Follow the Tunnellers at War from their departure to New Zealand until their return to civilian life, in the intimacy of their journey on the Western Front.
After two months in sea and an additional month in England for military training, the NZ Tunnellers arrived in France on 10th March 1916. The men discovered France for the first time. They moved directly to the front line and the war in the North of France. The underground war began...
Beginning of the underground warfare was very difficult to the New Zealanders. The Tunnellers took over the Chantecler sector, North-East of Arras front. Work underground began truly for the men. The Hun miners were very close to the British Front Line...
The New Zealanders knew the Arras town since few months when they are sent in reconnaissance in the old underground quarries located beneath the town. They were involved with the construction of vast underground dugouts used to accommodate the soldiers needed for the Arras offensive...
After the battle of Arras, the Tunnellers found themselves on the fringe of hell. During a year, they constructed various dugouts used to accomodate the British troops and also machine-gun and trench mortar emplacements in the trenches, a special work which gave a little more free time...
The New Zealanders followed the British troops in the final offensive from August 1918. Underground works finished for the men and they were converted to bridge works. They erected bridges for the future advance of the British soldiers towards Belgium...
The Tunnellers were always at work in Belgium and in France many months after the signing of the Armistice. The return of the company was officially authorized in January 1919. The quiet and long journey finally began for the men...