Percival, Arthur Ernest

Date of birth:: December 26th, 1887 (Aspenden/Hertfordshire, United Kingdom)
Date of death:: January 31st, 1966 (Westminster/Greater London, United Kingdom)
Nationality:: British

Biography

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Military Cross (MC)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:: Captain
Unit:: 7th (Service) Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 54th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division, British Army
Awarded on:: November 14th, 1916

"For conspicuous gallantry in action. During the advance he showed fine leadership and determination under heavy shell and machine-gun fire. He worked unceasingly, with absolute disregard of danger, in completing every detail in the consolidation of the captured position."

Mentioned in Dispatches

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:: Temporary Major
Unit:: 7th (Service) Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 54th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division, British Army
Awarded on:: December 21st, 1917

Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:: Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel
Unit:: 7th (Service) Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 54th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division, British Army
Awarded on:: September 16th, 1918

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during recent operations. He
handled his battalion cleverly, showing power of command and knowledge of tactics. He set a fine example during several critical periods."

Mentioned in Dispatches

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:: Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel
Unit:: 7th (Service) Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 54th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division, British Army
Awarded on:: December 20th, 1918

Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Period:: Russian Civil War (1917-1922)
Rank:: Acting Major
Unit:: 45th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, Archangel Expeditionary Force, British Army
Awarded on:: January 21st, 1920

"He commanded the Gorodok column on the 9th-10th August, 1919, with great gallantry and skill, and owing to the success of this column the forces on the right bank of the Dvina were able to capture all its objectives. During the enemy counter-attack from Selmenga on Gorodok he handled his men excellently. The enemy were repulsed with great loss, leaving 400 prisoners in our hands."

Second DSO received as bar

Mentioned in Dispatches

Period:: Russian Civil War (1917-1922)
Rank:: Acting Major
Unit:: 45th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, Archangel Expeditionary Force, British Army
Awarded on:: June 11th, 1920

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Rank:: Brevet Major
Unit:: 1st Battalion Essex Regiment
Awarded on:: January 17th, 1921

Major Percival captured Tom Hales, commander of the IRA's West Cork Brigade, and Patrick Harte, the brigade's quartermaster during counter-insurgency operations.

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB, Military Division)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Major-General
Unit:: Headquarters, Malaya Command, Far East Command, British Army
Awarded on:: July 1st, 1941

Londen Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35204, p. 3736, 1 July 1941.

Croix de Guerre (1914-1918)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:: Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel
Unit:: 7th (Service) Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 54th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division, British Army

During Germany's Spring Offensive, Percival led a counter-attack that saved a unit of French artillery from capture.

1914 Star

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

British War Medal 1914-1920

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Victory Medal 1914-1918

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Sources

Photo: IWMCollections
- Smart, N., Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War, Pen & Sword Books Limited, Barnsley, England, 2005
- Mead, R., Churchill’s Lions – A Biographical Guide to the Key British Generals of World War II, Spellmount Publishers Ltd., Chalford, England, 2007
- unithistories.com