4/1440 - Sapper

William John

KILLEN

Main Body - Section No.3

Timeline


1915

1915

21 September

Enlistment

Wellington Military District

1915

11 October

Initial training

Avondale, Auckland

1915

22 November

Forfeited 1 day pay for absence without leave

1915

14 December

Forfeited 3 days pay for absence without leave

1915

18 December

Transfer to England

S.S. Ruapehu

1916

1916

3 February

Marched in to the Company Training Camp, Falmouth

1916

6 February

Leave stopped for 14 days and 2 weekends for absence without leave, and awarded 1 day confinement to barracks for inattention on parade

1916

9 March

Embarked for France

1916

16 March

From the Front

The Company joined the underground warfare in the North of France

Chantecler, Sector of Arras

1916

21 August

Detached to Mine School

1916

1 September

Rejoined the Company

1916

13 September

Granted leave

1916

22 September

Rejoined the Company

1916

16 November

From the Front

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

1916

20 November

Admitted to hospital

1916

23 November

Diagnosed with nephritis

1916

1 December

Embarked for England

1916

2 December

Admitted to hospital

1917

1917

6 January

Marched in to NZ Depot, Hornchurch

1917

24 February

Granted leave

1917

12 March

Marched in to NZ Depot, Boscombe

1917

9 April

Battle of Arras

British Offensive


From the Front

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

Arras-Cambrai Road

1917

5 May

From the Front

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

The Billets in Monchy

1917

3 July

Embarked for France

1917

5 July

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917

13 July

Rejoined the Company

1917

9 November

Admitted to hospital with scabies

1917

24 November

Rejoined the Company

1918

From the Front

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

The Workshop in Arras

1918

21 March

Spring Offensive

German Attacks


From the Front

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

1918

9 July

Forfeited 7 days pay and 1 day pay by Royal Warrant for absence from billets

1918

20 July

Admitted to hospital

1918

24 July

Rejoined the Company

1918

8 August

100 Days Offensive

Allied Attacks

1918

23 August

Granted leave to United Kingdom

1918

9 September

Rejoined the Company

1918

27 September

From the Front

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

In front of the Havrincourt Bridge

1918

11 November

Armistice

Cessation of Hostilities


From the Front

The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory

Over the Sambre River, Maubeuge

1918

27 December

Discharged

1919

1919

1 January

Embarked for England

1919

2 January

Marched in to NZ Sling Camp, Bulford

1919

8 March

Transfer to New Zealand

S.S. Willochra

1919

13 May

Final discharge

End of Service

Decoration

British War Medal
British War Medal

Victory Medal
Victory Medal

Sources and bibliography

  • Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Online Cenotaph He Toa Taumata Rau: William John KILLEN.
  • Nominal Roll of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 1915. New Zealand Engineers Tunnelling Company, Wellington, Government Printer, 1916, p. 4.

How to cite this page

Anthony BYLEDBAL, “William John KILLEN (4/1440)”, New Zealand Tunnellers, 2024 (2009). Accessed: 29 March 2024. URL: https://www.nztunnellers.com/roll/details.php?id=450