Wavell attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst.  Wavell served in the second Boer War, as well as in India.  He was wounded in Word War I.  At the outset of World War II, he was made commander of British forces in the Middle East. He defeated Italian troops there, but was defeated by the German forces under Rommel.   He was transfered to Asia, first commanding British forces in India and then in South-East Asia.  After military setbacks in that theater the commandment was abolished and Wavell was made Viceroy of India.  He held that position until Indian independence.