Paperback facsimile reprint of the 1922 whitcombe and tombs edition last copy youre welcome to combine postage please click here to ask a question. The new zealand tunnelling company was a tunnel warfare unit of the royal new zealand. After a shaky start in december 1914 the miners of the bef gradually overcame their opposite numbers in the grim warfare under the trenches, and had finally defeated them by the time of messines in june 1917. On 10 september 1915, the british government sent an appeal to canada, south africa, australia and new zealand to raise tunnelling companies in the dominions of the british empire.
Abroad, the new zealand tunnelling company nztc made its mark in the arras tunnels and the hms new zealand took part in the largest naval battle of the first world war, the battle of jutland. Carriere wellington tunnels arras, france atlas obscura. A few new purchases the work of the miner on the western front very scarce account by standish ball, the new zealand tunnelling company seldom seen and the roll of honour for loretto school 19141920 the book for the 19391945. Tunnelling technologies limited has the company number. Ministry of defence, the new zealand army in vietnam, 19641972. They arrived in france in march 1916 under the command of 33yearold regular soldier and south african war veteran major john evelyn duigan. The 251st tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. A memorial was unveiled in waihi today to honour the men of the new zealand tunnelling company who were sent to the western front 100 years ago to dig under enemy trenches and destroy them. Following the war, whitcombe and tombes were chosen publishers for a number of new zealand campaign and unit histories of ww1 including that of the new zealand tunnelling company, 19151919 by neill, j. The work of the miner on the western front very scarce account by standish ball, the new zealand tunnelling company seldom seen and the roll of honour for loretto school 19141920 the book for the 19391945 always makes an appearance but not this one. The australasian tunnelling society ats is a technical society that aims to advance the knowledge of the australasian tunnelling industry. Both soldiers belonged to the new zealand engineers tunnelling company, a first world war unit of tough miners formed to carry out digging work on or mostly beneath the western front. Surname listed as hawthorne in nominal rolls, as hawthorn in archives new zealand, bdms awmm. New zealands wwi tunnels in france uncovered by using.
The new zealand tunnelling company the company was formed in 1915 from quarrymen, gold miners from hauraki, labourers from the railways and public works departments and west coast coal miners. The new zealanders tunnels were larger than those dug by the french and british tunnellers, and they used different methods of support. The membership includes a diverse group of professions covering design, construction, occupational health and safety, technical, technology suppliers and environmental specialists. Please take a few minutes to watch this very moving digital photo story of the march. Members of the new zealand tunnelling company in france during wwi. In all twentyfive british, three australian, three canadian and one n zealand company were formed. Scottish born soldiers in the new zealand tunnelling company. Arthur hawthorn online cenotaph auckland war memorial. A short report by peter clark chair ipenz taurangabranchon saturday 19 april 2014 i was privileged to attend and represent ipenz at a meeting of the newzealand engineers tunneling company nzetc in waihi. Three australian and one new zealand tunnelling companies arrived on the western front by may 1916. The new zealand tunnelling company were the first new zealanders to arrive at the western front in march 1916. The new zealand engineers tunnelling company nzetc began recruiting in september 1915. The new zealand tunnelling company 1915 1919 2019 new book.
Us access only the new zealand university calendar wellington, n. An update on the opening ceremony for the arras tunnel in wellington can be found at the new zealand tunnelling company community facebook page. The other miners were quick to pick up the claykicking technique. It worked exclusively on the western front from march 1916 until the end of the. No exact match for new zealand tunnelling company 1915 1919 ed by jc neill. The new zealand tunnelling company 1st edition welcome.
Tunnelling company specialist units of the nzef nzhistory, new. The new zealand tunnelling company was the first of the new zealand expeditionary force members on the western front. Page 3 tunnelling companythe new zealand tunnelling company formed in october 1915 was made up mainly of experienced miners. Abbott marcus claude sapper 37596 annand bertram charles sergeant 33077 bollington archibald sapper 37612. It was incorporated on 29 nov 2000 and dissolved on 24 jul 2014 and has the status. The new zealand tunnelling company 19151919 edited by jc neill late lt nz tunnelling company. The new zealand tunnelling company formed in october 1915 was made up mainly of experienced miners. The tunnelling units were occupied in offensive and defensive mining involving the placing and maintaining of mines under enemy lines, as well as other underground work such as the construction of deep dugouts for troop. The design, named te reo hotunui o te moana nui a kiwa the deep sigh of the pacific recalls the conch shell left in the arras tunnels by kuki airani cook island soldiers of the new zealand tunnelling company and the new zealand maori pioneer battalion, who were stationed beneath the town of arras during 1916 to 1918. Cooke, who edits two military history journals, has written about other aspects of new zealand military engineering, such as coastal defences and the new zealand tunnelling company in world war i. A memorial has been unveiled to honour the new zealanders who. In a conference call with senior project managers, tunneltalk learned of the specific approach adopted for realizing new zealands most complex tunnelling and transportation infrastructure project to date. Military history of engineer regiment excellence captured. The new zealand tunnelling company, 19151919 to new zealand s livestock and meat industry and the u.
