Corporal John Marten Twomey Royal Signals, Royal Army Medical Corps and Army Cadet Force
Defence Medal. War Meedal 1939-45. Efficiency Medal 'T&AVR' and two clasps. Cadet Forces Medal.
The Man John Marten Twomey was born on Saturday 8th January 1927 in Brentford, Essex, son of George W Twomey, a former Lieutenant in the Welch Regiment having served in World War I and a Process Manager for the Daily Sketch and Evening Standard newspapers and Kathleen Beryl nee Hewett, who had also served in World War I in the Voluntary Aid Detachment. He had one brother Douglas G born in 1928 – 2022.
The 1939 Register shows the family living at 50 The Rise in Uxbridge and John aged 12 still at school. John may have served from aged 15 in one of the Civil Defence Organisations and upon reaching 18 in January 1945 was called up into the army, serving for the remainder of the war. He was awarded his Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45.
John remained in the army after war serving in Germany as part of the post War British Army on the Rhine, he was still serving in in 1948 and at about this time met and married his wife, Ingeburg Dietrch. They had two children Andrea J born in 1956 and another child, possibly born whilst he was still in Germany as no record can be found.
Following their return to the UK John and Ingeburg moved to Glamorgan, Wales and in about 1959 he joined the Territorial Army, Royal Signals as a Private with service number 23489405 and in the Army Medal List 90 of 1971 was awarded his Efficiency Medal ‘T&AVR’ as a Corporal. He transferred into the Royal Army Medical Corps as Private and awarded the first and second clasps to his Efficiency Medal in Army Medal Lists 116 of 1977 and 131 of 1982 respectively.
He retired from the TA in 1982 aged 55 and joined the Army Cadet Force as a Staff Sergeant Instructor and awarded his Cadet Forces Medal in 1994, this being published in the Cadet Journal of October 1994.
During the early 2000s John and Ingeburg lived at 40 Pennard Road, Kittle and in later life moved to Scotland, living at Flat 8, 35 Oakburn Avenue Milngavie.
John died 94 in 2021 at Kirkintilloch, Scotland and Ingeburg aged 92 the same year.
The 1939 Register shows the family living at 50 The Rise in Uxbridge and John aged 12 still at school. John may have served from aged 15 in one of the Civil Defence Organisations and upon reaching 18 in January 1945 was called up into the army, serving for the remainder of the war. He was awarded his Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45.
John remained in the army after war serving in Germany as part of the post War British Army on the Rhine, he was still serving in in 1948 and at about this time met and married his wife, Ingeburg Dietrch. They had two children Andrea J born in 1956 and another child, possibly born whilst he was still in Germany as no record can be found.
Following their return to the UK John and Ingeburg moved to Glamorgan, Wales and in about 1959 he joined the Territorial Army, Royal Signals as a Private with service number 23489405 and in the Army Medal List 90 of 1971 was awarded his Efficiency Medal ‘T&AVR’ as a Corporal. He transferred into the Royal Army Medical Corps as Private and awarded the first and second clasps to his Efficiency Medal in Army Medal Lists 116 of 1977 and 131 of 1982 respectively.
He retired from the TA in 1982 aged 55 and joined the Army Cadet Force as a Staff Sergeant Instructor and awarded his Cadet Forces Medal in 1994, this being published in the Cadet Journal of October 1994.
During the early 2000s John and Ingeburg lived at 40 Pennard Road, Kittle and in later life moved to Scotland, living at Flat 8, 35 Oakburn Avenue Milngavie.
John died 94 in 2021 at Kirkintilloch, Scotland and Ingeburg aged 92 the same year.
The Story The medals awarded to John Marten Twomey were acquired from E-Bay in November 2025 on a buy it now basis, coincidentally the same day as several other groups had been purchased at the Britannia Medal Fair in London earlier in the day!
They were of interest because of the Efficiency Medal ‘T&AVR’ (EM) and Cadet Forces Medal (CFM) combination and a brief check of Forces War Records, indicated John had also been awarded the first clasp to his EM, so an even more desirable group.
Whilst checking through the OMRS website for copies of his Army Orders for the award of the EM and clasp, it was found that he had also been awarded a second clasp to his EM and his CFM whilst serving in the Army Cadets in Powys.
As he had also received the Defence and War Medal 1939-45, it was assumed he had been born in about 1924 (plus 18 years = 1942 the minimum qualifying period in the UK for his Defence Medal) and a random search made. After some tweaking and a specific search of his name in Powys, Wales, John Marten Twomey was found, being the only possible person and confirmation from the electoral registers that he had lived in Wales and later Scotland.
He would have been called up in January 1945 aged 18 and interestingly he was shown on a service register as still serving in 1948, most likely in Germany as a part constructed family tree on Ancestry showed him married to Ingeburg Dietich. It is most probable he married her whilst still serving in Germany as no marriage record can be found and only one of their two children were born in the UK. A search of Scotland’s People also confirmed that they both had died in Kirkintilloch within a year of each other.
From a group with no details or information apart from his initials and name, a very pleasing result to establish that two additional clasps were awarded and being able to complete a brief biograpy, thus enabling him to be remembered.
The only possible query is the award of his Defence Medal as he would not have qualified with his military service, it is of course possible however, that he served from age 15 in one of the many civil defence organisations.
They were of interest because of the Efficiency Medal ‘T&AVR’ (EM) and Cadet Forces Medal (CFM) combination and a brief check of Forces War Records, indicated John had also been awarded the first clasp to his EM, so an even more desirable group.
Whilst checking through the OMRS website for copies of his Army Orders for the award of the EM and clasp, it was found that he had also been awarded a second clasp to his EM and his CFM whilst serving in the Army Cadets in Powys.
As he had also received the Defence and War Medal 1939-45, it was assumed he had been born in about 1924 (plus 18 years = 1942 the minimum qualifying period in the UK for his Defence Medal) and a random search made. After some tweaking and a specific search of his name in Powys, Wales, John Marten Twomey was found, being the only possible person and confirmation from the electoral registers that he had lived in Wales and later Scotland.
He would have been called up in January 1945 aged 18 and interestingly he was shown on a service register as still serving in 1948, most likely in Germany as a part constructed family tree on Ancestry showed him married to Ingeburg Dietich. It is most probable he married her whilst still serving in Germany as no marriage record can be found and only one of their two children were born in the UK. A search of Scotland’s People also confirmed that they both had died in Kirkintilloch within a year of each other.
From a group with no details or information apart from his initials and name, a very pleasing result to establish that two additional clasps were awarded and being able to complete a brief biograpy, thus enabling him to be remembered.
The only possible query is the award of his Defence Medal as he would not have qualified with his military service, it is of course possible however, that he served from age 15 in one of the many civil defence organisations.
South Wales Evening Post
1st March 1926. John's parents.
1948 Services electoral Register showing John as an absent voter.
Medal Details:
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal: 23489405 CPL.J.M.TWOMEY. R.SIGNALS.
- Cadet Forces Medal: J M TWOMEY ACF
This page last updated 28 Nov 25
183 /100
