William Thwaites

For the civil engineer in Melbourne, Australia, see William Thwaites (engineer).

Sir William Thwaites
Born	1868 Kensington, London, England
Died	22 June 1947 (aged 79) Reading, Berkshire, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1887–1929
Rank	General
Commands held	141st (5th London) Brigade 46th (North Midland) Division British Army of the Rhine
Battles/wars	Second Boer War World War I
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George

General Sir William Thwaites KCB KCMG (1868–1947) was a former Commander of the British Army of the Rhine.

Military career

Thwaites was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1887. He served in the Second Boer War as an Adjutant in 33rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery. He served in World War I in France and Belgium becoming Commander of 141st (5th London) Brigade in 1915. He was then made General Officer Commanding 46th (North Midland) Division in 1916.

After the War he became Director of Military Intelligence at the War Office from 1918, and then Director of Military Operations and Intelligence from 1922. In 1923 he became General Officer Commanding 47th (2 London) Division and in 1927 he was appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief for British Army of the Rhine: he was the last person to hold this post until after World War II. He was Director General of the Territorial Army from 1931 to 1933 when he retired.