Arthur Ernest Percival
December 26, 1887 – January 31, 1966
GOC Malaya in December 1941.
Place of birth	Aspenden, Hertfordshire
Allegiance	British Army
Years of service	1914-1946
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Commands	General Officer Commanding Malaya
Battles/wars	World War I Russian Civil War Anglo-Irish War Battle of Malaya Battle of Singapore
Awards	CB, DSO and bar, OBE, MC

Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, CB, DSO and Bar, OBE, MC, OStJ, DL (December 26, 1887 - January 31, 1966) was a British Army officer and World War I hero. He built a successful military career during the interwar period but is most noted for his involvement in World War II, when he commanded the forces of the British Commonwealth during the Battle of Malaya and the subsequent Battle of Singapore. Image File history File links LinkFA-star. ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (486x673, 46 KB) Description: Lieutenant-General A E Percival, General Officer Commanding Malaya at the time of the Japanese attack. ... Aspenden is a village and civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. ... Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom and part of the East of England Government Office region. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... General Officer Commanding (GOC) is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth (and some other) nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. ... Map of Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Franz... Combatants Red Army (Bolsheviks) White Army (Monarchists, SRs, Anti-Communists) Green Army (Peasants and Nationalists) Black Army (Anarchists) United States of America Commanders Leon Trotsky Mikhail Tukhachevsky Semyon Budyonny Lavr Kornilov, Alexander Kolchak, Anton Denikin, Pyotr Wrangel Alexander Antonov, Nikifor Grigoriev Nestor Makhno Strength 5,427,273 (peak) +1,000... An Irish War of Independence memorial in Dublin The Anglo-Irish War (also known as the Irish War of Independence) was a guerrilla campaign mounted against the British government in Ireland by the Irish Republican Army under the proclaimed legitimacy of the First Dáil, the extra-legal Irish parliament... Combatants British Army, Indian Army, Australian Army, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces Imperial Japanese Army Commanders Arthur Percival Tomoyuki Yamashita Strength 140,000 70,000 Casualties 5,000 killed, 50,000 prisoners of war no more than 34,000 The Battle of Malaya was a conflict between a Commonwealth army... Combatants Allied forces: Indian Army; British Army; Australian Army; Malayan forces; Straits Settlements forces Imperial Japanese Army Commanders Arthur Percival Tomoyuki Yamashita Strength 85,000 36,000 Casualties about 5,000 killed; about 80,000 POWs 1,715 dead, 3,500 wounded The Battle of Singapore was a battle fought... Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in order of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand Cross... The Military Cross (MC) is the third level military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in order of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand Cross... The Military Cross (MC) is the third level military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries. ... This page deals with the order after its revival in the 19th century. ... The Deputy Lieutenant is the deputy to the Lord Lieutenant of a county. ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Franz... The Interwar period was the time between World War I and World War II, ergo the 1920s and 1930s. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as the Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, the majority of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom. ... Combatants British Army, Indian Army, Australian Army, Federated Malay States Volunteer Forces Imperial Japanese Army Commanders Arthur Percival Tomoyuki Yamashita Strength 140,000 70,000 Casualties 5,000 killed, 50,000 prisoners of war no more than 34,000 The Battle of Malaya was a conflict between a Commonwealth army... Combatants Allied forces: Indian Army; British Army; Australian Army; Malayan forces; Straits Settlements forces Imperial Japanese Army Commanders Arthur Percival Tomoyuki Yamashita Strength 85,000 36,000 Casualties about 5,000 killed; about 80,000 POWs 1,715 dead, 3,500 wounded The Battle of Singapore was a battle fought...

Percival's surrender to a smaller invading Imperial Japanese Army force was and remains the largest capitulation in British military history, and it fatally undermined Britain's prestige as an imperial power in the Far East.^[1][2] However, knowing about the years of under-funding of Malaya's defences and the inexperienced, under-equipped nature of the Commonwealth army makes it possible to hold a more sympathetic view of his command.^[3] The Imperial Japanese Army (: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: 大日本帝国陸軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun) was the official ground based armed force of Japan from 1867 to 1945 when it was Imperial Japan. ... British military history is a long and varied topic, extending from the prehistoric and ancient historic period, through the Roman invasions of Julius Cæsar and Claudius and subsequent Roman occupation; warfare in the Mediaeval period, including the invasions of the Saxons and the Vikings in the Early Middle Ages... British Malaya was a set of states that were colonized by the British from the 18th and the 19th until the 20th century. ...

Early life

Childhood and employment

Arthur Ernest Percival was born on Boxing Day in Aspenden Lodge, Aspenden near Buntingford in Hertfordshire, the second son of Alfred Reginald and Edith Percival (née Miller). His father was the Land Agent of the Hamel's Park estate and his mother came from a Lancashire cotton family. Boxing Day is a public holiday observed in many Commonwealth countries on 26 December. ... Aspenden is a village and civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. ... Buntingford is a town in the district of East Hertfordshire, in Hertfordshire, England. ... Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom and part of the East of England Government Office region. ... Lancashire is a county in North West England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ...

Percival was initially schooled locally in Bengeo. Then in 1901 he was sent to Rugby with his more academically successful brother, where he was a boarder in School House. A moderate pupil, he studied Greek and Latin but was described by a teacher as "not a good classic".^[4] Percival's only qualification on leaving in 1906 was a higher school certificate. He was a more successful sportsman, playing cricket and tennis and running cross country.^[5] He also rose to colour sergeant in the school's Volunteer Rifle Corps. However, his military career began at a comparatively late age: although a member of Youngsbury Rifle Club, he was still working as a clerk for the iron-ore merchants, Naylor, Benzon & Company Limited in London, which he had joined in 1907 when the Great War broke out. But for this conflict, it seems certain that he would have remained a civilian. Bengeo is a suburb of the town of Hertford in England. ... A view of Rugby School from The Close, the playing field where according to legend Rugby was invented Rugby School, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, is one of the oldest public schools in England and is perhaps one of the top co-educational boarding schools in the country. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... For the insect, see Cricket (insect). ... For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ... US Armed Forces cross country meet Cross-country running is a sport in which teams of runners compete to complete a course over open or rough terrain before other teams. ... Colour Sergeant (CSgt or C/Sgt) is an non-commissioned rank in the Royal Marines, ranking above Sergeant and below Warrant Officer Class 2. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Franz... In times of armed conflict a civilian is any person who is not a combatant. ...

