4/1607 - Sapper

Henry Gay

CHALLIS

1st Reinforcements

Timeline


1915

1915

6 October

Enlistment

Auckland 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

23 May

Forfeited 2 days pay for neglecting to keep quarters clean

1916

27 April

Forfeited 2 days pay

1916

4 October

Granted leave to France

1916

13 October

Rejoined the Company

1916

14 October

Admitted to hospital with venereal disease

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

30 December

Rejoined the Company

1917

1917

19 February

Admitted to hospital with venereal disease

1917

9 March

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917

3 April

Awarded 10 days confinement to barracks and forfeited 2 days pay for gambling

1917

8 April

Rejoined the Company

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

26 June

Admitted to hospital

1917

8 July

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

22 March

Granted leave to United Kingdom

1918

27 March

Transferred

Auckland Regiment

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 W5530 54/0023895, Military Personnel File: Henry Gay CHALLIS - 4/1607.
  • Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Online Cenotaph He Toa Taumata Rau: Henry Gay CHALLIS.
  • Nominal Roll of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 1915. New Zealand Engineers Tunnelling Company, Wellington, Government Printer, 1916, p. 7.

How to cite this page

Anthony BYLEDBAL, “Henry Gay CHALLIS (4/1607)”, New Zealand Tunnellers, 2024 (2009). Accessed: 22 December 2024. URL: https://www.nztunnellers.com/roll/details.php?id=118