4/1404 - Sapper

William Edward

BOYES

Main Body - Section No.3

Timeline


1915

1915

9 October

Enlistment

Wellington 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

7 March

Stationed at Falmouth

1916

16 March

From the Front

The Company joined the underground warfare in the North of France

Chantecler, Sector of Arras

1916

23 March

Marched in to NZ Depot, Hornchurch

1916

3 April

Awarded 1 day confinement to barracks for being late at parade

1916

14 April

Embarked for France

1916

29 April

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1916

22 May

Forfeited 1 day pay for absence without leave

1916

14 June

Joined the Company

1916

27 August

Awarded 28 days Field Punishment No.1 for drunkenness and using obscene language

1916

3 November

Forfeited 1 day pay for being out of bounds

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

2 September

Detached to Rest Camp

1917

15 September

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

3 January

Gassed

Admitted to hospital

1918

15 March

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1918

18 March

Classified unfit for active service on account of gas poisoning

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

26 March

Embarked for England

1918

28 March

Marched in to NZ Depot, Torquay

1918

8 August

Transfer to New Zealand

S.S. Paparoa

1918

7 November

Final discharge

End of Service

1918

17 December

Died of disease

On account of his war service, Wanganui

Resting place

Wanganui Cemetery, New Zealand

Grave reference

C 1 39

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 Edward BOYES.
  • 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 Edward BOYES (4/1404)”, New Zealand Tunnellers, 2024 (2009). Accessed: 22 December 2024. URL: https://www.nztunnellers.com/roll/details.php?id=63