World War ITimeline

1915

1915
13 July

Enlisted at the age of 23

Main Body
1915
11 October

Trained

Avondale, Auckland
1915
18 December

Transfer to England

Steamship Ruapehu

1916

1916
3 February

Marched in to the Company Training Camp, Falmouth

1916
9 March

Embarked for France

1916
16 March

The Company joined the underground warfare in the North of France

1916
10 April

Admitted to hospital with bronchial catarrh

1916
23 April

Rejoined the Company

1916
2 July

Promoted 2nd Lieutenant

1916
30 August

Granted leave

1916
8 September

Rejoined the Company

1916
1 November

Granted leave

1916
16 November

Rejoined the Company

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
11 February

Promoted Lieutenant

1917
8 March

Detached to Mine School

1917
18 March

Rejoined the Company

1917
9 April

British Offensive

Battle of Arras

The Company was employed to rebuild a major road leading to the Front during the battle

1917
5 May

The Company moved to Monchy, ten kilometres east of Arras, to work on the fortification of the new front line

1917
11 June

Admitted to hospital with mumps

1917
13 July

Rejoined the Company

1917
16 July

Granted leave

1917
27 July

Rejoined the Company

1917
12 September

Detached on command to VIIth Corps

1917
16 October

Rejoined the Company

1917
29 November

Granted leave

1917
16 December

Rejoined the Company

1918

1918
1 January

The Company was still carrying out the digging of underground premises and defences on the Front near Arras

1918
15 March

Granted leave

1918
21 March

German Attacks

Spring Offensive

The Company was engaged in the defence of Arras by digging new trenches and dug-outs under constant enemy shellfire

1918
16 April

Rejoined the Company

1918
26 May

Detached on command to NZ Division

1918
1 July

Rejoined the Company

1918
8 August

Allied Attacks

Hundred Days Offensive
1918
27 September

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

1918
14 October

Granted leave to the United Kingdom

1918
15 October

Placed on preference list to return to New Zealand

Marched in to NZ Depot, Torquay

1918
11 November

Cessation of Hostilities

Armistice

The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory

1918
2 December

Transfer to New Zealand

Troopship Maunganui

1919

1919
6 February

End of Service

Demobilization

How to cite this page

Anthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of Alfred Thurlow Leeds“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.nztunnellers.com/tunnellers/481/wwi-timeline