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Hans Gottfried von Häbler

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Allegiance
  
Germany

Name
  
Hans von

Rank
  
Leutnant

Years of service
  
1913 - 1918


Died
  
23 March 1918 Vicinity of Bapaume, France

Unit
  
Infantry; FA(A) 273, Jagdstaffel 36

Service/branch
  
Infantry; aviation

Leutnant Hans Gottfried von Häbler was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.

On 17 May 1893, Hans Gottfried von Häbler was born in Gross Schonau, the German Empire; subsequent changes in national boundaries mean that it is now Velký Šenov, the Czech Republic.

He enlisted in one of the Kingdom of Saxony's Guard Regiments on 1 October 1913. He served with the infantry for the first two years of World War I before volunteering for aviation duty in the Autumn of 1916. He trained at Fliegerersatz-Abteilung (Replacement Detachment) 9 before going operational with Flieger-Abteilung (Artillerie) Flier Detachment (Artillery) 273.

Häbler received further training on single-seat fighters at Jastaschule 1, then joined Jagdstaffel 36 on 30 September 1917. He scored his first aerial victory on 7 October 1917; on 18 March 1918, he scored his eighth confirmed victory. On 22 March, while flying Fokker Triplane number 509/17, he engaged and bested a Sopwith Camel over Metz-en-Couture, though the victory went unconfirmed. He was subsequently hit by anti-aircraft fire. His triplane fell virtually undamaged behind British lines. Hans Gottfried von Häbler died of his wounds the following day while in British captivity.

Honors and awards

  • Iron Cross both classes
  • Kingdom of Saxony's Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Saint Henry: Awarded 2 October 1917
  • Saxony's Order of Albert
  • Saxony's War Merit Cross
  • Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
  • References

    Hans Gottfried von Häbler Wikipedia