Enlistment and World War I

Percival enlisted on the first day of the war as a private in the Officer Training Corps of the Inns of court, aged 26, and was promoted after five weeks' basic training to acting second lieutenant. Nearly one third of his fellow recruits would be dead by the end of the war. A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank (equivalent to Nato Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in). ... The Officers Training Corps (OTC) is a part of the British Army that provides military training to students at British universities. ... Combined arms of the four Inns of Court The Inns of Court, in London, are the professional associations to one of which every English barrister (and those judges who were formerly barristers) must belong. ... Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank in many armed forces. ...

Near Thiepval, 7 August.

The following year Percival was dispatched to France with the newly formed 7th (Service) Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, which became part of the 54th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division in February 1915. The first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916 left Percival unscathed, but he was badly hurt by shrapnel wounds in four places in September as he led his company in an assault on the Schwaben Redoubt beyond the ruins of Thiepval village and was awarded the Military Cross.^[6] Download high resolution version (1380x1079, 212 KB)British infantry from The Wiltshire Regiment attacking near Thiepval, 7 August 1916, during the Battle of the Somme. ... Download high resolution version (1380x1079, 212 KB)British infantry from The Wiltshire Regiment attacking near Thiepval, 7 August 1916, during the Battle of the Somme. ... This article is about the Thiepval village and memorial, for other uses see Thiepval (disambiguation) Thiepval is a village in the Somme département, Picardy region of Northern France. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... Bedfordshire is a county in England and forms part of the East of England region. ... (Redirected from 18th (Eastern) Division) The British 18th (Eastern) Division was a New Army division formed in September 1914 as part of the K2 Army Group. ... Combatants British Empire Australia Canada New Zealand Newfoundland South Africa United Kingdom France German Empire Commanders Douglas Haig Joseph Joffre Max von Gallwitz Fritz von Below Strength 13 British & 11 French divisions (initial) 51 British and 48 French divisions (final) 10. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Schwaben Redoubt lies between the Thiepval Memorial and the Ulster tower. ... This article is about the Thiepval village and memorial, for other uses see Thiepval (disambiguation) Thiepval is a village in the Somme département, Picardy region of Northern France. ... The Military Cross (MC) is the third level military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries. ...

Percival took a regular commission as a captain with the Essex Regiment in October 1916, whilst recovering from his injuries in hospital. In 1917, he became battalion commander with the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel. During Germany's Spring Offensive, Percival led a counter-attack that saved a unit of French artillery from capture, winning a Croix de Guerre.^[7] For a short period in May 1918, he acted as commander of the 54th Brigade. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, with his citation noting his "power of command and knowledge of tactics".^[8] He ended the war as a respected soldier, described as "very efficient" and was recommended for the Staff College.^[9] This article concerns the rank and title of Captain. ... The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... Lieutenant Colonel (Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grades spelling) is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine corps and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a Major and below a Colonel. ... The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during the First World War, which marked the deepest advance by either side since 1914. ... The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of both Belgium and France which was first created in 1915. ... DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ... Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, is a training college for the British army. ...

Between the Wars

Major Percival in Ireland

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (260x670, 75 KB) Summary Major Percival in Ireland in 1921 Source Imperial War Museum, arributed in Hamilton, Nigel, Monty: The Making of a General 1887-1942, Hamish Hamilton, 1981. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (260x670, 75 KB) Summary Major Percival in Ireland in 1921 Source Imperial War Museum, arributed in Hamilton, Nigel, Monty: The Making of a General 1887-1942, Hamish Hamilton, 1981. ...

Russia

Percival's studies were delayed in 1919 when he decided to volunteer for service with the Archangel Command of the British Military Mission during the North Russia Campaign of the Russian Civil War. Appointed brevet major and acting as second-in-command of the 46th Royal Fusiliers, he earned a bar to his DSO in August, when his attack in the Gorodok operation along the Dvina netted 400 Bolshevik prisoners.^[10] Arkhangelsk (Russian: ), formerly called Archangel in English, is a city in and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. ... North Russia Campaign Arkhangelsk Oblast May 1918 – Sept 1919 Polar Bear Expedition Russian Civil War North Russia Relief Force // Introduction The North Russia Campaign (also known as the Northern Russian Expedition or the Allied Intervention in North Russia) was the involvement of international troops part of the Allied Intervention in... Combatants Red Army (Bolsheviks) White Army (Monarchists, SRs, Anti-Communists) Green Army (Peasants and Nationalists) Black Army (Anarchists) United States of America Commanders Leon Trotsky Mikhail Tukhachevsky Semyon Budyonny Lavr Kornilov, Alexander Kolchak, Anton Denikin, Pyotr Wrangel Alexander Antonov, Nikifor Grigoriev Nestor Makhno Strength 5,427,273 (peak) +1,000... In the US military, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a regiment in the British Army. ... The Northern Dvina (Се́верная Двина́) is a river in Northern Russia flowing through the Vologda Oblast and Arkhangelsk Oblast into the Dvina Bay of the White Sea. ... Bolsheviks (Russian: IPA , derived from bolshinstvo, majority) were members of the Bolshevik faction of the Marxist Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split apart from the Menshevik faction[1] at the Second Party Congress in 1903 and ultimately became the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. ...

