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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 307

Seven: Lieutenant A. J. Tweedie, Egyptian Expeditionary Force

British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lieut A. J. Tweedie); Royal Humane Society, small bronze Medal (Arthur John Tweedie, 29th August, 1891.); Greece, Kingdom, Order of the Redeemer, breast Badge, silver-gilt, silver, gold and enamel; Egypt, Kingdom, Order of the Nile, breast Badge, silver-gilt, silver and enamel; France, Republic, Port Said, Fire Service Medal; France, Society Medal for International History, good very fine, (7)

Royal Humane Society bronze Medal, Case No. 25768:

'At great personal risk, rescued W. J. Blackhouse from drowning at Suez on 29 August 1891.'

M.I.D. London Gazette 22 January 1919.

Perhaps the best biography of Arthur John Tweedie is offered by a family article:

'He was born at Greenock on 28 January 1864 and was educated at the United Services College in Westward Ho!, North Devon. He was in the year above Rudyard Kipling who was known affectionately as a "cheeky, bespectacled youth ". Both students left in the summer of 1882.

Tweedie began his time in Egypt initially joining the Egyptian Department of Ports and Lights as an Inspector on 1 October 1882. The service was supervised by Sir George Morice, whose son James had married Mrs Amy Baxter (nee Galloway, the widow of Capt. Baxter and Tweedie's half-sister) as her second husband. He only served with the Egyptian Coast Guard Service, as it had become, until the end of 1885. In December of that year he sought his discharge in order to take up an appointment with Lambert Brothers, who had trading and shipping interests at Port Said. He was to serve them and their successors until he retired from Egypt some forty years later.

The 29 August 1891 saw Tweedie save the life of Walter James Blackhouse, a Merchant Seaman from S.S. Chiltern at Port Said, Suez (Bronze Medal). Backhouse wrote to him expressing his gratitude and that of his parents.

He served with the Khedive's Coastguard Service from the 1 October 1892-10 November 1895 finishing as an Inspector.

In addition to his normal commercial duties, he took an active part in the life of the busy town and harbour of Port Said. He became vice-Consul for Sweden in 1909 and was appointed the Swedish Consul there in 1912. He was also an active Freemason and by 1914 had already become District Grand Registrar of the District Grand Lodge of Egypt and the Sudan.

With the outbreak of War in August 1914, Tweedie and his wife were both caught up in many wartime activities in addition to those of running the shipping and coaling business in Port Said. The Suez Canal had become the main artery for communications to India, the Far East, Australia & New Zealand, as well as the Gulf and East Africa. The harbour at Port Said would have been seething with shipping activity as seen from the veranda of the Tweedie home, next door to Simon Artz' shop on the waterfront.

Both the Tweedies were awarded certificates in recognition of their services to the British Red Cross., with A. J. also mentioned in General Allanby's Despatches for his war work and was also decorated by the Kings of both Sweden and Greece for his services to nationals of those countries during wartime. In addition he was also awarded the 4th Class of the Order of the Nile for his services to the Egyptian consular service.

For the Great War he served between 2 July 1917- 19 June 1918 with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (General List) and was entitled to a Pair, the Medals were sent to the family home at Braunton, North Devon.

In 1924 Tweedie, now aged 60, and his wife retired to Braunton in North Devon. He did War work during the Second World War and had been in the Home Guard but when he was found to be 75 was asked to retire from service.

He died on 21 September 1952 and was buried at Braunton.'

For further family Medals, please see Lot 289.

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Sold for
£2,100

Starting price
£750