Brigadier-General J H W Becke

John Harold Whitworth b: xx Oct-Dec 1879 r: 29 Feb 1920 d: 7 Feb 1949

CMG - 3 Jun 1918, DSO - 1 Jan 1917, AFC - 3 Jun 1919, MiD - 17 Feb 1915, MiD - 20 May 1918, LoH, O - 24 Feb 1916, CdeG (F) - 18 Apr 1918.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Army): - 2 Lt: 20 Dec 1899, Lt: 1 Apr 1905, Capt: 28 Sep 1909, (T) Maj: 1 Feb 1914, (B) Maj: 22 Jun 1914, (T) Lt Col: 1 Nov 1915, Brig-Gen: 20 Dec 1916

(RAF):- (T) Brig-Gen [Lt Col]: 1 Apr 1918, Act Brig-Gen: 1 May 1919 - 1 Aug 1919, (H) Brig-Gen: 1 Aug 1919 - xx xxx xxxx, Gp Capt: 1 Aug 1919,

20 Dec 1899: Officer, 4th Battalion The Sherwood Forester (Derbyshire Regiment)

28 Oct 1912: Flight Commander, No 2 Sqn RFC.

1 Feb 1914: Officer Commanding, No 6 Sqn RFC. (Various types – UK and Western Front)

xx Mar 1915:

2 Jun 1915: Officer Commanding, No 2 Sqn RFC.

1 Nov 1915: Officer Commanding, 1st (Corps) Wing.

20 Jan 1916: Brigadier-General Commanding, IV Brigade

xx xxx 1917: Brigadier-General Commanding, II Brigade.

1 Apr 1918: GOC, No ? Group.

1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Colonel

29 Feb 1920: Placed on the Retired List and granted the honorary rank of Brigadier-General.

During the South African War of 1899-1902, he served as a Railway Staff Officer and saw action in Transvaal, Orange River Colony and Cape Colony. He gained RAeC Certificate No 236 on 18 June 1912. He and Lt P L W Herbert, flew a Maurice Farman from Aldershot to Plymouth (160 miles) in December 1912 to take part in the mobilisation of the Plymouth Garrison, in which their regiment, The Sherwood Foresters, were taking part.

He formed No 6 Sqn, which began experiments with W/T, but his unit was used to reinforce No 2 Sqn and his squadron did not arrive in France until October 1914.

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