Ireland

More controversially, in 1920 Percival served as a company commander and later the intelligence officer of the 1st Battalion, the Essex Regiment in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland fighting the IRA during the Irish War of Independence. See Intelligence Officers ... The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. ... Market Street in Kinsale, one of the towns oldest thoroughfares Kinsale (Cionn tSáile in Irish) is a town in County Cork, Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Cork Code: C (CK proposed) Area: 7,457 km² Population (2006) 480,909 (including City of Cork); 361,766 (without Cork City) Website: www. ... This article is about the historical army of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic (1919–1922) which fought in the Irish War of Independence 1919-21, and the Irish Civil War 1922-23. ...

Percival was a successful counter-guerrila but he soon developed a reputation for brutality amongst the Irish people: following the murder of an RIC sergeant in church in July 1920, he captured Tom Hales, commander of the West Cork Brigade, and Patrick Harte, the brigade's quartermaster, and won an OBE. But there were allegations that these and other prisoners were maltreated whilst in custody and he was unable to jail Tom Barry in spite of once having the opportunity to interrogate him. The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) was one of Irelands two police forces in the early twentieth century, alongside the Dublin Metropolitan Police. ... Tom Hales was an IRA member from West Cork. ... Patrick Harte was an IRA member from West Cork. ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in order of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand Cross... Tom Barry is also the name of an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter. ...

The IRA placed a bounty of £1,000 on Percival's head, seeing him as responsible for the "Essex Battalion Torture Squad", and a first attempted assassination was only foiled when Percival departed from his dinnertime routine. A second hit squad was dispatched to London in March 1921 but was forced to flee Liverpool Street Station when the police learned of their plans. Back in Ireland, Percival led a raid that killed one of the would-be hitmen. Liverpool Street station, also called London Liverpool Street, is a mainline railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern corner of the City of London, the main financial district, with entrances on Bishopsgate and Liverpool Street itself. ...

Whilst in Ireland, Bernard Montgomery, who was serving in the same brigade, made Percival's acquaintance and they later exchanged letters on their experiences in this war.^[11] David Lloyd-George and Winston Churchill also met Percival in 1921 when he was called as an expert witness during an inquiry into the Anglo-Irish War.^[12] Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and... David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, OM (January 17, 1863–March 26, 1945) was a British statesman and the last Liberal to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... Churchill redirects here. ...

Staff officer

Percival attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1923 to 1924, then commanded by General Edmund Ironside, where he was taught by J.F.C. Fuller, who was one of the few sympathetic reviewers of his book, The War in Malaya, twenty five years later. He impressed his instructors, who picked him out as one of eight students for accelerated promotion, and his fellow students who admired his cricketing skills. Following an appointment as major with the Cheshire Regiment, he spent four years with the Nigeria Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force in West Africa as a staff officer. Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, is a training college for the British army. ... Field Marshal William Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside (b. ... Major-General John Frederick Charles Fuller, CB, CBE, DSO, commonly J.F.C. Fuller, (September 1, 1878–February 10, 1966), was a British major-general, military historian and strategist, notable as an early theorist of modern armoured warfare, including categorising principles of warfare. ... The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales Division. ... The Nigeria Regiment, Royal West African Frontier Force, was thus formed by amalgamation of Northern Nigeria Regiment and Southern Nigeria Regiment on January 1st 1914. ... The West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) was a multi-batallion field force, formed by the British Colonial Office in 1900 to administer the regular colonial forces of West Africa. ...  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ...

The Royal Naval College, where Percival studied in 1930

In 1930, Percival spent a year studying at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. From 1931 to 1932, Percival was General Staff Officer Grade 2, an instructor at the Staff College. The College's commandant General Sir John Dill, became Percival's mentor over the next 10 years, helping to ensure his protégé's advancement. Dill regarded Percival as a promising officer and wrote that "he has an outstanding ability, wide military knowledge, good judgement and is a very quick and accurate worker" but added "he has not altogether an impressive presence and one may therefore fail, at first meeting him, to appreciate his sterling worth".^[13] With Dill's support, Percival was appointed to command the 2nd Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment from 1932 to 1936, initially in Malta. In 1935, he attended the Imperial Defence College. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1774x1162, 587 KB)Photograph by Colin Gregory Palmer taken in 2005 This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License v. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1774x1162, 587 KB)Photograph by Colin Gregory Palmer taken in 2005 This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License v. ... The Old Royal Naval College The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was a Royal Navy training establishment between 1873 and 1998, in the centre of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site in London. ... Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill CMG DSO GCB (25 December 1881 - 4 November 1944) was a British commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the special relationship. ... The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. ...

Percival was made a full colonel and from 1936 to 1938 he was General Staff Officer Grade 1 in Malaya, the Chief of Staff to General Dobbie, the General Officer Commanding in Malaya. During this time, he recognised that Singapore was no longer an isolated fortress.^[14] He considered the possibility of the Japanese landing in Thailand to "burgle Malaya by the backdoor^[15] and conducted an appraisal of the possibility of an attack being launched on Singapore from the North, which was supplied to the War Office, and which Percival subsequently felt was similar to the plan followed by the Japanese in 1941.^[16] He also supported Dobbie's unexecuted plan for the construction of fixed defences in Southern Johore. In March 1938, he returned to Britain and was promoted to brigadier on the General Staff, Aldershot Command. Colonel (IPA: or ) is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... Map of Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia (or Semenanjung Malaysia in the Malay language) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ... The chief of staff is the chief aide to the commander of larger military formations and units. ... A General is an officer of high military rank. ... Sir William Dobbie, during World War II, was a Lieutenant General, of the British Army, who served as the military governor of Malta. ... General Officer Commanding (GOC) is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth (and some other) nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. ... Old War Office Building, Whitehall, London - the former location of the War Office The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. ... State Motto: the state moto as appeared on the coat of arms reads kepada Allah berserah which literally means all hopes is to God (Allah) Capital Johor Bahru Bandar DiRaja Bandar Maharani Sultan Iskandar Al-haj Chief minister Abdul Ghani Othman Area 19,984 km² Population 2. ... Brigadier is a rank which is used in different ways by different countries. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ...

