Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Great War ‘Arras’ 1917 stretcher-bearer’s D.C.M., 1918 ‘Hindenburg Line - Canal du Nord’ Second Award Bar, 1916 ‘French theatre’ M.M. group of five awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2, later Lieutenant, J. Twemlow, 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (10393 Pte J. Twemlow. 1/Ches: R.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (10393 Pte J. Twemlow. 1/Ches: R.); 1914-15 Star (10393 Pte. J. Twemlow. Ches. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (10393. W.O. Cl. II. J. Twemlow. Ches. R.) last two renamed, mounted for wear by Spink & Son, good very fine (5) £2,600-£3,000

D.C.M. London Gazette 25 August 1917:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as a stretcher-bearer. He displayed the utmost fearlessness and devotion in bandaging wounded under heavy fire; also going out and personally rescuing the one survivor of a stretcher party, all of whom had been hit by snipers. His gallantry under fire has been most noticeable on many other occasions.’

D.C.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 12 March 1919 (details appearing in the gazette of 2 December 1919):

‘During the attack on Beaucamp, S.W. of Cambrai, on 27th September 1918, he showed most conspicuous gallantry and initiative. He was constantly organising bombing parties himself, and personally accounted for a number of the enemy with a machine gun. He led his patrol and took a prominent part in the bombing of two machine guns which were holding up the advance. He also attended to the wounded of his platoon under heavy machine-gun fire. Later, he took his section through Beaucamp and assisted in driving off an enemy bombing party, thus enabling the division on the left to advance.’

M.M. London Gazette 21 September 1916.

M.I.D. London Gazette 22 June 1915.

John Twemlow was a native of Hulme, Manchester. He served during the Great War with the 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment in the French theatre of war from 28 November 1914. The 1st Battalion were heavily engaged during the Second Battle of Ypres in May 1915, and spent 41 consecutive days in the trenches in front of Zillebeke. The Battalion also served as part of the 15th Brigade, 5th Division on the Somme, July - October 1916. They were particularly engaged in the attacks on Longueval (27 July), Falfemont Farm (3 September) and Morval (25 September).

The 1st Battalion moved into the Cambrai sector in March 1917, and Twemlow was engaged with them during the Battle of Arras the following month. Twemlow distinguished himself during the Battle for the Hindenburg Line in September 1918. The 1st Battalion were engaged at the actions for Canal du Nord and Cambrai, and it was for gallantry during the former that Twemlow was awarded the Bar to his D.C.M.:

‘This battle [27th September - 1st October], which involved crossing the canal, as well as tackling strong fortifications with wide fields of wire, was as pretty a manoeuvre as any in the war... The 5th Division was acting as a pivot to operations of the corps on their left, in the general attack on the Canal du Nord. The immediate task of the division on the 27th was to capture Beaucamp village and Highland ridge. The 15th Brigade was to form a defensive flank to the right, once these objectives were captured. The enemy facing was the Jaeger Division, one of the best German divisions in the field.

The 15th Brigade started from a line of trenches facing Beaucamp, the 1st Battalion (the 22nd Cheshire Regt) being on the left. The attack started at 7.52am on the 27th but in spite of the great gallantry of the Royal West Kent Regiment, the 13th Brigade, on the left of the division, was held.

In the meantime, the 1st Bedfordshire had reached their objective and captured many prisoners. The village of Beaucamp was cleared by one company of the 1st Battalion, under Lieut. Lockett, after severe close quarter hand-to-hand fighting.

A gap was now driven between the 13th and 15th Brigades by German bombing parties. So two companies of the 1st Battalion were sent up to support the company holding Beaucamp, and two platoons of the right company went to support the 1st Bedfordshire. Little more was done on the 27th.’ (Ever Glorious, The Story of the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment, by B. Rigby, refers)

Twemlow was commissioned Temporary Lieutenant, and discharged in January 1919.