A number of tunnellers from the coromandel peninsula had carried out active service during ww1. The new zealand tunnelling company arrived at plymouth on 3 february 1916 and was deployed to the western front in northern france. Nz ww1 tunnelling coy the western front great war forum. View all our tunneling vacancies now with new jobs added daily. New zealand tunnelling society engineering new zealand. By october 1918 8 men had served in the new zealand engineers tunnelling company. A canadian unit was formed from men on the battlefield, plus two other companies trained in canada and then shipped to france. On june 22, 1916, hackett and four other miners of 254 tunnelling company were 35ft underground heading towards enemy lines when a german mine red dragon blew in 25ft of the tunnel, cutting them. The new zealand way the new zealand tunnelling company was joined in arras by the new zealand pioneer battalion, and later infantrymen. I have a photocopy of the book, my copy is missing a few pages, which i hope to get hold of later. Their mother was marion brown mcneil and father was james hawthorn who was mine manager at puponga and helped establish a school.
The tunnellers were the first new zealanders on the western front, arriving in france at midnight 9 march 1916. A canadian tunnelling company was formed in france and two more arrived from home, by march 1916. The tunnelling units were occupied in offensive and defensive mining involving the placing and maintaining of mines under enemy lines, as well as other underground work such as the construction of deep dugouts for troop accommodation. The underground war explore topics auckland war memorial. Military history of new zealand during world war i filed under. All of these units were engaged on underground work including the digging of subways, cable trenches, saps, chambers for such things as signals and. The new zealand tunnelling company memorial will remember all the men who enlisted in the new zealand tunnelling company from throughout new zealand, not just the men from the waihi area. On 17 september, new zealand became the first dominion to agree the formation of a tunnelling unit. More than 446 kiwis served in the new zealand tunnelling company many of them labourers trading jobs in their local mines and railways for service on the western front. Peter bartonpeter doylejohan vandewalle, beneath flanders fields the tunnellers war 19141918, staplehurst spellmount 9781862272378 pp. Home of the new zealand tunnelling company of world war one. Find your ideal job at seek with 25 tunneling jobs found in all new zealand. A team of 500 tunnelers were brought in to expand and connect the mine tunnels, led by the new zealand tunnelling company and taking advantage of. The new zealand tunnelling company, 19151919 edited by.
The history of new zealands world war one underground tunnels in france has been uncovered by a group from otago university, using laser scanning technology. The new zealand tunnelling company, 19151919 book, 1922. Tunnelling company nzhistory, new zealand history online. The british military historian lyn macdonald collected firsthand accounts in her book they called it passchendaele the story of the third battle of ypres and of the men who fought in it. In 1915 miners left from the gold and coal mines to enlist in the new zealand tunnelling company and serve underground in france. It worked exclusively on the western front from march 1916 until the end of the war, serving separately from the rest of the new zealand division. Pacific islands memorial ministry for culture and heritage. The new zealand tunnelling company were the first new zealanders to reach the western front. Its officers were generally universityeducated public works. The appearance of the men made a very favourable impression upon the crowd in the street. Tunnellers history of tunnelling companies in world war. A memorial will be unveiled today in waihi to honour the men of the new zealand tunnelling company who were sent to the western front 100years ago to dig under enemy trenches and destroy them. New zealand tunnelling company memorial ww100 new zealand. Sumi eratne, project director in nzta, is responsible for delivery of the project and is the owners interface with the alliance.
Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers underground. J c neill the new zealand tunnelling company 1915 1919. Arthur had two sisters mary connew and jean robertson, and five brothers jim, matt, bill and ham. The new zealand tunnelling company, 19151919 auckland et al whitcombe and tombs, 1922, ed. A small group of members of the new zealand tunnelling company pictured in france during world war i. Tunnelling technologies limited is a nz limited company from auckland in new zealand. Between 1916 and 1917, the new zealand tunnelling company linked a subterranean system of quarries beneath the western front, and named them after new zealand places to help themselves stay oriented underground originally mined for chalk to build the french town of arras, the vast network of 200 yearold underground quarries was rediscovered. The new zealand tunnelling company also new zealand engineers tunnelling company was a tunnel warfare unit of the royal new zealand electrical and mechanical engineers during world war i which specialised in sapping and mining. The 254th tunnelling company was one of the tunnelling companies of the royal engineers created by the british army during world war i. The story of solomon isaacs and new zealands role in the first world war throughout 1916 was told in greater detail in. Overview of the role of specialist units in the first world war. World war, 19141918 regimental histories new zealand the new zealand tunnelling company, 19151919 auckland et al whitcombe and tombs, 1922, ed. Apart from the pioneer battalion they were the only men who would return to new zealand as a complete unit, and they returned after the pioneers. The new zealand tunnelling society formed in 2017 to provide a local focus to what the australasian tunnelling society does.
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