Family

On 27 July 1927 Percival married Margaret Elizabeth "Betty" MacGregor (who died in 1956) in the Holy Trinity Church, West Brompton. She was the daughter of Thomas MacGregor Greer of Tallylagan Manor, a protestant linen merchant from County Tyrone in Ulster. They had met during his tour of duty in Ireland and it had taken Percival several years to propose. They had two children. A daughter, Dorinda Margery, was born in Greenwich and became Lady Dunleath. Alfred James MacGregor, their son, was born in Singapore and also served in the British Army. The family were well-to-do and Percival's estate on his death was valued at £102,515, a considerable sum in 1966. July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... West Brompton is an area of South-West London, within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Linum usitatissimum L. - Flax Torn linen cloth, recovered from the Dead Sea Linen is a material made from the fibers of the flax plant. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Omagh Area: 3,155 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Area: 24,481 km² Population (2006 estimate) 1,993,918 Ulster (Irish: Cúige Uladh, IPA: ) forms one of the four traditional provinces of Ireland. ... Baron Dunleath is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. ...

The Second World War

Lieutenant-General Percival leaving a plane on his arrival in Singapore in 1941 as the new GOC Malaya

Percival was appointed Brigadier, General Staff, of the I Corps, British Expeditionary Force, commanded by General Dill, from 1939 to 1940. He was then promoted to major general and in February 1940 briefly became General Officer Commanding 43rd (Wessex) Division. He was made Assistant Chief of the Imperial General Staff at the War Office in 1940 but asked for a transfer to an active command after the Dunkirk evacuation. Given command of the 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division, he spent 9 months organising the protection of 62 miles of the English coast from invasion.^[17] He was created Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1941.^[18] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (472x659, 46 KB) Description: Lieutenant General Percival leaving a plane on his arrival in Singapore as the new GOC Malaya Source: IWMCollections IWM Photo No. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (472x659, 46 KB) Description: Lieutenant General Percival leaving a plane on his arrival in Singapore as the new GOC Malaya Source: IWMCollections IWM Photo No. ... The British I Corps has a long history, and was in existence as an active formation in the British Army for longer than any other corps. ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division was a British Territorial Army division first formed in 1908. ... Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) was the title of the professional head of the British Army from 1908 to 1964. ... Old War Office Building, Whitehall, London - the former location of the War Office The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. ... Carnival in Dunkirk. ... The 44rd (Home Counties) Infantry Division was a British division which formed part of the British Expeditionary Force. ... Detail from a pillbox embrasure. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2005 est. ... Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ...

General Officer Commanding (Malaya)

In May 1941 Percival was given a temporary promotion to acting lieutenant-general and was appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) Malaya. This was a significant promotion for him as he had never commanded an army Corps. He left Britain in a Sunderland flying boat and embarked on an arduous two week, multi-stage flight via Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria, where he was delayed by the Anglo-Iraqi War, Basra, Karachi and Rangoon, where he was met by an RAF transport.^[16] Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... A corps (a word that migrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: , but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body; plural same as singular) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or signals... The Sunderland, S.25, was a flying boat patrol bomber, developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers, based on their successful S.23 Empire flying boats, the flagship of Imperial Airways. ... Alexandria Modern Alexandria. ... Combatants Iraq United Kingdom Commanders Rashid Ali General Sir Edward Quinan Strength five divisions about two divisions Casualties 2,500 1,200 The Anglo-Iraqi War was a short war fought between the United Kingdom and the Iraqi nationalist government, from April 18 to May 30, 1941. ... Location of Basra Basra (Arabic: ‎ ; BGN: Al Başrah) is the second largest city of Iraq with an estimated population of 2,600,000 (2003). ... Karachi (Urdu: كراچى, Sindhi: ڪراچي) is the capital of the province of Sindh, and the most populated city in Pakistan, sometimes known as the City of Light and the City of Quaid (شہرِ قائد), after Muhammad Ali Jinnah the founder of Pakistan. ... Yangon (Burmese: , population 4,082,000 (2005 census), formerly Rangoon, and still known by that name in many circles, see below under History), is the largest city of Myanmar (formerly Burma) and its former capital. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Percival had mixed feelings about his appointment, noting that "In going to Malaya I realised that there was the double danger either of being left in an inactive command for some years if war did not break out in the East or, if it did, of finding myself involved in a pretty sticky business with the inadequate forces which are usually to be found in the distant parts of our Empire in the early stages of a war."^[17]

For much of the inter-War period, Britain's defensive plan for Malaya had centred on the dispatch of a naval fleet to the newly built Singapore Naval Base. Accordingly, the army's role was to defend Singapore and Southern Johore. Whilst this plan had seemed adequate when the nearest Japanese base had been 1,700 miles away, the outbreak of war in Europe combined with the partial Japanese occupation of the Northern part of French Indochina and the signing of the Tripartite Pact in September 1940 had underlined the impossibility of a sea based defence. Instead it was proposed to use the RAF to defend Malaya, at least until reinforcements could be dispatched from Britain. This led to the building of airfields in Northern Malaya and along its East coast and the dispersal of the available army units around the peninsula to protect them.^[19] A coastal defence gun fires in Singapore The Singapore Naval Base was a cornerstone of British Defence polict in the Far East between the Wars. ... State Motto: the state moto as appeared on the coat of arms reads kepada Allah berserah which literally means all hopes is to God (Allah) Capital Johor Bahru Bandar DiRaja Bandar Maharani Sultan Iskandar Al-haj Chief minister Abdul Ghani Othman Area 19,984 km² Population 2. ... The European Theatre was an area of heavy fighting across Europe, during World War II, from 1 September 1939 to 8 May 1945. ... French Indochina was a federation of protectorates in Southeast Asia, part of the French colonial empire. ... Axis Powers signing with Saburo Kurusu, Galeazzo Ciano and Adolf Hitler in 1940. ...

