Arthur Percival

Arthur Ernest Percival
Percival, pictured here as GOC Malaya Command, December 1941
Born	(1887-12-26)26 December 1887 Aspenden, Hertfordshire
Died	31 January 1966(1966-01-31) (aged 78) Westminster, London
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Years of service	1914–1946
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Service number	8785
Unit	Essex Regiment Cheshire Regiment
Commands	Malaya Command (1941–1942) 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division (1940–1941) 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division (1940) 2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (1932–1934) 7th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment (1918)
Battles / wars	First World War Battle of the Somme German spring offensive Russian Civil War North Russia Campaign Anglo-Irish War Second World War Malayan Campaign Battle of Singapore
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar Officer of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross Mentioned in Despatches (3) Croix de guerre (France)
Spouse(s)	Margaret Elizabeth MacGregor Greer ​ ​ (m. 1927; died 1953)​
Children	Dorinda Margery Percival (daughter) Alfred James MacGregor Percival (son)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	白思華[1]
Simplified Chinese	白思华
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Báisīhuá Yue: Cantonese Jyutping baak6 si1 waa4

Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, CB, DSO & Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL (26 December 1887 – 31 January 1966) was a British Army officer. He saw service in the First World War and built a successful military career during the interwar period, but is best known for his defeat in the Second World War, when Percival commanded British Commonwealth forces during the Malayan campaign, which culminated in a catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Singapore.

Percival's surrender to the invading Imperial Japanese Army, which was the largest of its kind in British military history, significantly undermined Britain's prestige and military position in East Asia.^[2][3] Some historians, such as Sir John Smyth, have argued that under-funding of British Malaya's defences and the inexperienced, under-equipped nature of the Commonwealth forces in Malaya, not Percival's leadership, were ultimately to blame for the defeat.^[4]