Otto Becher

rdf:langString Otto Becher

rdf:langString Otto Humphrey Becher

rdf:langString Otto Humphrey Becher

rdf:langString Sydney, New South Wales

rdf:langString Harvey, Western Australia

rdf:langString Captain Henry Burrell

rdf:langString Rear Admiral Thomas Morrison

rdf:langString Australia

rdf:langString A man in naval uniform sitting on a seat on the bridge of a ship. He is wearing thick gloves and a cap, and is slightly side on to the camera. A body of water can be seen in the background.

rdf:langString Second World War * Namsos Campaign * Battle of the Mediterranean * Battle of Crete * Pacific War * South-East Asian theatre * South West Pacific theatre * Battle of Okinawa Korean War * Battle of Inchon * Siege of Wonsan

rdf:langString Rear Admiral Galfry Gatacre

rdf:langString Rear Admiral Alan McNicoll

rdf:langString Captain Alan McNicoll

rdf:langString Captain Otto Becher on the bridge of HMAS Warramunga c. 1951

rdf:langString Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area

rdf:langString Deputy Chief of Naval Staff

rdf:langString Rear Admiral Otto Humphrey Becher, CBE, DSO, DSC & Bar (13 September 1908 – 15 June 1977) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Born in Harvey, Western Australia, Becher entered the Royal Australian Naval College in 1922. After graduating in 1926, he was posted to a series of staff and training positions prior to specialising in gunnery. A lieutenant commander at the outbreak of the Second World War, Becher assisted in the extraction of Allied troops from the Namsos region of Norway while aboard the heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire, and was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross. Following service in the Mediterranean theatre, he returned to Australia in 1942 as officer-in-charge of the gunnery school at HMAS Cerberus. He spent two years at Cerberus before being given command of the Q class destroyer HMAS Quickmatch in March 1944. While commanding Quickmatch in operations against Japanese forces in the Pacific, Becher earned a Bar to his Distinguished Service Cross. At the war's end Becher was posted to the Navy Office and later to the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney; in 1951 he was given command of the destroyer HMAS Warramunga. Warramunga formed part of Australia's contribution to the United Nations forces engaged in the Korean War; Becher was promoted to captain and awarded the Distinguished Service Order while carrying out operations in Korean waters. On returning to Australia, he filled several staff positions and commanded the aircraft carriers HMAS Melbourne and HMS Vengeance. Promoted to rear admiral in 1959, he served as Flag Officer Commanding Australian Fleet from 1964 to 1965, before taking up the post of Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area. Becher retired from the RAN in 1966, and died in 1977 at the age of 68.

rdf:langString Director-General of Recruiting