Thomas Moore Campbell, NZ Engineers

[Robyn FitzGerald]

I have already posted about Thomas Moore Campbell (Regimental #33151) a few days ago in a post about 4 soldiers I am researching but I am really stuck on this one in particular, so I am narrowing down my queries again here and hoping for some more help.

http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE17211196

I know that he was a Sapper in NZ Engineers from 19/8/1916.

On 14/11/1917 he arrives in France.

On 10/12/1917 he was detached to the 4th NZ Infantry Brigade, No.4 Field Company (the 4th NZIB being disbanded in Feb 1918).

On 8/2/1918 he is attached to NZ Divisional XXII Corp Wing (which had replaced 11 ANZAC Corps) Reinforcements Camp.

On 12/2/1918 he is detached to SOMEWHERE that I can't decipher - SEE IMAGE 11.

On 13/4/1918 he is attached to strength with the NZ Infantry and General Base Depot.

On 11/8/1918 he marches out to the 3rd Entrenching Battalion (formed from the former 4th NZIB's superfluous troops). I know that they were used as extra labour by other squads and as reinforcements.

On 15/10/1918 he transfers to Division Reception Camp (formerly the NZ Infantry and General Base Depot).

On 16/10/1918 he is re-posted to NZ Engineers on the disbanding of the Entrenching Group in October.

Between 21/10/1918 and 15/1/1919 he goes AWOL.

1/2/1919 he joins NZ Engineers, 2nd Field Company.

28/2/1919 to 24/3/1919 he gets 28 days Field Punishment #2, detained in the 2nd Army Detention Camp, if I'm not mistaken.

25/3/1919 He's put straight on a ship back to NZ the very next day.

His service seems to be really "bitsy" and I can't get a feel for what he was doing or whether he actually saw any action or not.

So what I want to know is:

1. where was he detached to on 12/2/1918?

2. would he have seen any action, and if so, when and where. (Roger Shephard, if you're reading this, the NZE 4th diaries you gave me are too early (Mar-Aug 1917). He only joined the 4th NZIB in Dec 1917.)

Thank you,

Robyn

[TEW]

A quick look and I think on 12/2/18 he was detached to Reningelst Laundry?

I see he also had another absent episode in 1917, also the Feb 1919 28 days FP2 was at Etaples for being absent form parades and roll calls for nearly 3 months.

He was put on a ship for the UK the next day but didn't embark for home until May 1919.

May have missed something but I don't think he was doing much until Aug 1918 with the 3rd EB until Oct 18. Otherwise he seems to be at divisional camps, IBDs etc.

TEW

[Robyn FitzGerald]

A quick look and I think on 12/2/18 he was detached to Reningelst Laundry?

Yay! Reninghelst - that's definitely it. Thank you so much. I had been trying to get "Slingshott" out of it but I knew that wasn't right. I thought the other word was "laundry", too. I guess it isn't too likely that he was put on laundry duty. Perhaps the laundry premises were being used for something else, or more probably, the word isn't laundry at all. But at least I know what area he was in now. Thanks again!

[Robyn FitzGerald]

I see he also had another absent episode in 1917, also the Feb 1919 28 days FP2 was at Etaples for being absent form parades and roll calls for nearly 3 months.

Yes, I had noted his earlier offence - I think he was 2 hours late back to camp.

Was there a "2nd army detention camp" at Etaples? I assume he was actually locked up for 28 days rather than just being out with his unit in handcuffs and fetters for a month?

[Robyn FitzGerald]

Look what I found - see at the bottom of page 17.

https://www.awm.gov.au/images/collection/bundled/RCDIG1011802.pdf

So apparently he was posted to a laundry! I suppose someone had to do it!