TWIGDEN, Cyril Roy
| Service Number: | 5862 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Black Rock, South Australia, 25 November 1895 |
| Home Town: | Morchard, Orroroo/Carrieton, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Morchard Public School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Farm Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 10 April 1917, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Vaulx Hill Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Orroroo District Roll of Honour WW1, Orroroo Morchard Men Roll of Honor, Orroroo Morchard Methodist Church Memorial Window, Orroroo Morchard Public School Roll of Honor, Orroroo Morchard War Memorial, Orroroo War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Apr 1916: | Enlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 5862, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Barambah embarkation_ship_number: A37 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 5862, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Barambah, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Ashby Thomas
CYRIL ROY TWIGDEN
Cyril Roy Twigden was born in Black Rock on the 25th of November, 1895.
He was raised by his mother, Susan Twigden in his hometown of Morchard, twenty eight kilometres west from his birthplace. His mother also raised his two other brothers, Percy and Sidney Twigden. The Twigden family were Methodist and were members of the Morchard Methodist church. He attended Morchard Public School and became a farm labourer.
Cyril enlisted in the army on the 19th of April, 1916, at the age of twenty years and four months. His two brothers also enlisted - Sidney on the 6th of June, 1916, and Percy followed on 23 June 1916.
Cyril Roy Twigden embarked the HMAT Barambah from Melbourne which landed in Plymouth on the 25th of August, 1916. He was a private in the 10th Infantry Battalion. The 10th Battalion was told they were going to fight on the Western Front. Cyril was only involved in one major battle- the Battle of Arras, 185 kilometres from Paris, France. The Battle of Arras was a British offensive on the German defence which started on the 10th of April, 1917. Cyril was Killed in Action and counted among the 160,000 Allied casualties that eventuated out of this battle.
Cyril was buried at Vaulx Hill Cemetery in northern France, twenty eight kilometres away from the battle which he died at. The news made its way back to his family in his hometown of Morchard via a telegram from a war correspondent. There was an article about him on the 5th of May, 1917 in the Register, Adelaide. ‘Mrs Twigden’s son, Cyril Roy Twigden has been killed at the front. He was twenty one years old and popular in the district.’ Cyril was mentioned again in 1920, in the same newspaper under the heading ‘In memory of the brave’. This article is in the newspaper exactly three years after his death. ‘In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Private Cyril Roy Twigden, who was killed in France on the 10th of April, 1917.’ 'Lest we Forget- inserted by his loving mother.’ Both of Cyril’s brothers made it back from the trenches.
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