Harry Tuzo

Sir Harry Tuzo
Born	(1917-08-26)26 August 1917 Bangalore, India
Died	7 August 1998(1998-08-07) (aged 80) Norwich, United Kingdom
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1939–1978
Rank	General
Unit	Royal Artillery
Commands held	3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (1960–62) 51 Gurkha Infantry Brigade (1963–65) Royal Artillery (1969–71) Northern Ireland (1971–73) Northern Army Group (1973–76) Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1976–78)
Battles/wars	Second World War Indonesian Confrontation Northern Ireland
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Officer of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross Mentioned in Despatches (2)
Other work	Chairman, Marconi Space and Defence Systems (1979–83) Chairman, Royal United Services Institute (1980–83)

Sir Harry Crawford Tuzo GCB, OBE, MC (26 August 1917 – 7 August 1998) was a British Army officer who was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe and GOC of the British Army in Northern Ireland during the early period of the Troubles.

Early life

Harry Craufurd Tuzo was born in Bangalore, India, on 26 August 1917; the son of John Atkinson Tuzo, a British Army Officer and civil engineer, and his wife Annie Catherine (née Craufurd).^[1][2][3] Tuzo was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire (where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps^[4]) and Oriel College, Oxford, where he read jurisprudence.^[1]

Second World War

He first entered the British Army on 15 July 1939 as a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, Supplementary Reserve of Officers,^[4] just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. After a fortnight's training he crossed to France with the 21st Anti-Tank Regiment as part of the British Expeditionary Force. In May 1940, he was amongst the last of those evacuated from Dunkirk, travelling in a paddle cruiser to Harwich. He stayed with his regiment engaged in coastal defence until June 1944 when they returned to France in the Invasion of Normandy. His regiment was in support of the Guards Armoured Division in Normandy where he won the Military Cross (MC) for his actions up to Operation Goodwood (the breakout from Caen).^[1] He was then a war substantive captain and temporary major commanding Y Battery of the regiment consisting of self-propelled anti-tank guns, the original recommendation for his MC mentions his actions at the Albert Canal bridgehead, the attacks on Hechtel, Elst, Sittard and particularly in support of the Coldstream Guards at Wesel; he was slightly wounded three times during this period.^[5] Later in Germany he had the rare distinction as a battery commander of accepting the surrender of a German Admiral who was Flag Officer U Boats.^[2] As the end of the war approached, he was granted a Regular Army commission, with the substantive rank of lieutenant (with seniority from 24 February 1941), on 17 January 1945.^[6] He was Mentioned in Despatches on 9 August 1945,^[7] and his MC was gazetted on 22 January 1946.^[8] He received substantive promotion to captain on 1 July 1946.^[9] He had married Monica Patience Salter on 5 October 1943.^[1]

Borneo

From 1963 to 1965 he commanded the 51st Gurkha Brigade in Borneo, which included Brunei in its area of operations. His Gurkha battalions worked to win the "hearts and minds" of the locals, but also participated with the SAS in Operation Claret which interdicted Indonesian troops as they attempted to cross the border. The Sultan of Brunei honoured Tuzo with the title Dato Setia Nagara in 1965.^[2] His work also earned him a Mention in Despatches.^[10]

Northern Ireland

Tuzo was appointed as General Officer Commanding and Director of Operations, Northern Ireland on 2 March 1971 together with promotion to lieutenant-general.^[11] His appointment was made after the previous incumbent, Lieutenant-General Vernon Erskine-Crum suffered a heart attack.^[12] Tuzo was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 4 June 1971, in the Queen's Birthday Honours.^[13] In 1972, after consultation with Whitehall, Tuzo ordered Operation Motorman which sent 30,000 troops into Republican dominated 'no-go' areas of West Belfast and Derry to take back control.^[2] He relinquished his position in Northern Ireland on 1 February 1973 and was replaced by Lieutenant-General Sir Frank King.^[14][15] Tuzo was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) on 2 June 1973.^[16]

After his service in Northern Ireland ended he was appointed Commander-in-Chief British Army of the Rhine until 1976 when he was made Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.^[2] He was placed on the retired list on 5 February 1979.^[17] After his service in the army he accepted a position in 1979 as chairman of Marconi Space and Defence Systems which he held until 1983.^[18]

Norfolk

Tuzo was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk on 12 September 1983.^[19] He lived in Fakenham^[20] and was chairman of Pensthorpe Nature Reserve.^[2] Tuzo's granddaughter is the journalist Rosie Garthwaite.

References