On arrival Percival set about training his inexperienced army, with his Indian troops being particularly raw, with most of their experienced officers having been withdrawn to support the formation of new units as the Indian army expanded. Relying upon commercial aircraft or the Volunteer air force to overcome the shortage of RAF planes, he toured the peninsula and encouraged the building of defensive works around Jitra.^[20] A training manual, Tactical Notes on Malaya, approved by Percival was distributed to all units. Jitra is an area of Malaya in north Kedah. ...

In July 1941 the Japanese occupied Southern Indochina and sanctions were invoked by Britain, the United States and the Netherlands, freezing financial assets and cutting Japan off from its supplies of oil, tin and rubber. Given their on-going involvement in China, this put Japan in an unsustainable position. Both the Japanese navy and army were mobilised but for the moment an uneasy state of cold war persisted. British Commonwealth reinforcements continued to trickle into Malaya. On 2 December, the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battle-cruiser HMS Repulse, escorted by four destroyers arrived in Singapore, the first time a battle fleet had been based there. The following day Rear-Admiral Spooner hosted a dinner attended by the newly arrived Commander-in-Chief Eastern Fleet Admiral Tom Phillips and Percival.^[21] Sanctions is the plural of sanction (see also penalty). ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... General Name, Symbol, Number tin, Sn, 50 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 5, p Appearance silvery lustrous gray Atomic mass 118. ... Latex being collected from a tapped rubber tree Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer which occurs as a milky colloidal suspension (known as latex) in the sap of several varieties of plants. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... HMS Victory in 1884 Battleship was the name given to the most powerfully gun-armed and most heavily armored classes of warships built from the mid-16th through the mid-20th centuries. ... HMS Prince of Wales was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy, built at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, England. ... HMS Invincible, one of Britains first battlecruisers Battlecruisers were large warships of the early 20th century. ... HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser, the second to last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. ... Insignia of a United States Rear Admiral Upper Half Insignia of a United States Rear Admiral Lower Half Rear Admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank that originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons and can trace its origins to the Royal Navy. ... Rear Admiral Ernest John Spooner (1887-1942) DSO married Megan Foster a noted soprano in 1926 succeeded Rear Admiral Drew as Rear Admiral Malaya. ... The British Eastern Fleet (also known as the East Indies Fleet) was a fleet of the Royal Navy during World War II. It operated in the Indian Ocean and was based in Trincomalee in Ceylon. ... Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. ... Acting Admiral Tom Phillips Admiral Sir Thomas Tom Spencer Vaughan Phillips KCB (1888-1941) had a successful career in the Royal Navy. ...

The Japanese attack and the British surrender

Malaya Command and the Japanese invasion

On December 8, 1941 the Japanese 25th Army under the command of Lieutenant-General Tomoyuki Yamashita landed on the Malay Peninsula (one hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the difference in date being because of the international date line). That night the first Japanese invasion force arrived at Kota Bharu on Malaya's East coast. This was just a diversionary force and the main landings took place the next day at Singora and Pattani on the south-eastern coast of Thailand, with troops rapidly deploying over the border into Northern Malaya. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1261x971, 224 KB) Description: Pacific War - Malaya 1941-42 Source: www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1261x971, 224 KB) Description: Pacific War - Malaya 1941-42 Source: www. ... December 8 is the 342nd day (343rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... The Japanese Twenty-Fifth Army was the Japanese force that invaded and conquered the British colony of Malaya in late 1941 and early 1942. ... Tomoyuki Yamashita, 1945 General Tomoyuki Yamashita (山下 奉文 Yamashita Tomoyuki) (November 8, 1885 – February 23, 1946) was a general of the Japanese Army during the World War II era. ... Amphibious Assault began when 17-year-old, former Kittie guitarist, Fallon Bowman was on a plane from Ontario to New Jersey, skimming through a Tom Clancy novel when she came upon the term amphibious assault. ... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN), Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN), Mitsuo Fuchida (IJNAS) (1st aerial wave), Shigekazu Shimazaki (IJNAS) (2nd aerial wave) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9... The International Date Line around 180° This article is about the line dividing time zones; see Dateline (disambiguation) for other meanings, including the television program. ... Kota Bharu (or Kota Baru or Kota Baharu), a city in Malaysia, is the state capital of Kelantan. ... Songkhla is both a city and a province in Thailand. ... Mueang Pattani is a city in the far south of Thailand, near the boundary to Malaysia. ...

On 10 December, Percival issued a stirring, if ultimately ineffective, Special Order of the Day: December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 21 days before the next year. ...

• In this hour of trial the General Officer Commanding calls upon all ranks Malaya Command for a determined and sustained effort to safeguard Malaya and the adjoining British territories. The eyes of the Empire are upon us. Our whole position in the Far East is at stake. The struggle may be long and grim but let us all resolve to stand fast come what may and to prove ourselves worthy of the great trust which has been placed in us.^[22]

Royal Engineers prepare to blow up a bridge during the retreat

The Japanese advanced rapidly and on 27 January 1942 Percival ordered a general retreat across the Johore Strait to the island of Singapore and organised a defence along the length of the island's 70 mile coast line. But the Japanese did not dawdle and on 8 February, Japanese troops landed on the northwest corner of Singapore island. After a week of fighting on the island, Percival held his final command conference at 9 am on 15 February in the Battle Box of Fort Canning. Having been told that ammunition and water would both run out by the following day, it was agreed to surrender. Image File history File links Royal_Engineers_prepare_to_blow_up_a_bridge_in_Malaya. ... Image File history File links Royal_Engineers_prepare_to_blow_up_a_bridge_in_Malaya. ... The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. ... January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Geography The Straits of Johor (also known as the Tebrau Strait, Johor Strait, Selat Johor, Selat Tebrau, and Tebrau Reach) is a narrow stretch of water that separates Johor state, Malaysia from Singapore. ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Battle Box, Fort Canning Hill The Battle Box is the name of a historical location in Singapore that is now a tourist attraction. ... Fort Canning Park, River Valley Road entrance Fort Canning Park, Hill Street entrance Fort Canning (Chinese: 福康宁; Pinyin: Fúkāngníng) is a small hill in the southeast portion of the island city-state of Singapore, within the Central Area that forms Singapores central business district. ...

