The fine former Halton Apprentice’s Palestine Arab Rebellion, Second World War Iraq, India and Burma, post-war Malayan Emergency and long service group awarded to Flight Lieutenant H. Tweddell, Royal Air Force. Tweddell from Sacriston, County Durham, saw continuous service between 1930 and 1961, being commissioned from the ranks in 1947. A Halton Apprentice between January 1930 and January 1933, he then spent a tour overseas with 100 Squadron in Iraq, before participating in the Palestine operations when stationed at Ramleh. With the Second World War, he was stationed in Iraq from August 1940, being with 261 Squadron from July 1941, and moving with this unit to India in early 1942. He switched to 273 Squadron in January 1944, before being posted home in September of that year. Commissioned in March 1947 into the Equipment Branch, he went on to see extensive service over in Germany, and was then out in Malaya as part of Operation Firedog from November 1958 through to May 1961 when based with R.A.F. Changi at Singapore as a Senior Equipment Officer.
Group of 6: General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVI 1st type bust, 2 Clasps: Palestine, Malaya; (564447. L.A.C. H. TWEDDELL. R.A.F.); 1939-1945 Star; Burma Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVI 2nd type bust; (PLT. OFF. H. TWEDDELL. R.A.F.), mounted swing style as worn.
Condition: Good Very Fine or better.
Henry Tweddell was born on 26th March 1913 in Sacriston, County Durham, and having been educated at Kimblesworth Elementary School, then enlisted into the Royal Air Force on 21st January 1930 as an Aircraft Apprentice (No.564447) for instruction with No.2 (Apprentice) Wing at R.A.F. Halton. Having completed his training as a Halton Apprentice, he was ranked as an Air Craftman 2nd Class from 6th January 1933, when he was posted for duty with 100 (Bomber) Squadron, which later that same year would be redesigned as 100 (Torpedo-Bomber) Squadron, it being equipped with Vickers Vildebeest aircraft. Tweddell was posted with this squadron out to the Far East to Singapore from 13th December 1933, when the squadron was deployed as part of the operation to defend Singapore, and was based at Seletar from January 1934.
Tweddell was advanced to Air Craftman 1st Class on 1st April 1934, and to Leading Air Craftman on 1st January 1935. Having been posted out of the squadron he was sent to the Middle East to join the School of Technical Training at Ramleh in Palestine and as such saw service there during the period of the Arab Rebellion from 6th April 1936 through to 1st July 1937, when posted to the Home Establishment. Promoted to Corporal on 1st September 1937, in that same month he was stationed at R.A.F. Martlesham Heath with the Maintenance and Aircraft Engineering Establishment, before being then posted to No.1 Air Observers School at R.A.F. North Coates in September 1938. Tweddell was ranked as an Acting Sergeant from 1st April 1939, and shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War was made up to temporary Sergeant on 6th September 1939, in which month he was posted to No.9 Air Observers School, and then in December 1939 he found himself posted to No.1 Air Armament School at R.A.F. Manby in Lincolnshire.
Tweddell was posted out to Iraq from 4th August 1940, and was stationed there through to 2nd March 1932, during which period he saw service with No.4 Service Flying Training School from 4th October 1940, and with No.12 Squadron from 1st July, which on its renumbering, became No.261 Squadron from 15th July 1941. This squadron was reforming after its service on Malta, and was equipped with Gladiators and Hurricanes. The main role was the defence of the oil ports, when fighting in Iraq ended the squadron sent detachments to Palestine and Cyprus. The squadron moved to Haifa, Palestine in January 1942. Re-equipped with the Hurricane IIB the squadron moved to the far east in early 1942 to join the campaign in Burma and Tweddell went with it.
Tweddell had in the meantime been promoted to temporary Flight Sergeant back on 1st May 1941, and he was be advanced to Acting Warrant Officer on 1st January 1942, and then shortly after his posting to India, he was promoted to temporary Warrant Officer on 15th March 1942. From March 1942 through to 23rd September 1944 he saw service initially with No.261 Squadron in India and Ceylon when supporting the operations against the Japanese in Burma. During this period however his health was not great, and he was in hospital on a number of occasions, before being transferred to No.273 Squadron from 25th January 1944, this being a fighter squadron which was based in Ceylon and equipped with the Spitfire Mk VIII and conducting operations from advanced airfields against Japanese fighters over Burma.
Tweddell was posted home on 24th September 1944, and was stationed at R.A.F. North Coates from 23rd October 1944, and then at R.A.F. Cardington from 11th April 1945, before being posted to R.A.F. Pudgate from 2nd July 1945 and ended the war there. He was confirmed in his promotion to Flight Sergeant on 17th June 1946, and having been selected for a commission, was posted to the Officer Cadet Training Unit at Cosford in Shropshire on 15th January 1947, before being discharged to a commission on 12th March 1947, on which date he re-engaged in order to complete 24 years service.
Tweddell was granted an emergency commission as a Pilot Officer (No.59036) into the Equipment Branch of the Royal Air Force, and was immediately posted to the Equipment Officers School at Hereford on 19th March 1947, before being posted to Headquarters of No.40 Group on 22nd May 1947, and then to No.261 Maitenance Unit on 27th May 1947, followed by No.53 Maintenance Unit from 15th September 1947. Tweddell was awarded the Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 27th January 1948. Posted to No.91 Maintenance Unit from 4th October 1948. With these units he saw service as the Equipment Officer, and was promoted to Flying Officer on 15th March 1949.
Tweddell was posted to No.15 School of Technical Training at North Coates from 13th July 1949, and was then posted out to Germany from 9th January 1950 for services with the Headquarters of No.85 Group, being then stationed at Fassberg from 25th March 1950, and employed with the Barrack Equipment Depot. From December 1950 he was employed with the Headquarters of the British Air Forces Occupation, and from January 1951 was employed with SHAPE on the Special Duties List, which appointment lasted through to March 1951. Then he joined the Headquarters of the 2nd Tactical Air Force from October 1951, and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on 13th September 1951, and granted a Permanent Commission in May 1952. Posted home from Germany in June 1952. He was with the Headquarters of Fighter Command from July 1952, and was then posted to the Headquarters of No.81 Group from November 1954, being then stationed at R.A.F. Dalcross from December 1955. In March 1957 he moved with No.81 Group to Rudloe Manor, now in the position of a Senior Equipment Officer, and he was then posted out to Malaya for service during the Malayan Emergency, as part of the Royal Air Force’s contribution to the campaign, known as Operation Firedog. He was stationed during this period with R.A.F. Changi at Singapore from November 1958 through to May 1961 when posted home, and having then been stationed at R.A.F. Finningley, he retired from the service on 26th March 1962. Tweddell latterly lived in Attleborough, Norfolk, and died on 27th September 1979.
