Both parents were German. On his attestation papers, he stated that they were naturalised in NZ for 30 years.

He was possibly not in the best of health. Turned down on medical grounds for the Territorial army (date unknown) and hospitalised 3 times in the UK, after arriving in Liverpool on the 13th October 1917. Once for "deafness" and twice more - the complaint not stated - he was eventually returned to duty at the Rifle Brigade HQ, Brocton Camp in Cannock, Staffordshire.

On the 27th Sepember 1918, he arrived in France, marching in to camp at Etaples and joining his battalion's  "D" company. Louis' records do not state where he was wounded. However, the "Dinks" ( NZ Rifle Brigade) were in action from around the 25th September and the 4th Battalion were at Crevecouer on the 5th October 1918. This was the final "100 days" push that saw the end of WW1, the Allies advance running over the extended German lines. By the 28th October when Louis was wounded, the 4th Battalion were close to Le Quesnoy, which was liberated by the NZ Division on the 4th November 1918.

Receiving gun shot wounds to the back and thighs on October 28th, he was taken to the 3rd NZ Field Hospital, which during October was stationed in Solemes and moved to the 59th Casualty Clearing Station in Varennes, before finally to the No. 6 Hospital in Rouen.

Source - Archives New Zealand, www.1914-1918.net, the Casualty Clearing Stations and The Official History of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Lt.Col W.S.Austin, accessed via ETC, Victoria University.