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Arthur Montague Twiss was born the 17 Mar 1881 the son of Edward Curtis Twiss and his wife Fanny Maria (nee Ringrose) of 5 New Walk, Beverley. He was baptised in St Mary's Church, Beverley on 18 Apr 1881 and was known as Montague, or Monty Twiss. He was educated at Shrewsbury School where he was a member of E B Moser House from 1895 to 1898. He rowed for the School and steered the crew in the four-oared race against Bedford in 1896.
After leaving Shrewsbury School, Arthur Montague Twiss entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich as a Gentleman Cadet, having passed 19th in the entrance examination. He was commissioned into the Royal Engineers as Second Lieutenant on 1 May 1900. His promotion to Lieutenant was published in the London Gazette 15 May 1903. His promotion to Captain was published in the London Gazette 3 May 1910. Captain A M Twiss attended the Staff College, Quetta. He was Company Commander of 22nd Company, 3rd Bombay Sappers and Miners. He was posted to India before Apr 1911. No details of his first voyage to India have been found, nor of his return to Britain in 1913. That year, after home leave, he embarked 24 Oct 1913 at London aboard the P&O Steam Navigation Co ship S.S. "Mantua" bound for Bombay.
As part of the Indian Expeditionary Force 'D', on 16 Oct 1914, the 3rd Bombay Sappers and Miners sailed from Bombay for Mesopotamia, where they landed on 6 Nov 1914. Force 'D' orders were to protect the oil refineries at Abadan and to capture Basra from the Turks. On 15 Nov 1914 the Force attacked the Turks, who were dug-in between Sahil and the town of Zain, near Basra. Captain Arthur Montague Twiss was killed by enemy action 17 Nov 1914. He is buried in Basra War Cemetery.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |