4/1493 - Sapper

John

BLACKBURN

Main Body - Section No.4

Timeline


1915

1915

7 October

Enlistment

Otago Military District

1915

11 October

Initial training

Avondale, Auckland

1915

18 December

Transfer to England

S.S. Ruapehu

1916

1916

3 February

Marched in to the Company Training Camp, Falmouth

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

19 March

Awarded 28 days Field Punishment No.1 for disobeying orders

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

1917

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

10 July

Admitted to hospital with dental problems

1917

14 July

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917

25 July

Awarded 28 days Field Punishment No.2 for drunkenness and being in possesion of spirits

1917

8 August

Rejoined the Company

1917

13 September

Admitted to hospital with dental problems

1917

14 September

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917

30 October

Classified unfit for service in the field

1917

10 November

Embarked for England

1917

11 November

Marched in to NZ Depot, Torquay

1917

27 December

Classified unfit for active service

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

10 January

Transfer to New Zealand

R.M.S. Arawa

1918

3 April

Final discharge

End of Service

Decoration

British War Medal
British War Medal

Victory Medal
Victory Medal

Sources and bibliography

  • Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, AABK 18805 W5520 88/0015242, Military Personnel File: John BLACKBURN - 4/1493.
  • Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Online Cenotaph He Toa Taumata Rau: John BLACKBURN.
  • Nominal Roll of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 1915. New Zealand Engineers Tunnelling Company, Wellington, Government Printer, 1916, p. 5.

How to cite this page

Anthony BYLEDBAL, “John BLACKBURN (4/1493)”, New Zealand Tunnellers, 2024 (2009). Accessed: 29 March 2024. URL: https://www.nztunnellers.com/roll/details.php?id=50