4/1561 - 2nd Corporal

Walter James

AUSTIN

1st Reinforcements

Timeline


1915

1915

13 October

Enlistment

Auckland Military District

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

4 October

Granted leave to France

1916

13 October

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

1917

1917

1 March

Promoted Corporal

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

4 October

Admitted to hospital

1917

6 October

Rejoined the Company

1917

7 October

Promoted Sergeant

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

24 February

Embarked for England

1918

27 February

Marched in to NZ Depot, Torquay

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

1 April

Transfer to New Zealand

S.S. Athenic

1918

15 June

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: Walter James AUSTIN.
  • 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, “Walter James AUSTIN (4/1561)”, New Zealand Tunnellers, 2024 (2009). Accessed: 29 March 2024. URL: https://www.nztunnellers.com/roll/details.php?id=17