Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
Archibald Percival Wavell was born on the 5th of May 1883 to Archibald Graham Wavell and Lillie Wavell. His father later became a major-general in the British Army and served as military commander of Johannesburg after its capture during the Second Boer War. Young Archibald attended Eaton House before moving to Summer Fields, a leading preparatory boarding school in Oxford. He then entered Winchester College where he distinguished himself as a scholar. Dr. Fearon, his headmaster at Winchester, advised his father that there was no need to send him into the Army since he had sufficient ability to make his way in other walks of life. Despite this advice, Wavell chose the military path and enrolled at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. After graduating from Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the British Army on the 8th of May 1901 as a second lieutenant in the Black Watch regiment.
When the First World War began, Wavell worked as a staff officer with General Headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force in France. In November 1914, he was appointed brigade major of the 9th Infantry Brigade. During the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, Wavell lost his left eye but won the Military Cross for his bravery. After recovering from his wounds, he returned to General Headquarters in France as a GSO2 in December 1915. By October 1916, he held the rank of acting lieutenant-colonel and served as a liaison officer to the Russian Army in the Caucasus region. He called Grand Duke Nicholas, the Viceroy of the Caucasus, "the handsomest and most-impressive-looking man" yet charged that the Grand Duke failed to share much information about Russian operations against the Ottoman Empire. Wavell learned about the state of Russian operations by examining divisional patches of Ottoman prisoners of war which he matched with known locations of Ottoman divisions. In June 1917, he was promoted to brevet lieutenant-colonel and continued working as a staff officer until January 1918 when he received an appointment at the Supreme War Council in Versailles.
Between the world wars, Wavell faced significant challenges including periods where he found himself unemployed on half pay. In May 1920, he relinquished his temporary appointment of Brigadier-General, reverting to lieutenant-colonel. By March 1932, he served as aide-de-camp to King George V until October 1933 when he was promoted to Major-General. A shortage of jobs for Major-Generals left him unemployed again in January 1934 despite holding command of his brigade. In August 1937, he transferred to Palestine where growing unrest required him to serve as General Officer Commanding British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan. During this time, Wavell led counter-insurgency campaigns against Palestinian fedayeen guerrillas who had risen up in 1936. He refused to proclaim martial law because he did not have enough troops to enforce it. Wavell opposed Zionism and believed the Balfour Declaration had been a mistake since the promise of British support for a Jewish national home in Palestine led to militant anti-British feelings throughout the Islamic world. Like many British Army officers, he disliked Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain less because of appeasement but rather due to Chamberlain's limited liability rearmament policy which gave priority to the Royal Air Force and Navy while leaving the Army starved of funds.
Italy declared war on Britain on the 10th of June 1940, bringing the Middle Eastern theatre into active conflict. By that time, Wavell commanded only two British Army divisions totaling 36,000 men to defend Egypt against a much larger Italian army in Libya. His policy was one of flexible containment designed to buy time to build adequate forces for an offensive. In December 1940, Well launched Operation Compass where numerically superior Italian forces were overwhelmed by mixed British, Indian, and Australian troops. The battle ended with three Italian divisions surrendering and Italians being pushed back almost entirely into their colony of Libya. On the 8th of January 1941, Wavell launched another offensive that saw destruction of what remained of the Italian 10th Army and capture of the Cyrenaica province of Libya. Simultaneously, his forces in East Africa liberated Ethiopia through successful campaigns including the decisive Battle of Keren at the end of March 1941. This liberation represented a great blow to Fascist regime prestige since Benito Mussolini had claimed conquest of Ethiopia in 1936 as his greatest accomplishment.
