World War ITimeline

1915

6 October

Enlisted at the age of 38

Main Body

1915

11 October

Trained

Avondale, Auckland

1915

18 December

Transfer to England

Steamship Ruapehu

1916

3 February

Marched in to the Company Training Camp, Falmouth

1916

9 March

Embarked for France

1916

16 March

Three officers of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company seated and posing in a trench during World War I, wearing military uniforms and helmet.

The Company joined the underground warfare in the North of France

1916

11 October

Granted leave

1916

20 October

Rejoined the Company

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

14 February

Admitted to hospital with hernia

1917

23 February

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917

6 March

Detached to Segregation Camp, Etaples

1917

28 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

Rejoined the Company

1917

26 April

Detached to Assistant Provost Marshal, Boulogne

1917

29 April

Rejoined 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

1917

29 June

Granted leave to the United Kingdom

1917

9 July

Admitted to hospital with hernia

1917

5 September

Marched in to NZ Depot, Christchurch

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

22 February

Classified unfit for active service

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

8 August

Allied Attacks

Hundred Days Offensive

1918

26 August

Marched in to NZ Depot, Torquay

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

6 November

Transfer to New Zealand

Troopship Ayrshire

1919

21 January

End of Service

Demobilization

How to cite this page

Anthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of James Williamson“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.nztunnellers.com/tunnellers/914/wwi-timeline