World War ITimeline

1916

22 September

Enlisted at the age of 42

3rd Reinforcements

1916

4 October

Trained

Narrow Neck, Auckland

1916

15 November

Transfer to England

HMNZT 69 Tahiti

1916

16 November

Two New Zealand Tunnellers working underground during World War I; one man shovels rubble while the other digs into the chalk tunnel wall.

The Company began the operations to connect old underground quarries in Arras in order to accommodate thousands of soldiers for an upcoming battle

1917

25 January

Admitted to hospital at sea with enteritis

1917

28 January

Returned to duty

1917

29 January

Marched in to NZ Depot, Boscombe

1917

2 March

Embarked for France

1917

4 March

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917

9 April

British Offensive

Battle of Arras

Soldiers marching along a road carrying shovels, heading toward a section of the road that requires repair during World War I.

The Company was employed to rebuild a major road leading to the Front during the battle

1917

13 April

Joined the Company

1917

5 May

A group of New Zealand Tunnellers posing inside their billet in an underground quarry near the front line; four of them are playing cards while others look on.

The Company moved to Monchy, ten kilometres east of Arras, to work on the fortification of the new front line

1918

1 January

Overview of the sawmill built and operated by the New Zealand Tunnellers, located alongside a railway line, with stacks of timber and workers visible.

The Company was still carrying out the digging of underground premises and defences on the Front near Arras

1918

17 March

Granted leave

1918

21 March

German Attacks

Spring Offensive

Two soldiers standing outside the entrance of a shaft in a desolate area of the front line, surrounded by barren ground and war-damaged terrain.

The Company was engaged in the defence of Arras by digging new trenches and dug-outs under constant enemy shellfire

1918

4 April

Rejoined the Company

1918

28 July

Admitted to hospital

1918

30 July

Rejoined the Company

1918

8 August

Allied Attacks

Hundred Days Offensive

1918

27 September

Officers of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company posing in front of a newly completed military bridge built by their men during World War I.

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

1918

11 November

Cessation of Hostilities

Armistice

Military bridge built by the New Zealand Tunnellers spanning a river in the town of Cambrai; surrounding houses are a mix of intact structures and war-damaged ruins.

The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory

1918

20 December

Granted leave to the United Kingdom

1919

5 January

Admitted to hospital with haemorrhoids

1919

20 March

Granted leave

1919

4 April

Marched in to NZ Depot, Codford

1919

19 May

Transfer to New Zealand

Troopship Ruahine

1919

4 September

End of Service

Demobilization

How to cite this page

Anthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of William Stewart“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.nztunnellers.com/tunnellers/807/wwi-timeline