Archibald John Arthur Wavell, 2nd Earl Wavell

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Major Archibald John Arthur Wavell M.C. (1916 - 1953) was the second and last Viscount Wavell. He succeeded his father in 1950.

He served in the Black Watch (regimental number 67159) in WW2 and lost his left hand whilst fighting the Japanese in Burma. Evacuated to India, he worked on his father's staff.

He was awarded the Military Cross when he was a temporary Captain in the 2nd Battalion Black Watch, attached to the 1st Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment.

Time magazine dated Monday 4th January 1954 reported, 'The Last of The Wavells'. The unmarried and childless, Major A.J.A. Wavell, was serving with the Black Watch and engaged in fighting the Mau Mau north of Nairobi. Around 60 of the Mau Mau were cornered in a wood near Thika. The Scots set fire to the wood and raked the area with heavy machine gunfire from their armoured cars.

The Mau Mau returned fire, in their very first volley the patrol leader, Major Wavell, was hit with a round fired from a home made rifle which killed him, he was 37. He died on Christmas Eve, 1953.

Major Wavell's body is buried in the City Park Cemetery, Nairobi, Block 12, grave 10, his headstone is inscribed with the epitaph, 'He found the poetry of Man's endeavor'.