Major Eric Garbutt
Arrived at Sword Beach on D-Day in an amphibious tank
MAJOR ERIC GARBUTT, who has died aged 91, served with the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (13/18 RH), the first Regiment ashore on D-Day using amphibious tanks.
The year before D-Day was devoted to intensive training on amphibious tanks in the greatest secrecy. The tanks were fitted with a screen which enabled them to float and were equipped with five Chrysler engines and driven by propellers.
During one exercise, a brigadier became marooned in the middle of a lake when a tank ran out of petrol. He was rescued by rowing boat but not before he had aired his grievances in the most forthright fashion to the subaltern responsible.
Crews had to be trained in escaping in the event that their tank sank. A tank turret and driver’s compartment were lowered into a well 30 ft deep. The crew shut the hatches and the well was filled with water at the rate of 3,000 gallons a minute. The hatches were then opened and the crew had to use their modified submarine escape apparatus to get out and reach the surface.
On D-Day itself, the tanks were launched from their landing craft 5,000 yards from Sword Beach. Of the 40 tanks, 33 got into the water and 31 reached the beach. As soon as they “touched down,” they began firing and quickly knocked out a number of 75, 50 and 20 mm enemy guns.
Eric John Skeen Garbutt was born at South-end-on-Sea on February 17 1925 and educated at Chadwell Heath School. He enlisted in 1942 while he was still under age and joined the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary’s Own) at Skipton, Yorkshire, the following year and was posted to Headquarters Squadron.
He served with Recce Troop and then A Squadron throughout the advance across Europe. In 1946, he was promoted to sergeant and, in 1947, was posted to the Warwickshire Yeomanry.
After promotion to Warrant Officer II and a spell as Squadron Sergeant Major, in 1955 he was posted to G Squadron, Mons Officer Cadet School. There he earned himself an Armywide reputation as an outstanding drill instructor.
In 1959, he became Regimental Sergeant Major, an appointment which he carried out with great distinction. He was commissioned as Quartermaster (QM) in 1963 and posted to the Yorkshire Yeomanry in 1965.
This was followed by a tour of duty in Penang, Malaysia, as Garrison Adjutant before returning to the Regiment as QM (Tech) in 1969, which post he held for eight years. He then took over the post of Regimental Secretary at Home Headquarters in York, which he held until his retirement from the Army in 1990.
He served for a time with the Laverstock Home Guard, near Salisbury. The unit had just been issued with a new weapon and the members were very excited at the prospect of trying it out on the range. It was a time of Army cutbacks and great economic stringency and they were only allowed one shot each.
When the weapon had been loaded, they all insisted that Garbutt, who was the youngest, should have the first turn. He was rather nervous and by mistake he changed the switch from “single shot” to “automatic.” None of his comrades got the chance to fire and it was several weeks before they spoke to him.
After he retired, he managed the Post Office at Seaton Ross, Yorkshire. He remained in close touch with his Regiment and will be remembered as an outstanding example of the true regimental soldier – completely professional in outlook and totally focused on his duties.
He set and demanded the highest standards and in later years became the father figure of the Regiment.
Eric Garbutt married, in 1948, Wynn Shelton. She predeceased him and he is survived by their son who served in the Regiment from 1967 to 1989, and their two daughters.
Eric Garbutt, born February 17 1925, died March 25 2016