HAAKE, Adolf George

Adolf George Haake wa born in March 1889 in Bradford Leeds to Adolf and Clara Haake, both from Hanover, Germany. Adolf had five siblings, 1 older sister BeA Cmpany rta, two older brothers Christian and Ernest, and two younger sisters Clara and Celia. The UK 1901 census show the family living in Bradford and his father's occupation as merchant clerk. By the 1911 census Adolf senior had become a cloth merchant and his son Adolf was working as a clerk in a mill. Two of his sisters were trained teachers.

Adolf migrated to Australia alone leaving London on the 18 November 1911 on the 'Ballarat'. His occupation was stated as piece overlocker. He married Katherine Rosa Mullerfrom Dunedin on 4 March, 1914 in East Melbourne, living at 21 Erin Street, Richmond. On 2 April 1915 their daughter Berta was born in Richmond, Victoria.

At the time of Adolf's enlistment on 7 July, 1915, the family were residing at 100 Powlett Street, Adolf working as a Travelling salesman. Just a few months after arriving in Egypt he sufferes a sever fracture of the base of the skull which he was hospitalised for, inititally at the1st Australian General Hospital in Heliopolis. He then spent the next 2 months recuperating at the 3rd Aux hospital. Late may he rejoined the BEF and headed for France arriving at the Wesern Front in June 1916, rejoiningte 21st Battalion. On 25 August,1916 he was reported missing near Maquet Farm, Poizieres went over the parapet in the German trenches. Two eye witness accounts state that Adolf was seriously wounded by mortar shells an there was nothng they coulddo to save him as they retreated from the German trenches thatte wer taken back by German forces. Sadly both his family in the UK and Melbourne waited over 6 months before confirmation wasreceived from the Red Cross that he had bee killed in acton. They were desperately holding out hope that Adolf has been captured and imprisoned by the Germans.

Adolf iscommemorated on the Villiers Bretonneux Memorial MR26, Part 3, G-J.