Enlisted at the age of 30
Main BodyTrained
Avondale, AucklandTransfer to England
Steamship RuapehuMarched in to the Company Training Camp, Falmouth
Embarked for France
The Company joined the underground warfare in the North of France
Awarded 7 days Field Punishment No.1 for absence from parade and creating a disturbance while under the influence of liquor
Admitted to hospital with pyrexia of unknown origin
Rejoined the Company
Awarded 14 days Field Punishment No.1 and forfeited 14 days pay by Royal Warrant for absence from parade
Admitted to hospital
Rejoined the Company
Forfeited 5 days pay for being absent from duty
Awarded 28 days Field Punishment No.1 for refusing to obey an order to attend sick parade
Admitted to hospital
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
Admitted to hospital with bronchial catarrh while on leave to the United Kingdom
Rejoined the Company
British Offensive
Battle of Arras
The Company was employed to rebuild a major road leading to the Front during the battle
Awarded 90 days Field Punishment No.1 and forfeited 2 days pay by Royal Warrant for being absent from duty
The Company moved to Monchy, ten kilometres east of Arras, to work on the fortification of the new front line
The Company was still carrying out the digging of underground premises and defences on the Front near Arras
Detached to NZ Base Depot, Etaples
Awarded 14 days Field Punishment No.2 and forfeited 14 days pay for drunkenness and overstaying his pass
German Attacks
Spring Offensive
The Company was engaged in the defence of Arras by digging new trenches and dug-outs under constant enemy shellfire
Rejoined the Company
Forfeited 4 days pay for being out of billets without a pass and absence from tattoo
Declared illegally absent without leave in the field
Allied Attacks
Hundred Days Offensive
The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction
Rejoined the Company
Sentenced to 12 months Imprisonment with Hard Labour and forfeited 68 days pay by Royal Warrant for absence without leave from his duty
Cessation of Hostilities
Armistice
The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory
Admitted to No.2 Military Prison, Rouen
Embarked for England to undergo sentence
Sentence remitted and released from prison
Marched in to NZ Depot, Larkhill
Transfer to New Zealand
Troopship MatatuaEnd of Service
DemobilizationAnthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of Ernest McQuillan“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.
