Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
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.
Field Marshal The Right Honourable The Earl Wavell GCB GCSI GCIE CMG MC PC | |
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Sir Archibald Wavell in Major-General's uniform | |
Viceroy and Governor-General of India | |
In office 1 October 1943 – 21 February 1947 | |
Monarch | George VI |
Prime Minister | Winston Churchill (1943–45) Clement Attlee (1945–47) |
Preceded by | The Marquess of Linlithgow |
Succeeded by | The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma |
Member of the House of Lords | |
Lord Temporal | |
In office 28 July 1943 – 24 May 1950 Hereditary peerage | |
Preceded by | Peerage created |
Succeeded by | The 2nd Earl Wavell |
Colonel of the Black Watch | |
In office 1946–1950 | |
Lord Lieutenant of the County of London | |
In office 1949–1950 | |
Preceded by | The Duke of Wellington |
Succeeded by | The Viscount Allanbrooke |
Constable of the Tower of London | |
In office 1948–1950 | |
Preceded by | The Lord Chetwode |
Succeeded by | The Lord Wilson |
Personal details | |
Born | Archibald Percival Wavell 5 May 1883 Colchester, Essex, England |
Died | 24 May 1950 67) Westminster, London, England | (aged
Spouse |
Eugenie Marie Quirk (m. 1915) |
Children | 4, including Archibald Wavell, 2nd Earl Wavell |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch/service | British Army |
Years of service | 1901–1943 |
Rank | Field marshal |
Unit | Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) |
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Battles/wars |
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Awards |
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