Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell

The Earl Wavell
Sir Archibald Wavell in Major-General's uniform
Viceroy and Governor-General of India
In office
1 October 1943 – 21 February 1947
MonarchGeorge VI
Prime MinisterWinston Churchill (1943–45)
Clement Attlee (1945–47)
Preceded byThe Marquess of Linlithgow
Succeeded byThe Viscount Mountbatten of Burma
Member of the House of Lords
In office
28 July 1943 – 24 May 1950
Hereditary peerage
Preceded byPeerage created
Succeeded byThe 2nd Earl Wavell
Colonel of the Black Watch
In office
1946–1950
Lord Lieutenant of the County of London[1]
In office
1949–1950
Preceded byThe Duke of Wellington
Succeeded byThe Viscount Allanbrooke
Constable of the Tower of London[2]
In office
1948–1950
Preceded byThe Lord Chetwode
Succeeded byThe Lord Wilson
Personal details
Born
Archibald Percival Wavell

(1883-05-05)5 May 1883
Colchester, Essex, England
Died24 May 1950(1950-05-24) (aged 67)
Westminster, London, England
Spouse
Eugenie Marie Quirk
(m. 1915)
Children4, including Archibald Wavell, 2nd Earl Wavell
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Army
Years of service1901–1943
RankField marshal
UnitBlack Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
Commands
Battles/wars
Awards

Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May 1950) was a senior officer of the British Army. He served in the Second Boer War, the Bazar Valley Campaign and the First World War, during which he was wounded in the Second Battle of Ypres. In the Second World War, he served initially as Commander-in-Chief Middle East, in which role he led British forces to victory over the Italian Army in Eritrea-Abyssinia, western Egypt and eastern Libya during Operation Compass in December 1940, only to be defeated by Erwin Rommel's Panzer Army Africa in the Western Desert in April 1941. He served as Commander-in-Chief, India, from July 1941 until June 1943 (apart from a brief tour as Commander of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command) and then served as Viceroy of India until his retirement in February 1947.

  1. ^ "No. 38712". The London Gazette. 13 September 1949. p. 4397.
  2. ^ "No. 38241". The London Gazette. 19 March 1948. p. 1933.