signalman Haeberle is honoured and remembered on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, in the Books of Remembrance on Parliament Hill in the Centre Block and on the Fordwich. He would also be remembered on the Memorial Plaque of St John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Clifford.