Churchill decided to intervene in Greece despite Wavell's clear objections about insufficient forces available for such an operation. On the 25th of March 1941, Yugoslavia joined the Axis Tripartite Pact but did not grant Germans transit rights which would have forced Wehrmacht forces in Bulgaria to attack Greece through the Metaxas Line. Later that same day, a military coup in Belgrade overthrew the Regent Crown Prince Paul leading Hitler to invade both Yugoslavia and Greece. The new government in Belgrade refused to antagonize Hitler by mobilizing Yugoslav military and spread out forces too thinly to defend the whole country causing rapid defeat. By early April 1941, weakened Commonwealth forces were pushed back to Egypt leading to siege of Tobruk. On the 15th of April 1941, Wavell decided that Greece could not be held and ordered Force W to withdraw before entire expeditionary force was lost. British and New Zealand troops holding Thermopylae line fought bravely but lack of air support and devastating attacks from Stuka dive bombers forced their retreat. Between the 24th and the 29th of April 1941, Force W evacuated amid Dunkirk-like scenes under heavy German air attacks on various Greek beaches suffering 15,000 casualties while leaving behind all heavy equipment and artillery.
Wavell became Commander-in-Chief of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command following Japanese declaration of war on United Kingdom in December 1941. Late at night on the 10th of February 1942, he prepared to board a flying boat to fly from Singapore to Java. He stepped out of staff car without noticing because of his blind left eye that it was parked at edge of pier breaking two bones in his back when he fell. This injury affected his temperament for some time yet he chose to focus on defending Java as best way to defend Australia. On the 23rd of February 1942 with Malaya already lost and Allied position in Java and Sumatra precarious, ABDACOM closed down its headquarters in Java which had to be evacuated. The Imperial Japanese Navy defeated an Anglo-Australian-American-Dutch fleet in Battle of Java Sea on the 27th of February 1942 before Dutch governor of Java signed instrument of surrender on the 12th of March 1942. After fall of Singapore Wavell returned to India to resume position as C-in-C India where responsibilities now included defense of Burma.
Wavell transferred to India where he became Commander-in-Chief India and member of Governor General's Executive Council. His initial command covered both India and Iraq so within month of taking charge he launched Iraqforce to invade Persia in cooperation with Russians to secure oilfields and lines of communication to Soviet Union. In summer and fall of 1941 many British officials expected Soviet Union to be defeated that year while Germany would advance through Caucasus to invade Iran then from there invade India. Wavell once again found himself in charge of undermanned theatre which became war zone when Japanese declared war on United Kingdom in December 1941. On the 22nd of December 1941, he went to Chungking temporary capital of China to see Chiang Kai-shek discuss keeping Burma Road open. While waiting for flight to Chungking he met at Rangoon airport with Claire Lee Chennault and other pilots of American Volunteer Group better known as Flying Tigers who impressed him as brave determined high-spirited adventurers. Wavell described his landing on airport on semi-flooded island in Yangtze river as rather hair-raising and Chungking itself as unattractive city badly damaged by Japanese bombing. He called Chiang not particularly impressive figure only interested in grand strategy in Asia having no interest in Burma despite importance of Burma Road in keeping China supplied with arms.
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Common questions
When was Archibald Wavell born and who were his parents?
Archibald Percival Wavell was born on the 5th of May 1883 to Archibald Graham Wavell and Lillie Wavell. His father later became a major-general in the British Army.
How did Archibald Wavell lose his eye during World War I?
During the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, Archibald Wavell lost his left eye but won the Military Cross for his bravery. He recovered from these wounds and returned to General Headquarters in France as a GSO2 in December 1915.
What role did Archibald Wavell play in Palestine between the world wars?
In August 1937, Archibald Wavell transferred to Palestine where he served as General Officer Commanding British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan. He led counter-insurgency campaigns against Palestinian fedayeen guerrillas who had risen up in 1936.
Why did Archibald Wavell order the withdrawal from Greece in April 1941?
On the 15th of April 1941, Archibald Wavell decided that Greece could not be held and ordered Force W to withdraw before the entire expeditionary force was lost. British and New Zealand troops holding Thermopylae line fought bravely but lack of air support forced their retreat.
How did Archibald Wavell die after falling from a car in Singapore?
Late at night on the 10th of February 1942, Archibald Wavell stepped out of his staff car without noticing it was parked at the edge of a pier. The fall broke two bones in his back which affected his temperament for some time yet he chose to focus on defending Java.