World War ITimeline

1915

1915
8 October

Enlisted at the age of 27

Main Body
1915
11 October

Trained

Avondale, Auckland
1915
27 November

Promoted Lance Corporal

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
16 November

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

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
26 September

Detached to Rest Camp, Saint-Valery

1917
9 October

Rejoined the Company

1917
15 October

Admitted to hospital with venereal disease

1918

1918
1 January

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

1918
24 January

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1918
2 February

Rejoined the Company

1918
8 February

Admitted to hospital with a knee injury

1918
11 February

Diagnosed with synovitis of the knee

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
23 March

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1918
21 April

Rejoined the Company

1918
8 August

Allied Attacks

Hundred Days Offensive
1918
2 September

Admitted to hospital with pneumonia

1918
9 September

Embarked for England

Admitted to hospital

1918
27 September

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

1918
11 November

Cessation of Hostilities

Armistice

The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory

1919

1919
18 January

Transfer to New Zealand

Troopship Zealandic
1919
28 March

End of Service

Demobilization

How to cite this page

Anthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of Alexander McKay“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.nztunnellers.com/tunnellers/549/wwi-timeline