4/1586 - Sapper

Martin

ROBERTS

Main Body - Section No.3

Timeline


1915

1915

28 September

Enlistment

Auckland Military District

1915

11 October

Initial training

Avondale, Auckland

1915

11 November

Promoted Corporal

1915

21 November

Promoted Sergeant

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

15 September

Reduced to Corporal for conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline

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

13 February

Admonished for disobeying an order

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

8 August

Admitted to hospital with appendicitis

1917

11 August

Embarked for England

1917

12 August

Admitted to hospital

1917

3 October

Classified unfit for active service

1917

9 October

Granted leave

1917

24 October

Marched in to NZ Depot, Torquay

1917

31 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

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

8 August

100 Days Offensive

Allied Attacks

1918

14 August

Transfer to New Zealand

S.S. Remuera

1918

1 October

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 W5550 80/0098449, Military Personnel File: Martin ROBERTS - 4/1586.
  • Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Online Cenotaph He Toa Taumata Rau: Martin ROBERTS.
  • 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, “Martin ROBERTS (4/1586)”, New Zealand Tunnellers, 2024 (2009). Accessed: 21 December 2024. URL: https://www.nztunnellers.com/roll/details.php?id=727