4/1233 - Sapper

Albert

FENTON

1st Reinforcements

Timeline


1915

1915

12 November

Enlistment

Auckland Military District

Initial training

Avondale, Auckland

1915

18 December

Transfer to England

S.S. Ruapehu

1916

1916

3 February

Marched in to the Company Training Camp, Falmouth

1916

9 March

Embarked for France

1916

16 March

From the Front

The Company joined the underground warfare in the North of France

Chantecler, Sector of Arras

1916

13 October

Detached to Mine School

1916

14 November

Granted leave

1916

16 November

From the Front

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

1916

28 November

Rejoined the Company

1917

1917

9 April

Battle of Arras

British Offensive


From the Front

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

Arras-Cambrai Road

1917

5 May

From the Front

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

The Billets in Monchy

1917

23 July

Granted leave

1917

6 August

Rejoined the Company

1917

28 August

Admitted to hospital with varicocele

1917

6 September

Embarked for England

1917

7 September

Admitted to hospital

1917

19 October

Granted leave to United Kingdom

1917

2 November

Marched in to NZ Depot, Christchurch

1918

From the Front

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

The Workshop in Arras

1918

25 January

Admitted to hospital with varicocele

1918

29 January

Marched in to NZ Depot, Boscombe

1918

21 March

Spring Offensive

German Attacks


From the Front

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

1918

13 April

Admitted to hospital with varicocele

1918

20 April

Marched in to NZ Depot, Boscombe

1918

28 June

Detached on command to No.1 NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst

1918

8 August

100 Days Offensive

Allied Attacks

1918

9 August

Marched in to NZ Depot, Boscombe

1918

27 September

From the Front

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

In front of the Havrincourt Bridge

1918

9 November

Embarked for France

1918

11 November

Armistice

Cessation of Hostilities


From the Front

The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory

Over the Sambre River, Maubeuge

1918

12 November

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1918

16 November

Rejoined the Company

1918

27 December

Discharged

1919

1919

1 January

Embarked for England

1919

2 January

Marched in to NZ Sling Camp, Bulford

1919

1 April

Transfer to New Zealand

R.M.S. Arawa

1919

14 June

Final discharge

End of Service

Decoration

British War Medal
British War Medal

Victory Medal
Victory Medal

Sources and bibliography

  • Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, AABK 18805 W5537 90/0039423, Military Personnel File: Albert FENTON - 4/1233.
  • Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Online Cenotaph He Toa Taumata Rau: Albert FENTON.
  • Nominal Roll of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 1915. New Zealand Engineers Tunnelling Company, Wellington, Government Printer, 1916, p. 7.

How to cite this page

Anthony BYLEDBAL, “Albert FENTON (4/1233)”, New Zealand Tunnellers, 2024 (2009). Accessed: 29 March 2024. URL: https://www.nztunnellers.com/roll/details.php?id=262