Otto Becher
Otto Humphrey Becher | |
---|---|
HM Australian Fleet (1964–65) (1944–45)HMAS Melbourne (1957–58) HMAS Vengeance (1954–56) HMAS Warramunga (1950–51) HMAS Watson (1950) HMAS Quickmatch | |
Battles/wars | Second World War
Korean War
|
Awards | Mentioned in Despatches (United States)Legion of Merit |
Other work | Director-General of Recruiting (1966–69) |
A
At the war's end Becher was posted to the Navy Office and later to the aircraft carrier
Early life and career
Otto Becher was born in
Becher was promoted to acting
On 7 January 1935, Becher married Valerie Chisholm Baird at St Michael's Anglican Church in Vaucluse, New South Wales; the couple had three sons. From June 1935 to March 1937, he served aboard HMAS Canberra as intelligence officer, after which he was transferred to HMAS Stuart for flotilla duties. Promoted to lieutenant commander on 16 June 1938, Becher briefly returned to Cerberus before embarking for the United Kingdom on exchange with the Royal Navy in January 1939.[1][3]
Second World War
Becher was serving as squadron gunnery officer aboard the Royal Navy
In late November 1940, Becher transferred to the recently launched destroyer
Napier assisted in the evacuation of British and
Becher returned to Australia in early 1942, and from 17 May was appointed officer-in-charge of the gunnery school at HMAS Cerberus. He remained at this post for almost two years until, on 12 March 1944, he was given command of the destroyer
In October 1944, Quickmatch was transferred to Australian waters and underwent her annual refit at Sydney from November to December. Once the refit was completed she operated mainly off the Australian coast.
Becher was promoted to
On 25 June 1945, Becher relinquished command of the Quickmatch and returned to Australia, where he was attached to the shore base
Interbellum and Korean War
Becher remained with the Navy Office until November 1947, when he was posted to the United Kingdom to join the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney's commissioning crew. Embarking from Melbourne during February 1948, he was temporarily attached to HMS Drake and later HMS Glory until Sydney's commissioning on 16 December. His service aboard the aircraft carrier lasted for two years, and was followed on 23 January 1950 by an appointment as Commanding Officer to the shore establishment HMAS Watson. However, Becher's time at Watson was cut short when, on 28 July, he relieved Captain Alan McNicoll as commander of the destroyer HMAS Warramunga, which had been selected for service in the Korean War.[1][3] Warramunga was to be attached to a force of five Royal Navy destroyers led by a captain, making it expedient to have the Australian ship commanded by an officer of lower rank.[20]
Warramunga arrived in Korean waters in late August 1950.[21] After some initial escort work, the destroyer joined HMAS Bataan as part of the carrier HMS Triumph's protective screen while the latter contributed air cover to the Allied landing at Inchon on 15 September.[22] For the next three months, Warramunga engaged in patrol and screening duties, in addition to transporting food for famine relief.[23]
On 4 December, Warramunga and Bataan supported the emergency withdrawal of Allied troops from
Warramunga participated in the
On 17 July 1951, it was announced that Becher had been appointed as an honorary aide-de-camp to the Governor-General of Australia for a period of three years.[3] Following Warramunga's departure from Korean waters on 1 August, Rear Admiral Alan Scott-Moncrieff, Commander West Coast Blockade Force, commented: "She has been a tower of strength and done an incredible amount of steaming with no troubles at all. I cannot speak too highly of Captain O. H. Becher and his men ..."[26] Together with Bataan, Warramunga had borne the brunt of Australia's naval contribution to the Korean War.[27] Noting his "courage, skill and determination",[28] a recommendation for Becher to be awarded the Distinguished Service Order was approved by the Australian Government on 17 August 1951,[28] and announced in the London Gazette the following month.[29] For his "meritorious service ... as C.O. of HMAS Warramunga",[30] Becher was also decorated by the United States with the Legion of Merit.[31]
Senior command
