4/1370 - Sapper

John William

McDONALD

Main Body - Section No.2

Timeline


1915

1915

23 September

Enlistment

Auckland Military District

1915

11 October

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

Appointed Cook

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

1 November

Granted leave

1916

14 November

Rejoined the Company

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

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

12 August

Rejoined the Company

1917

13 August

Awarded 14 days Field Punishment No.1 and forfeited 8 days pay by Royal Warrant for failing to parade at Victoria Station and overstaying leave

1917

17 August

Admitted to hospital with venereal disease

Relinquished appointment of Cook

1917

2 October

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917

7 October

Admitted to hospital with venereal disease

1917

22 November

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917

7 December

Appointed Cook

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

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

22 April

Relinquished appointment of Cook

1918

17 June

Detached to 3rd NZ Entrenching Battalion Headquarters

1918

2 July

Rejoined the Company

1918

15 July

Sick with influenza

1918

18 July

Returned to duty

1918

8 August

100 Days Offensive

Allied Attacks

1918

14 September

Granted leave to United Kingdom

1918

27 September

From the Front

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

In front of the Havrincourt Bridge

1918

30 September

Rejoined the Company

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

14 November

Appointed Cook

1918

3 December

Relinquished appointment of Cook

Transferred

No.1 NZ Field Bakery

Decoration

British War Medal
British War Medal

Victory Medal
Victory Medal

Sources and bibliography

  • Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Online Cenotaph He Toa Taumata Rau: John William McDONALD.
  • Nominal Roll of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 1915. New Zealand Engineers Tunnelling Company, Wellington, Government Printer, 1916, p. 3.

How to cite this page

Anthony BYLEDBAL, “John William McDONALD (4/1370)”, New Zealand Tunnellers, 2024 (2009). Accessed: 20 April 2024. URL: https://www.nztunnellers.com/roll/details.php?id=539