A FORMER British Army major general from Wilcot, near Pewsey, has died while swimming off the coast of Tuscany.

George Michael Swindells, known as Michael, 85, apparently drowned while he was on holiday with his wife Prudence.

Mr Swindells went for a swim off the island of Elba, Tuscany, at about 3.30pm but didn’t return.

Mrs Swindells called for help after her husband disappeared in the water off the seaside town Marina di Campo, in front of their accommodation at the Hotel Monticristo.

Two German tourists and a passing policeman dragged him from the water but resuscitation attempts on the beach failed, local newspaper reports said.

It is believed Mr Swindells was visiting the island with his wife and friends.

Rescue volunteers from the Red Cross tried unsuccessfully to revive him and he was pronounced dead when his body was brought back to the shore.

Mr Swindells served in the cavalry regiment 9th and 12th Royal Lancers.

Reports in Italy said the Army veteran may have suffered a medical episode in the water and drowned around 100 metres from land.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Elba on October 13. We are providing assistance to the family."

Mr Swindells was born in Cheshire on January 15, 1930. He was educated at Rugby School, called up for National Service in 1948 and commissioned into the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, then stationed in Germany in 1949.

On release he spent a short time in the textile industry but when the Skins were warned for service in Korea he rejoined and sailed with the Regiment in the MV Georgic arriving at Pusan in early December 1951.

As a lieutenant he commanded a troop of four tanks deployed with, and in support of, British and Australian Infantry Battalions of the Commonwealth Division.

The regiment handed over to the 1st Royal Tank Regiment in December 1952 and spent a further year on active service based at Shandur on the Suez canal before returning to the United Kingdom in 1954.

He was adjutant of the Cheshire Yeomanry from 1954 to 1957, attended the Staff College in 1960 and subsequently served with the ‘Skins’ in Germany, Aden and Cyprus and in staff appointments in Singapore, Brunei and back in Germany as Brigade Major 7th Armoured Brigade.

In 1969 he was appointed to command the 9th/12th Royal Lancers after which he served on the directing staff at the Army Staff College Camberley, commanded 11th Armoured Brigade with its headquarters at Minden in Germany and attended the Royal College of Defence Studies.

On promotion to the rank of major general, he served as Chief of the Joint Services Liaison Organisation in Bonn from 1980 to 1982 and in a Joint Service post in the Defence Intelligence Staff until his retirement from active service in 1985.

He was Controller of the Army Benevolent Fund from 1987 until 1998 and during this time was also Colonel of the 9th/12th Lancers 1990 - 1995 and National Chairman of the British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association 1991 - 1996.

He joined the South London Branch of the British Korean Veterans Association when serving at the Ministry of Defence in 1984. In 1998, he was invited to become President of the recently formed Swindon Branch.