A fine Second World War Abyssinia campaign Bulo-Erillo Distinguished Conduct Medal group awarded to Company Sergeant Major, later Temporary Captain W.H. Tywman, Loyal Regiment, attached 2nd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment who had seen pre-war service in Palestine during the Arab Revolt before later seeing action in East Africa during the Second World War where he would participate in the fighting in Abyssinia. He would be decorated with the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the London Gazette of 21st October 1941 for his conspicuously distinguished conduct when as Company Sergeant-Major of a Company during the engagement at Buro Erillo he would take over the company after the Company Commander, 2nd-in-command and one of the Platoon Commanders had been killed. During the advance he personally subdued with grenades an enemy machine-gun post which was holding up the advance which was holding up the advance of the neighbouring Company. He also effectively controlled the fire of the mortar detachment allotted to his Company. His coolness and resource were an inspiration to the man about him and to the young officer who assumed command of the Company after the deaths of the Company Commander and 2nd-in-Command. Twyman would later take part in the fighting in Burma against the Japanese and would be awarded the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
Group of 7: Distinguished Conduct Medal, GVIR 1st type bust, (3850823 W.O.CL.2. W.H. TWYMAN. LOYAL. R.) General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVIR 1st type bust, 1 Clasp: Palestine: (3850823 SJT. W.H. TWYMAN. LOYALS.) 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; War Medal, all four privately named; (P/234316 CAPT. W.H. TWYMAN.) Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVIR 1st type bust; (3850823 W.O.CL.2. W.H. TWYMAN. D.C.M. LOYAL R.) Court-mounted for display.
Condition: court-mounted for display, edge-bruising and contact marks, Very Fine
William Henry Twyman attested for the Loyal Regiment before seeing service during the Arab Revolt in Palestine. During the Second World War he would be attached to the 2nd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment with the Loyal Regiment as his parent unit.
Taking part in the fighting in Abyssinia he would be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the London Gazette of 21st October 1941, the citation states that then Company Sergeant Major William Henry Twyman displayed conspicuously distinguished conduct. The original recommendation as follows:
‘This British Warrant Officer was Company Sergeant-Major of ‘C’ Company during the engagement at Buro Erillo on 13th February 1941. In the early stages, the Company Commander, 2nd-in-command and one of the Platoon Commanders were killed. Pending the arrival of a Platoon Commander to take over, C.S.M. Twyman continued to direct and control the advance of the Company with scarcely any pause. During the advance he personally subdued with grenades an enemy M.G. post which was holding up the advance of the neighbouring Company. He also effectively controlled the fire of the mortar detachment allotted to his Company. Throughout the engagement, C.S.M. Twyman’s coolness and resource were an inspiration to the man about him and to the young officer who assumed command of the Company after the deaths of the Company Commander and 2nd-in-command.’
He would later be commissioned as War Substantive Lieutenant on 19th April 1942 and would later become a Temporary Captain on 15th March 1943 and would go on to see service during the Burma Campaign. He was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal sometime after the award of his Distinguished Conduct Medal given the post-nominals on the medal.
The fighting of February 1941 would see the 2nd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment take part in the fighting across the Juba and to Mogadishu.
On either side of the Juba there extended a belt of tropical forest and thick bush anything from a few hundred yards to a few miles in breadth. South of Jelib this belt of forest and bush was broken by patches of cultivation. A good fast road ran from Jelib to Mogadishu and there were roads on either side of the river to Bardera and Dolo at the foot of the Abyssinian highlands. The river offered the best natural position for the defence of the Italian Somaliland; on the other hand, the vegetation on both banks favoured mobile, bushworthy troops.
The enemy forces holding the lower Huba, south of and inclusive of Jelib were estimated to be about 14,000 strong, consisting of 102.Col.Div of four brigades, divisional troops, three groups of banda and the garrison of Kismayu, which comprised three battalions, two groups of field artillery and some coast defence guns. Further north from exclusive Jelib, was 101.Col.Div of two brigades, divisional troops and three groups of bunda, with a total strength of 8,000.
From 2nd February onwards the South Africa Air Force attacked the enemy airfields at Gobwen, Admadu and Dif. After a particularly heavy attack on the defences of Afmadu on 10th February the garrison disintegrated and 22 (E.A.) Bde, (Brigadier C.E.M. Richards) which still had 60 miles to cover before reaching its objective – Buro Erillo.
On 10th February the following signals was sent to 11 and 12 Divs:
‘The following message from the Force Commander will be made known to all troops under your command. Force Commander also directs that the operation and its scope should also now be explained to troops. Begins. The victories of Imperial troops farther north have filled us in East Africa with pride and excitement though no doubt the ensuring period has been touched with envy and strong desire to emulate achievements. Chance is now before you to prove what I well know that East Africa Force is no white behind in dash courage and endurance. In this connection I sent to South African, East African and West African and Indian troops taking part in operation message of good luck. Hit them hard and hit them again. Cunningham’
The River Juba splits into two channels about Buro Erillo, that on the west was at that time empty and was known as the ‘dry Juba’ Buro Erillo lies west of the dry Juba and the town of Jelib is 10 miles to the east just beyond the eastern branch of the river. These two places are joined by the road which runs eventually to Mogadishu, and on the island between the two channels is the village of Alessandra. The Italian position at Buro Erillo was situated in thick bush and consisted of an area of 1,400 yards long and 600 yards wide enclosed by thick barbed wire. It contained tank traps, rifle and machine-gun pits as well as a battery of field guns. The garrison was estimated at one colonial battalion with a few armoured cars.
24 (Gold Coast) group moved up during the night 12-13th February and debussed behind a covering force which had been in position since 1930hrs. This force consisted of one company 3rd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment, one machine-gun company of 1/3 King’s African Rifles and armoured cars. The intention was to make the main effort against the enemy position from the south with a holding attack from the west. Debussing one mile west of the covering force, 1st Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel I.R. Bruce) and 2nd Gold Coast Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel J.W. Hayes) moved to their assembly positions as follows:
1.G.C.R. with a detachment of sappers, to strike the road Buro Erillo-Kismayu two miles south of Buro Erillo and then to take up a position facing east astride the road Buro Erillo-Alessandra-Jelib
2.G.C.R. with a detachment of sappers, to follow 1.G.C.R. and assemble east of the road Buro Erillio-Kismayu facing north-north-west.
At 0830 hours 2.G.C.R. started their attack. Gaps were blown in the wire by Bangalore torpedoes through which the companies passed and swept right across the area from south to north. Meanwhile 1.G.C.R. had been attacked by armoured cars coming down lanes cut in the bush. The anti-tank rifles proved most effective and even bullets from Bren guns were found to have penetrated the vehicles. Durnig the action the light batteries fired with great precision and the sappers showed themselves skilful in detecting and destroying mines.
The casualties incurred by 2nd Gold Coast Regiment were three officers and one British N.C.O. killed, three officers and one British N.C.O. wounded, nine Africans killed and 18 wounded. Many of the Italian troops dispersed into the bush, but 141 prisoners , all their artillery and most of their machine guns were taken. As one excited African remarked to an officer ‘Fine fight sah! We done beaten ‘em!’
On the evening of the 13th February information reaching General Cunningham suggested that the enemy were withdrawing from the west bank of the river.