Becher retained command of Warramunga until October 1951, when he was posted to the shore base HMAS Lonsdale for service with the Navy Office as Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel and Director of Personal Services. In September that year he was additionally appointed trustee of the Services Canteens Trust Fund; a position he held until October 1952 and for which he received a letter of appreciation from the Minister for Defence. The same month he assumed the position of Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. On 25 August 1954, Becher was given command of the aircraft carrier HMAS Vengeance,[1][3] and in October he returned with his new command to the Korean theatre to transport the aircraft, equipment and personnel of No. 77 Squadron RAAF back to Australia.[32]
In 1956, Becher embarked for the United Kingdom to attend the
Relinquishing his position with the Navy Office in 1962, Becher was sent to the United Kingdom as Head of the Australian Joint Services Staff in London. In January 1964 he returned to Australia, and was made
Retirement
Following his retirement, Becher accepted the position of Director-General of Recruiting for the Australian armed forces from 1966 until 1969, a period during which conscription was in effect. Minister of Defence Allen Fairhall asked Becher to find enough volunteers to fill the armed forces, and Becher believed that conscription eroded professional standards, but he found this task difficult given that the military was "competing with industry, and the country was short of labour."[35] He also held the post of chairman of the Council of the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of New South Wales. On 15 June 1977, aged 68, Becher died from a myocardial infarction at Sydney Hospital. Survived by his wife and their three sons, he was cremated.[1]
Notes
- ^ ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ a b "Becher, Otto Humphrey". World War II Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Becher, Otto Humphrey". Records Search. National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ a b "Recommendation for Otto Humphrey Becher to be awarded a Distinguished Service Cross" (PDF). Index to Recommendations: Second World War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ "No. 34901". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 July 1940. p. 4492.
- ^ Gill 1957, p. 337
- ^ Gill 1957, p. 338
- ^ "HMAS Napier". Royal Australian Navy. Australian Government. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
- ^ Gill 1957, p. 360
- ^ a b Gill 1968, pp. 463–464
- ^ "Recommendation for Otto Humphrey Becher to be awarded a Bar to Distinguished Service Cross" (PDF). Index to Recommendations: Second World War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ "No. 36771". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 October 1944. p. 4977.
- ^ a b c "HMAS Quickmatch". Royal Australian Navy. Australian Government. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
- ^ Gill 1968, pp. 551–552
- ^ Gill 1968, p. 572
- ^ Gill 1968, pp. 603–604
- ^ a b c Gill 1968, pp. 605–606
- ^ "Recommendation for Otto Humphrey Becher to be awarded a Mention in Despatches" (PDF). Index to Recommendations: Second World War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ "No. 37603". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1946. p. 2885.
- ^ O'Neill 1985, p. 420
- ^ "Becher, Otto Humphrey". Korean War Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ O'Neill 1985, pp. 422–425
- ^ O'Neill 1985, pp. 426–429
- ^ a b O'Neill 1985, pp. 431–435
- ^ O'Neill 1985, pp. 441–443
- ^ a b O'Neill 1985, pp. 459–461
- ^ O'Neill 1985, p. 528
- ^ a b "Recommendation for Otto Humphrey Becher to be awarded a Distinguished Service Order" (PDF). Index to Recommendations: Korean War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ "No. 39336". The London Gazette. 18 September 1951. p. 4884.
- ^ "Recommendation for Otto Humphrey Becher to be awarded a US Legion of Merit" (PDF). Index to Recommendations: Korean War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ "No. 40406". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 February 1955. p. 919.
- ^ O'Neill 1985, p. 593
- ^ "No. 42371". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 June 1961. p. 4179.
- ISBN 978-0-19-551784-2. Retrieved 19 April 2009.)
{{cite book}}
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ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ "Battle for Volunteers". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 October 1966. p. 10.
References
- Dennis, Peter; ISBN 978-0-19-551784-2.
- Gill, George Hermon (1957). Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Canberra, Australia: Australian War Memorial.
- Gill, George Hermon (1968). Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Canberra, Australia: Australian War Memorial.
- O'Neill, Robert (1985). Volume 2 – Combat Operations. Australia in the Korean War 1950–53. Canberra, Australia: Australian War Memorial & Australian Government Publishing Service.