1915

1915
3 September

Enlisted at the age of 31

1st Reinforcements
1915
11 October

Trained

Avondale, Auckland
1915
27 November

Promoted Corporal

1915
18 December

Transfer to England

Steamship Ruapehu

1916

1916
3 February

Marched in to the Company Training Camp, Falmouth

1916
18 February

Admitted to hospital with sprained ankle

Returned to duty

1916
9 March

Embarked for France

1916
10 March

Admitted to hospital with bronchial catarrh

1916
15 March

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Rouen

1916
16 March

The Company joined the underground warfare in the North of France

1916
21 March

Rejoined the Company

1916
10 August

Admonished for leaving post before relieved

1916
14 September

Detached to Mine School

1916
19 September

Rejoined the Company

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
14 February

Reduced to Sapper for inefficiency

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
14 June

Detached to Mine School

1917
20 June

Rejoined the Company

1917
19 July

Promoted Lance Corporal

1917
2 August

Admitted to hospital with incised wound to the right foot

1917
23 August

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917
6 September

Rejoined the Company

1917
26 September

Granted leave

1917
7 October

Appointed temporary 2nd Corporal

1917
8 October

Rejoined the Company

1917
9 November

Admitted to hospital

Relinquished appointment of temporary 2nd Corporal

1917
10 November

Diagnosed with venereal disease

1917
3 December

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1918

1918
1 January

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

1918
26 January

Rejoined the Company

Promoted 2nd Corporal

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
15 May

Admitted to hospital with jaundice

1918
7 June

Embarked for England

1918
9 June

Admitted to hospital

1918
8 August

Allied Attacks

Hundred Days Offensive
1918
27 September

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

1918
9 November

Granted leave

1918
11 November

Cessation of Hostilities

Armistice

The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory

1918
23 November

Marched in to NZ Depot, Christchurch

1918
14 December

Granted leave

1918
24 December

Marched in to NZ Depot, Codford

1919

1919
25 January

Transfer to New Zealand

Troopship Port Melbourne
1919
8 July

End of Service

Demobilization

How to cite this page

Anthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of William James Stanley“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.nztunnellers.com/tunnellers/800/wwi-timeline