Arthur Ernest Percival

Arthur Ernest Percival
Percival, pictured here as GOC Malaya Command, December 1941.
Born	(1887-12-26)26 December 1887 Aspenden, Hertfordshire, England
Died	31 January 1966(1966-01-31) (aged 78) Westminster, London, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1914–1946
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Unit	Essex Regiment Cheshire Regiment
Commands held	Malaya Command (1941–42) 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division (1940–41) 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division (1940) 2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (1932–34) 7th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment (1918)
Battles/wars	First World War Battle of the Somme 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)

First World War

Russian Civil War

Anglo-Irish War
Second World War

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

Percival's surrender to the invading Imperial Japanese Army force, the largest capitulation in British military history, undermined Britain's prestige as an imperial power in East Asia. His defenders, such as Sir John Smyth, have argued that under-funding of Malaya's defences and the inexperienced, under-equipped nature of the Commonwealth army, not Percival's leadership, were ultimately to blame.