Harry Tuzo
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Harry Craufurd 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
.
, India, on 26 August 1917; the son of John Atkinson Tuzo, a British Army Officer and civil engineer
, and his wife Annie Catherine (whose maiden name was Craufurd). Tuzo was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire
(where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps) and Oriel College, Oxford, where he read jurisprudence
.
in the Royal Artillery
, Supplementary Reserve of Officers, 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
). He was then a war substantive captain and temporary major (United Kingdom) 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. 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. 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. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 9 August 1945, and his MC was gazetted
on 22 January 1946. He received substantive promotion to captain on 1 July 1946. He had married Monica Patience Salter on 5 October 1943.
, 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 Indonesia
n troops as they attempted to cross the border. The Sultan of Brunei honoured Tuzo with the title Dato Setia Nagara in 1965. His work also earned him a Mention in Despatches.
suffered a heart attack. Tuzo was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 4 June 1971, in the Queen's Birthday Honours
. 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. He relinquished his position in Northern Ireland on 1 February 1973 and was replaced by Lieutenant-General Sir Frank King
. Tuzo was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) on 2 June 1973.
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. He was placed on the retired list on 5 February 1979. 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. Tuzo was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
of Norfolk
on 12 September 1983.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Harry Craufurd Tuzo, GCB, OBE, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(26 August 1917 – 7 August 1998) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe and GOC
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
of the British Army in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
during the early period of the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
.
Early life
Harry Craufurd Tuzo was born in BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, India, on 26 August 1917; the son of John Atkinson Tuzo, a British Army Officer and civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
, and his wife Annie Catherine (whose maiden name was Craufurd). Tuzo was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
(where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps) and Oriel College, Oxford, where he read jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
.
Second World War
He first entered the British Army on 15 July 1939 as a second lieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, Supplementary Reserve of Officers, just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. After a fortnight's training he crossed to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with the 21st Anti-Tank Regiment as part of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
. In May 1940, he was amongst the last of those evacuated from Dunkirk, travelling in a paddle cruiser to Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
. 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
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
where he won the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(MC) for his actions up to Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
(the breakout from Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
). He was then a war substantive captain and temporary major (United Kingdom) commanding Y Battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of the regiment consisting of self-propelled
Self-propelled gun
A self-propelled gun is form of self-propelled artillery, and in modern use is usually used to refer to artillery pieces such as howitzers....
anti-tank guns, the original recommendation for his MC mentions his actions at the Albert Canal
Albert Canal
The Albert Canal is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, named after King Albert I of Belgium. It connects the major cities Antwerp and Liège and the Meuse and Scheldt rivers. It has a depth of , a free height of and a total length of...
bridgehead
Bridgehead
A bridgehead is a High Middle Ages military term, which antedating the invention of cannons was in the original meaning expressly a referent term to the military fortification that protects the end of a bridge...
, the attacks on Hechtel
Hechtel-Eksel
Hechtel-Eksel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Hechtel-Eksel had a total population of 11,473. The total area is 76.70 km² which gives a population density of 150 inhabitants per km².-Events:...
, Elst
Elst
Elst is the name of a number of towns:*Elst; a village and former municipality, now part of Overbetuwe, in Gelderland*Elst; a village in the municipality of Rhenen, in the province of Utrecht*Elst; a village in the municipality of Maasdonk, in North Brabant...
, Sittard
Sittard
Sittard is a city in the Dutch province of Limburg, which is the southernmost province of the Netherlands.On the east Sittard borders on Germany . It has some 48,400 inhabitants . Sittard is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen...
and particularly in support of the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
at Wesel
Wesel
Wesel is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.-Division of the town:Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighoven, Ginderich, Feldmark,Fusternberg, Büderich, Flüren and Blumenkamp.-History:...
; he was slightly wounded three times during this period. Later in Germany he had the rare distinction as a battery commander of accepting the surrender of a German Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
who was Flag Officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
U Boats. As the end of the war approached, he was granted a Regular Army commission, with the substantive rank of lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
(with seniority from 24 February 1941), on 17 January 1945. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 9 August 1945, and his MC was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 22 January 1946. He received substantive promotion to captain on 1 July 1946. He had married Monica Patience Salter on 5 October 1943.
Borneo
From 1963 to 1965 he commanded the 51st Gurkha Brigade in BorneoBorneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, which included Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
in its area of operations. His Gurkha
Gurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
battalions worked to win the "hearts and minds
Hearts and Minds
Hearts and Minds may refer to:* A biblical quotation; see the Wikisource link-Film:* Hearts and Minds , a 1974 documentary film about the Vietnam War-Television:...
" of the locals, but also participated with the SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
in Operation Claret
Operation Claret
Claret was the code name given to operations conducted from about July 1964 until July 1966 from East Malaysia across the border in Indonesian Kalimantan during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. They were instigated by the Director of Borneo Operations Major General Walter Walker with the...
which interdicted Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n troops as they attempted to cross the border. The Sultan of Brunei honoured Tuzo with the title Dato Setia Nagara in 1965. His work also earned him a Mention in Despatches.
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. His appointment was made after the previous incumbent, Lieutenant-General Vernon Erskine-CrumVernon Erskine-Crum
Lieutenant-General Vernon Forbes Erskine-Crum, CIE, MC was a British Army officer, who briefly served as General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland during the early period of the Troubles.-Regimental career:...
suffered a heart attack. Tuzo was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 4 June 1971, in the Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
. In 1972, after consultation with Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, Tuzo ordered Operation Motorman
Operation Motorman
Operation Motorman was a large operation carried out by the British Army in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The operation took place in the early hours of 31 July 1972 with the aim of retaking the "no-go areas" that had been established in Belfast, Derry and other large towns.-Background:The...
which sent 30,000 troops into Republican dominated 'no-go' areas
No-go area
A no-go area or no-go zone is a region where the ruling authorities have lost control and are unable to enforce the rule of law.-Rhodesia:The term 'no-go area' has a military origin and was first used in the context of the Bush War in Rhodesia...
of West Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
to take back control. He relinquished his position in Northern Ireland on 1 February 1973 and was replaced by Lieutenant-General Sir Frank King
Frank King (British Army officer)
General Sir Frank Douglas King GCB MBE was a British Army officer who was General Officer Commanding of the British Army in Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles...
. Tuzo was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) on 2 June 1973.
After his service in Northern Ireland ended he was appointed Commander-in-Chief British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
until 1976 when he was made Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. He was placed on the retired list on 5 February 1979. 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. Tuzo was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
on 12 September 1983.