Brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

John Harold Whitworth Becke, (17 September 1879 – 7 February 1949) was an infantry officer in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

and squadron, wing and brigade commander in the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He transferred to the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

(RAF) on its creation on 1 April 1918 as a temporary brigadier general. He retired from the RAF in 1920. He was born in

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

on 17 September 1879. As a captain in the Sherwood Foresters, he was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps and awarded his

Royal Aero Club The Royal Aero Club (RAeC) is the national co-ordinating body for air sport in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1901 as the Aero Club of Great Britain, being granted the title of the "Royal Aero Club" in 1910. History The Aero Club was foun ...

aviators certificate on 18 June 1912 flying a Bristol Biplane at Brooklands.Royal Aero Club record card #236 Becke was the first commanding officer of No. 6 Squadron, one of a handful of flying squadrons to be established before the First World War. Capt Becke arrival at Upper Dysart 26 February 1913

Capt Becke arrival at Upper Dysart 26 February 1913

References

External links

Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Brigadier-General J H W Becke
, - , - , - , - Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force generals of World War I Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Sherwood Foresters officers 1879 births 1949 deaths Military personnel from Liverpool British Army personnel of the Second Boer War {{UK-army-bio-stub