World War ITimeline

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

9 June

Granted leave

1916

24 June

Rejoined the Company

1916

12 July

Appointed Adjutant

1916

16 September

Relinquished appointment of Adjutant

1916

27 September

Granted leave

1916

6 October

Rejoined the Company

1916

7 November

Enlisted at the age of 30

Main Body

Trained

Avondale, Auckland

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

26 August

Appointed Acting Captain and Adjutant

1917

3 November

Granted leave

1917

19 November

Rejoined the Company

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

15 February

Promoted Captain

1918

20 February

Granted leave to France

1918

8 March

Rejoined the Company

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

8 August

Allied Attacks

Hundred Days Offensive

1918

19 August

Granted leave to the United Kingdom

1918

21 September

Rejoined the Company

1918

27 September

Officers of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company posing in front of a newly completed military bridge built by their men during World War I.

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

1918

11 November

Cessation of Hostilities

Armistice

Military bridge built by the New Zealand Tunnellers spanning a river in the town of Cambrai; surrounding houses are a mix of intact structures and war-damaged ruins.

The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory

1918

5 December

Admitted to hospital

Relinquished appointment of Adjutant

1918

6 December

Diagnosed with appendicitis

1918

20 December

Embarked for England

1918

24 December

Admitted to hospital

1919

13 January

Marched in to NZ Expeditionary Force Headquarters, London

1919

14 January

Granted leave

1919

20 January

Marched in to NZ Depot, Codford

1919

25 January

Transfer to New Zealand

Troopship Port Melbourne

1919

11 April

End of Service

Demobilization

How to cite this page

Anthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of Harold Watkinson“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.nztunnellers.com/tunnellers/887/wwi-timeline