Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 18002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 456

Seven: Lieutenant-Colonel T. A. M. ‘Tam’ Twaddle, King’s Own Royal Regiment, late Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), and latterly Commanding Officer of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star, these last two privately engraved, ‘74374 Major T. A. M. Twaddle’; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; U.N. Korea 1950-54; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., Territorial, reverse dated '1950', generally very fine or better (7)

Thomas Alton Muir Twaddle, always known as ‘Tam’, was born on 7 July 1916 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His father was William Twaddle and his mother, Barbara Jessie Robertson.

In March 1938, while working as a Commercial Traveller, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (T.A.).

Called-up just before the renewal of hostilities, he was embarked for service in the B.E.F. in France in May 1940, when the 6th Battalion, Cameronians formed part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division and participated in the bitter fighting around Cherbourg. Twaddle was among those to be evacuated home.

In January 1941, he transferred to the King’s Own Royal Regiment as a war substantive Lieutenant and, shortly after being promoted to the acting rank of Captain in January 1942, he was posted to H.Q. 9th Army, Middle East Command, which controlled all the British and Commonwealth Forces in the Eastern Mediterranean. He then became a G.S.O. 3 at H.Q. 8th Army before moving to the 5th Army in Tunisia and the 2nd Infantry Brigade, which suffered severe casualties at Anzio. In the period February to April 1945, he held the important appointment of Brigade Major in 2nd Infantry Brigade and in recognition of his capabilities was given a place at the Staff College, Camberley.

Following Staff College he was appointed D.A.A. and Q.M.G. H.Q. Burma Command, before returning regular regimental duty in the King’s Own Royal Regiment in Trieste and Hong Kong, where he commanded the Support Company. He next served as Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade in the B.A.O.R. in the period 1949-52, prior to joining the Advance Party of the King’s Own in Korea, where he personally led company level practice counter-attacks on positions successfully held by the King’s during the conflict; U.N. Korea Medal.

In December 1956, he was appointed G.S.O. 2 (Infantry) at Army H.Q. Ottawa and his final appointment was as Officer Commanding the Royal Hong Kong Regiment. He was placed on the Retired List in November 1961, aged 54, after a distinguished career spanning 33 years.

On retirement Twaddle became “Mine Host” of the Lyndsay Arms Hotel in Crawford, Lanarkshire, and renamed it “THE CAMERONIAN HOTEL” where, as his regimental obituarist noted, ‘Members of the Regiment past and present were always made most welcome’. He died in there in 1970; sold with three original photographs and copied research.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£350