World War ITimeline

1915

31 August

Enlisted at the age of 40

Main Body

1915

11 October

Trained

Avondale, Auckland

1915

27 November

Promoted 2nd Corporal

1915

18 December

Transfer to England

Steamship Ruapehu

1916

3 February

Marched in to the Company Training Camp, Falmouth

1916

9 March

Embarked for France

1916

16 March

Three officers of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company seated and posing in a trench during World War I, wearing military uniforms and helmet.

The Company joined the underground warfare in the North of France

1916

15 August

Granted leave

1916

25 August

Rejoined the Company

1916

16 November

Two New Zealand Tunnellers working underground during World War I; one man shovels rubble while the other digs into the chalk tunnel wall.

The Company began the operations to connect old underground quarries in Arras in order to accommodate thousands of soldiers for an upcoming battle

1917

9 April

British Offensive

Battle of Arras

Soldiers marching along a road carrying shovels, heading toward a section of the road that requires repair during World War I.

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

1917

5 May

A group of New Zealand Tunnellers posing inside their billet in an underground quarry near the front line; four of them are playing cards while others look on.

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

1917

17 August

Appointed temporary Corporal

1917

7 October

Promoted Corporal

1918

1 January

Overview of the sawmill built and operated by the New Zealand Tunnellers, located alongside a railway line, with stacks of timber and workers visible.

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

1918

17 February

Promoted Sergeant

1918

21 March

German Attacks

Spring Offensive

Two soldiers standing outside the entrance of a shaft in a desolate area of the front line, surrounded by barren ground and war-damaged terrain.

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

1918

31 March

Admitted to hospital with a gunshot wound to the left ankle

1918

5 April

Embarked for England

Admitted to hospital

1918

8 August

Allied Attacks

Hundred Days Offensive

1918

24 August

Transfer to New Zealand

Troopship Ionic

1918

10 October

Granted sick leave

1918

16 October

Reported to local Defence Office

1918

18 October

Admitted as outpatient to hospital

1918

12 December

Discharged from hospital

1919

4 February

End of Service

Demobilization

How to cite this page

Anthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of Alfred Howard Newman“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.nztunnellers.com/tunnellers/626/wwi-timeline