The Japanese insisted that Percival himself, march under a white flag to the Old Ford Motor Factory in Bukit Timah to negotiate the surrender. A Japanese officer present noted that he looked "pale, thin and tired".^[23] After a brief disagreement, when Percival insisted that the British keep 1,000 men under arms in Singapore to preserve order, which Yamashita finally conceded, it was agreed at 6.10 pm that the British Commonwealth troops would lay down their arms and cease resistance at 8.30 pm. This was in spite of instructions from Winston Churchill for prolonged resistance.^[2] The Pacific War was just ten weeks old. German troops after surrendering to the U.S. Third Army carry the white flag (WW2 photo). ... Lt Gen Arthur Percival, led by a Japanese officer, marches under a flag of truce on the driveway towards the Ford Motor Factory to negotiate the capitulation of Allied forces in Singapore, on 15 February 1942. ... // hello!!! so u are a fucker The summit of Bukit Timah, the highest point in Singapore. ... Churchill redirects here. ... Combatants Republic of China U.S.A. (from 1941) U.K. (from 1941) Australia (1941) Netherlands (1941) New Zealand (1941) Canada (1941) U.S.S.R. (from 1945) Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Josef Stalin (from 1945) Hideki Tojo The Pacific War was...

A common view holds that 138,708 Allied personnel surrendered or were killed by fewer than 30,000 Japanese. However, the former figure includes nearly 50,000 troops captured or killed during the Battle of Malaya, and perhaps 15,000 base troops. Many of the other troops were tired and under-equipped following their retreat from the Malayan peninsula. Conversely, the latter number represents only the front-line troops available for the invasion of Singapore. British Commonwealth battle casualties since 8 December amounted to 7,500 killed and 11,000 wounded. Japanese losses totalled around 3,500 killed and 6,100 wounded.^[24] The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... December 8 is the 342nd day (343rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Culpability for the fall of Singapore

Lieutenant-General Percival led by a Japanese officer, marches under a flag of truce to negotiate the capitulation of Allied forces in Singapore, on 15 February 1942. It was the largest surrender of British-led forces in history

Lt Gen Yamashita (seated, centre) thumps the table with his fist to emphasise his demand for unconditional surrender. Lt Gen Percival sits between his officers, his clenched hand to his mouth (Photo from Imperial War Museum)

Churchill viewed the fall of Singapore to be "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history". However, Britain, the Middle East and the Soviet Union had all received higher priorities in the allocation of men and material, so the desired airforce strength of 300 to 500 aircraft was never reached and whereas the Japanese invaded with over two hundred tanks the British Army in Malaya did not have a single one.^[25] Image File history File links Singaporesurrender. ... Image File history File links Singaporesurrender. ... == T.R.U.C.E == Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Childrens Entertainment. ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... February 15, 1942. ... February 15, 1942. ... The Imperial War Museum is a museum in London featuring military vehicles, weapons, war memorabilia, a library, a photographic archive, and an art collection of 20th century and later conflicts, especially those involving Britain, and the British Empire. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... An air force is a military organization that primarily operates in air-based war. ...

In 1918, Percival had been described as "a slim, soft spoken man... with a proven reputation for bravery and organisational powers" ^[26] but by 1945 this description had been turned on its head with even Percival's defenders describing him as "something of a damp squib". ^[27] The fall of Singapore switched Percival's reputation to that of an ineffective "staff wallah", lacking ruthlessness and aggression, even though few doubted that he was a brave and determined officer. Over six feet in height and lanky, with a clipped moustache and two protruding teeth, Percival was an easy target for a caricaturist and decidedly unphotogenic, being described as "tall, bucktoothed and lightly built". ^[28]. There was no doubt his presentation lacked impact as "his manner was low key and he was a poor public speaker with the cusp of a lisp" ^[29] but it is equally clear that looks alone do not lose battles.

Percival's colleagues must share some of the responsibility. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Far East Command refused Percival permission to launch Operation Matador in advance of the Japanese landings in Thailand, not wishing to run any risk of provoking the coming war. Brooke-Popham also had a reputation for being "past it", falling asleep in meetings and not arguing forcefully for the air reinforcements required to defend Malaya. Whilst Admiral Tom Phillips was undoubtedly brave, his bold leadership of Force Z led to his demise and the destruction of the British fleet on 10 December 1941, early in the campaign. Air Chief Marshal Sir Henry Robert Moore Brooke-Popham (1878-1953) 1898 Commissioned, Oxfordshire Light Infantry 1898-1912 service with Oxfordshire Light Infantry 1911 Gained the 108th Pilot’s Licence issued in Britain 1912-1918 Royal Flying Corps 1914-1918 World War I 1915 Commander, 3 Sqn Royal Flying... Commander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced sink) is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces of a state. ... The Far East Command was a British military command which had 2 distinct periods. ... History Records a number of operations named Matador: // The British in Malaya Operation Matador was a plan of the British Malaya Command to move forces into position to counter a Japanese amphibious attack on Malaya. ... Two World War II military groups were called Force Z An Allied force attached to General Sir Archibald Wavells Middle East Command in 1941, consisting of Nos. ... The Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse was a World War II naval engagement which illustrated the effectiveness of aerial attacks against naval forces that were not protected by air cover and the resulting importance of including an aircraft carrier in any major fleet action. ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 21 days before the next year. ...

