4/1655 - Sapper

Joseph Wilson

BARKER

1st Reinforcements

Timeline


1915

1915

20 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

13 October

Detached to Mine School

1916

11 November

Forfeited 1 day pay for being out of bounds without leave

1916

14 November

Granted leave

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

26 November

Promoted Lance Corporal

1916

28 November

Rejoined the Company

1917

1917

25 January

Admitted to hospital with dental problems

1917

26 January

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

21 June

Promoted Corporal

1917

1 October

Admitted to hospital with arterosclerosis

1917

15 October

Embarked for England

Admitted to hospital

1917

30 October

Granted leave

1917

13 November

Marched in to NZ Depot, Torquay

1917

14 November

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

  • Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Online Cenotaph He Toa Taumata Rau: Joseph Wilson BARKER.
  • 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, “Joseph Wilson BARKER (4/1655)”, New Zealand Tunnellers, 2024 (2009). Accessed: 21 December 2024. URL: https://www.nztunnellers.com/roll/details.php?id=26