Philip Geoffrey Twining

General Sir Philip Geoffrey Twining, KCMG, CB, MVO (7 September 1862 – 15 January 1920) was a Canadian soldier who served with the British Army in England, Canada, East Africa, India and China.

Sir Philip Twining
Birth namePhilip Geoffrey Twining
Born7 September 1862
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Died15 January 1920(1920-01-15) (aged 57)
Kensington, London
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
RankMajor-General Sir
UnitRoyal Engineers
AwardsKCMG , CB, MVO

Education

Twining was born in 1862. He enrolled at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario from 1880–83, student # 88.

Military service

He was commissioned as an officer with the Royal Engineers in 1886, and served in India from 1887-1891. He was sent to Mombasa for a year to survey a railway route to Lake Victoria Nyanza. As a Lieutenant, he was an instructor and later as a Captain a professor in military engineering at the Royal Military College of Canada from 1895-9. He performed engineering, railway and survey work in India during the years from 1899 to 1914, but was in January 1901 appointed a Special service officer to serve on the British Military Staff in China during the Boxer Rebellion.[1] He was mentioned in despatches by Major-General O'Moore Creagh, commander of the British force in China, for his work with the Chinese railways, and was commended ″for his skill in originally organizing the Locomotive Department, patching up engines, &c, with scant materials, and in record time″.[2]

During the First World War, he was Adjutant of the British First Army. He served as Director of Fortification and Works at the War Office 1918-20.[3]

Awards and recognition

He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG), was a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) 1918 and Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO). As a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1911, he was awarded 1st (K.G.O.) Sappers and Miners.

Twining Island, St. Joseph Channel, Algoma District, Ontario was named in honour of 88 Major General Sir Philip Geoffrey Twining KCMG, COB, MVO (RMC 1880-1883) Royal Engineers [4]

Family

He married Louise Mary (d 1956), daughter of George and Mary Daly of Toronto.

References
  1. "No. 27428". The London Gazette. 25 April 1902. p. 2794.
  2. "No. 27497". The London Gazette. 21 November 1902. p. 7532.
  3. Roy MacLarent African Exploits: The Diaries of William Stairs, 1887-1892
  4. https://archive.org/stream/ontariohistory1011ontauoft/ontariohistory1011ontauoft_djvu.txt
  • 4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC - A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
  • H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876-1918. Volume II: 1919-1984. Royal Military College. [Kingston]. The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984
Military offices
Preceded by
George Kenneth Scott-Moncrieff		 Director of Fortifications and Works
1918–1920		 Succeeded by
Sir William Andrew Liddell
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