Moreover, Percival had difficulties with his subordinates Sir Lewis "Piggy" Heath, commanding Indian III Corps, and the independent-minded Gordon Bennett, commanding the Australian 8th Division. The former officer had been senior to Percival prior to his appointment as GOC (Malaya) and found it difficult to serve under him. Bennett was full of confidence in his Australian troops and his own ability but faced a mixed reaction in Australia when he escaped from Singapore, immediately after its surrender. Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, KBE, CB, CIE, DSO, MC (1885-1954) was a British Army officer and general during World War II. Having achieved some success as GOC 5th Indian Division during the East African Campaign, Heath was appointed to command III Indian Corps during the Battle of... The British Indian III Corps was the primary ground formation that took part in the campaign in Malaya in 1942. ... Henry Gordon Bennett (April 16, 1887 – August 1, 1962) was an Australian soldier who served in both World War I and World War II. Despite highly decorated achievements during World War I, including at Gallipoli, Bennett is best remembered for his role in the Fall of Singapore in the Pacific... The 8th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, who were in turn, part of the Allies of World War II. The 8th Division was raised from regular army units and new, all-volunteer infantry brigades...

Percival was ultimately responsible for the men who served under him and with other officers, notably Major-General David Murray-Lyon commander of the Indian 11th Infantry Division, he had shown a willingness to replace them when he felt their performance was not up to scratch. Perhaps his greatest mistake was to resist the building of fixed defences in either Johore or the north shore of Singapore, dismissing them in the face of repeated requests to start construction from his Chief Engineer, Brigadier Ivan Simson, with the comment "Defences are bad for morale - for both troops and civilians".^[30] In doing so, Percival threw away the potential advantages he could have derived from the 6,000 engineers under his command and perhaps missed his best chance to blunt the danger posed by the Japanese tanks. Major-General David Murrey Murray-Lyon (1890 - 1975) was an officer in the Indian Army. ... The 11th Indian Infantry Division was a Indian division which formed part of Indian III Corps in the British forces during the Battle of Malaya. ... Brigadier Ivan Simson (1890-1971) was the Chief Engineer in Malaya before its surrender to the Japanese in 1942. ...

Percival also insisted on defending the north-eastern shore of Singapore most heavily, against the advice of the Allied supreme commander in South East Asia, General Archibald Wavell. Percival was perhaps fixed on his responsibilities for defending the Singapore Naval Base.^[31] He also spread his forces thinly around the island and kept few units as a strategic reserve. When the Japanese attack came in the west, the Australian 22nd Brigade took the brunt of the assault. Percival refused to reinforce them as he continued to believe that the main assault would occur in the north east. ABDACOM Area The American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) Command, code name ABDACOM, was a short-lived, supreme command for all Allied forces in South East Asia, in early 1942, during the Pacific War. ... Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell (May 5, 1883 - May 24, 1950) was a British Field Marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during World War II. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only to be defeated by the German army. ...

Captivity

The signing of the Japanese surrender MacArthur (sitting), behind him are Generals Percival and Wainwright

Percival himself was briefly held prisoner in Changi Prison, where "the defeated GOC could be seen sitting head in hands, outside the married quarters he now shared with seven brigadiers, a colonel, his ADC, cook-sergeant and batman. He discussed feelings with few, spent hours walking around the extensive compound, ruminating on the reverse and what might have been".^[32] In the belief that it would improve discipline, he reconsituted a Malaya Command, complete with staff appointments, and helped occupy his fellow prisoners with lectures on the Battle of France.^[33] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1464x1047, 227 KB) Description: General Douglas MacArthur signs as Supreme Allied Commander during formal surrender ceremonies on the USS MISSOURI in Tokyo Bay. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1464x1047, 227 KB) Description: General Douglas MacArthur signs as Supreme Allied Commander during formal surrender ceremonies on the USS MISSOURI in Tokyo Bay. ... Douglas MacArthur (January 26, 1880 - April 5, 1964), was a famous American general who played a prominent role in the Pacific theater of World War II. He was poised to command the invasion of Japan in November 1945 but was instead instructed to accept their surrender on September 2, 1945. ... Changi chapel, built by Australian POWs in 1944, later relocated to Duntroon, Canberra Changi Prison (Simplified Chinese: 樟宜监狱) is a prison located in Changi in the eastern part of Singapore. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Canada Czechoslovakia Poland Belgium Netherlands Luxembourg Germany Italy Commanders Maurice Gamelin, Maxime Weygand (French) Lord Gort (British Expeditionary Force) H.G. Winkelman (Dutch) Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Wilhelm von Leeb (Army Group C) H.R.H. Umberto di...

Along with the other senior British captives above the rank of colonel, Percival was removed from Singapore in August 1942. First he was imprisoned in Formosa and then sent on to Manchuria, where he was held with several dozen other VIP captives including the American, General Jonathan Wainwright in a prisoner-of-war camp near Hsian, about 100 miles to the north east of Mukden. This article is about the history, geography, and people of the island known as Taiwan. ... Manchuria (Manchu: Manju; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; Simplified Chinese: 满洲; pinyin: MÇŽnzhōu, Russian: ) is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia. ... Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV (August 23, 1883 – September 2, 1953), as a Lieutenant General, was the commanding officer of the Philippine Department at the time of its surrender to the Japanese, during World War II. Wainwright was married to Adele Holley Wainwright (1887–1979). ... A Prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of persons captured by the enemy in time of war. ... Major districts of Shenyang. ...

