N.Z. TUNNELLING CORPS

Southland Times, Issue 18078, 3 May 1919, Page 2

N.Z. TUNNELLING CORPS

A fine record of war services attaches to the i\ew Zealand Tunnelling Corps, the remaining members of which arriveu in Auckland by the lonic lust week. The coxpo Jett Auckland on December 20, 1015, under the command of Lieutemuit-Colouel J. hi. Duigan. It was fitted out at Falmouth, and was the first New Zealand unit in France. It relieved the French on the Vimy liidge, and was engaged in active mining operations there tor two years. With the approach of the Cambrai extensive a patty was detailed lor special duly. The coips was responsible for t-t underground system at Arras, which invoked the xormalion of communication trenches leading to the German front line. fepecial mention of this work s made in a despatch by Sir Douglas Haig. The fact that over 36,000 men were accommodated underground in canvas and dugous, before the battle started, gives some idea of the magnitude of the work. The underground trenches to the German lines. carried a 4-inch watermain and a 21t tramway. The operations were the means of preventing heavy casualties when the enemy barrage came down om the opening of the attack on April 7, 'lOl7. The commander ol the corps Colonel Duigan, was admitted to the. D.5.0., in recognition of the valuable services rendered. Tlie D.S.O. was also confered on Captain H. Vickcrman, who took command when Colonel Duigan left. The same distinction was conferred on Captain J. F’. G. Richards, the medical officer of the unit, who did excellent work during offensive. Military Crosses were awarded to Captain 11. H. Daldy, and Captain G. Campbell. In addition, a large number of non-commissioned officers and men of the unit were recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal tend Military Medal. After the Mfessines offensives active mining operations on the Western front ceased owing to the continual fluctuation of the line, and the Tunnelling Corps was engaged in constructing dug-outs, roads, and bridges. In the British offensive of 1918, the unit completed a bridge over the Mons Canal, which received the high appreciation of the Commander-in-Chief. For good work here the Tunnelling Corps was specially mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's dispatch, and the D.S.O. was conferred on Captain Dudley Holmes. The unit did not work with the New Zealand Division, but operated all the time it was in France with the Third Army. It has a unique record for its rate ot work was never beaten by a British Tunnelling Company, and a remarkable fact was that although the unit was continually at work from the time it landed in France until the armistice was signed, the casualties were extraordinarily few.