The only son of
Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Tower, Tower was born in
Rhu,
Dunbartonshire. Educated at
Harrow and the
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, he was commissioned into the
Royal Artillery in 1937, Ordered to
North Africa, Tower saw active service against the Italians in 1940 and 1941 and was at the
Battle of Bir Hakeim in May 1942. When General
Neil Ritchie abandoned the
Gazala Line, the garrison at
Tobruk was left isolated, and Tower's force fought until their ammunition was exhausted, at which point they surrendered. He was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order for his part in this action, and was appointed a
Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1942 for his earlier service in the Middle East. Tower was interned in a
prisoner-of-war camp in Italy until the
Italians surrendered in September 1943. He then escaped and crossed through the
German lines reaching safety in one month later. He was appointed
brigade major of the
1st Airborne Division in April 1944. Later that year, during the
Battle of Arnhem, part of
Operation Market Garden, he parachuted and was safely evacuated. Tower accompanied
1st Airlanding Light Regiment in the relief of
Norway in Spring 1945. He graduated from the
Staff College, Camberley in 1948, the
Joint Service Defence College in 1956 and the
Imperial Defence College in 1961. In 1967, he was appointed a
Companion of the Order of the Bath, and was
Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In May of the same year, he became
General Officer Commanding Middle East Land Forces where he served in the
Aden Emergency. Retired from the army in 1972, he was Administrator of
Blickling Hall in
Norfolk from 1973 to 1982. Between 1975 and 1978, he was County commissioner for the Norfolk
St John Ambulance Brigade. Tower was married to Elizabeth Sneyd-Kynnersley; they were childless. ==References==