As the war drew to an end, an OSS team removed the prisoners from Hsian. Percival was then taken, along with Wainwright, to stand immediately behind General Douglas MacArthur as he confirmed the terms of the Japanese surrender onboard the USS Missouri (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay on 2 September.^[34] Afterwards, MacArthur gave Percival one of the pens he had used to sign the treaty.^[35] The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime (but not direct) precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency. ... Douglas MacArthur (January 26, 1880 - April 5, 1964), was a famous American general who played a prominent role in the Pacific theater of World War II. He was poised to command the invasion of Japan in November 1945 but was instead instructed to accept their surrender on September 2, 1945. ... Radars: AN/SPS-49 Air Search Radar AN/SPS-67 Surface Search Radar Fire control: 4 × Mk 37 Gun Fire Control 2 × Mk 38 Gun Director 1 × Mk 40 Gun Director EW: AN/SLQ-32 Other: AN/SLQ-25 NIXIE Decoy System 8 × Super Rapid Bloom Rocket Launchers (SRBOC) Armor... September 2 is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Percival and Wainwright then returned together to the Philippines to witness the surrender of the Japanese army there, which in a twist of fate was commanded by General Yamashita. The Tiger of Malaya was momentarily surprised to see his former captive at the ceremony. The flag carried by Percival's party on the way to Bukit Timah was also a witness to this reversal of fortunes, being flown when the Japanese formally surrendered Singapore back to Lord Louis Mountbatten.^[36] Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (June 25, 1900 – August 27, 1979) was a British admiral and statesman and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ...

Later life

Percival returned to Britain in September 1945 to write his dispatch at the War Office but this was revised by the Government and only published in 1948. He retired from the army in 1946 with the honorary rank of lieutenant-general but only the pension of a major-general. Thereafter, he held appointments connected with the county of Hertfordshire, where he lived at Bullards in Widford: he was Honorary Colonel of the 479th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) H.A.A. Regiment T.A. from 1949-1954^[37] and acted as one of the Deputy Lieutenants of Hertfordshire in 1951.^[38] He continued his relationship with the Cheshire Regiment being appointed Colonel of the Cheshire Regiment between 1950-1955;^[39] an association continued by his son, Brigadier James Percival who became Colonel of the Regiment between 1992 and 1999. Old War Office Building, Whitehall, London - the former location of the War Office The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. ... Widford is a parish in Hertfordshire, England. ... In the United Kingdom the Territorial Army is a part of the British Army composed of reserve units, or part-time soldiers. ... The Deputy Lieutenant is the deputy to the Lord Lieutenant of a county. ...

Whilst General Wainwright had become a public hero on his return to the United States, Percival found himself disparaged for his leadership in Malaya, even by Lieutenant-General Heath, his erstwhile subordinate. "The War in Malaya", Percival's memoir, published in 1949, did little to quell this criticism, being a restrained rather than self-serving account of the campaign. Unusually for a British lieutenant-general, Percival was not awarded a knighthood.

Percival was respected for the time he had spent as a Japanese prisoner-of-war. Serving as life president of the Far East Prisoners of War Association (FEPOW), he pushed for compensation for his fellow captives, eventually helping to obtain a token £5 million of frozen Japanese assets for this cause. This was distributed by the FEPOW Welfare Trust, which Percival served as Chairman.^[40] He led protests against the film the Bridge on the River Kwai, when it was released in 1957, obtaining the addition of an on-screen statement that the movie was a work of fiction. He also worked as President of the Hertfordshire British Red Cross and was made an Officer of the Order of St. John in 1964.^[41] POW redirects here. ... The Bridge over the River Kwai taken in June 2004. ... The British Red Cross Society is a prominent part of the largest independent humanitarian organisation in the world – the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. ... This page deals with the order after its revival in the 19th century. ...

Percival died at the age of 78 on 31 January 1966, in King Edward VII's Hospital for Officers, Beaument Street in Westminster and was buried in Hertfordshire. Leonard Wilson, formerly the Bishop of Singapore gave the address at his memorial service, which was held in St Martin-in-the-Fields. January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Westminster is a district within the City of Westminster in London. ... Bishop of Birmingham, formerly of Singapore where he was captured by the Japanese in February 1942 and imprisoned at the notorious Changi prison. ... The Anglican diocese of Singapore was founded in 1909. ... St Martin-in-the-Fields, London Interior of St Martin-in-the-Fields St Martin-in-the-Fields and Charing Cross, circa 1562 The ceiling of the café in the crypt St. ...

See also

• American-British-Dutch-Australian Command
• Lieutenant-Colonel Anderson
• Lieutenant-General Billy Key
• Major-General Arthur Edward Barstow
• Major-General David Murray-Lyon
• Greater East Asia War in the Pacific
• Indian 9th Infantry Division
• Operation Krohcol

ABDACOM Area The American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) Command, code name ABDACOM, was a short-lived, supreme command for all Allied forces in South East Asia, in early 1942, during the Pacific War. ... Charles Groves Wright Anderson VC, MC (1897 - 1988) was a South African-born, Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British Commonwealth forces. ... Berthold Wells Billy Key was a British Indian Army officer. ... Major-General Arthur Edward Bustling Bill Barstow (1888-1942) was an officer in the Indian Army and commanded the Indian 9th Infantry Division during the Battle of Malaya. ... Major-General David Murrey Murray-Lyon (1890 - 1975) was an officer in the Indian Army. ... The Greater East Asia War was a term used, at least publicly in December of 1941, by Japans Imperial General Headquarters (Imperial GHQ) to refer to the conflict that followed (and ultimately reversed) Japans invasions in the 1930s and early 1940s of other nations in eastern Asia and... The 9th Indian Infantry Division was a Indian division which formed part of Indian III Corps in the British forces during the Battle of Malaya. ... Operation Krohcol was a British operation in 1942 to move into Siam just after the Japanese attack on Malaya during World War II. It was named Krohcol as it was a column operating on the Kroh-Patani road. ...

Footnotes

November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining until the end of the year. ... Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... Year 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI), a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... In the Gregorian Calendar, December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years), at which point there will be 13 days remaining to the end of the year. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

References