Arthur Wauchope was born into a British noble family in 1874. He attended Brampton School and in 1893 joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He fought in the Second Boer War and was seriously wounded in 1899 at Magersfontein. From 1903 to 1914, he served in British India. At the outbreak of World War I, he was stationed on the Western Front in Loos. In 1916, he was transferred with his battalion to Iraq. Wauchope was wounded in battle and was later appointed as a battalion commander, continuing to fight.
In 1923, he was a military representative in Australia and New Zealand, and from 1924 to 1926, he was stationed in Germany as the head of the British control commission for Berlin. From 1927 to 1929, he served in Britain as the commander of the 44th Division and from 1929 to 1931, he was the commander in Northern Ireland. At the end of 1931, he was appointed High Commissioner for the Land of Israel. In early 1936, it was announced that his term would be extended by an additional five years.
Arthur Wauchope passed away suddenly after falling down the stairs of a London military club in September 1947.
Relation to the Jewish Community: Arthur Wauchope was highly regarded by the Jewish community and the Zionist movement. David Ben-Gurion referred to him as “the best of the High Commissioners.” During his tenure, Jewish immigration significantly increased, with Wauchope implementing a policy of issuing a large number of certificates, which was considered the maximum capacity of the land. During his term, the Fifth Aliyah took place, during which the Jewish population in the Land of Israel more than doubled, leading to significant economic and cultural development in the community. He established relationships with both Jewish leaders and Arab leaders. His support for immigration was based on his recognition that Jewish immigration contributed to the economic development of the Land of Israel. Wauchope initiated public and engineering works that advanced the Land of Israel. The capacity to absorb immigrants improved.
His appointment was initially seen as a step to accommodate the Zionists and mitigate the effects of the Passfield White Paper. Ben-Gurion wrote that British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, who was considered a friend of Zionism, told him he would ensure a “new interpretation” of the White Paper to nullify its negative content and that a new High Commissioner, Wauchope, would support immigration and settlement. Wauchope did declare in 1932, in an appearance before the League of Nations Mandates Commission, that the intention to establish a legislative council for the residents of the Land of Israel, as outlined in the Passfield White Paper, had not been abandoned, despite Zionist objections, as Jews were a minority in the Land of Israel; however, this idea was not pursued. The idea of a legislative council was raised again at the end of 1935 but was rejected by the British Parliament and House of Lords under pressure from Chaim Weizmann.
Arthur Wauchope was highly esteemed by the Jews, who invited him to important events such as the opening of the Eastern Fair, and promised to name a bridge over the Yarkon after him. The Independence Square in Netanya was also named in his honor from 1936 to 1947. Yitzhak Ben-Zvi wrote: “The community will remember the late Sir Arthur Wauchope for the twenty thousand Jews who immigrated to the land during his tenure and with his help. We will not forget his positive stance on Hebrew agricultural settlement and the development of Tel Aviv, and his support for a port there; his attitude towards our cultural institutions such as Habima, the orchestra, and more.”