About John Becke
Lived 1879 – 1949 (aged 69). John Becke was a South African military personnel.
Brigadier General John Harold Whitworth Becke, (17 September 1879 – 7 February 1949) was an infantry officer in the Second Boer War and squadron, wing and brigade commander in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. He transferred to the Royal Air Force (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 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 aviators certificate on 18 June 1912 flying a Bristol Biplane at Brooklands. 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.
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Important facts
People in John Becke's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was John Becke?
Royal Air Force general
When was John Becke born?
John Becke was born on 17 September 1879 in Liverpool.
When did John Becke die?
John Becke died on 7 February 1949.
What was John Becke's occupation?
John Becke was a military personnel.
What nationality was John Becke?
John Becke was South African.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Becke. https://biography.guide/john-becke/
MLA: "John Becke." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-becke/.
Chicago: "John Becke." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-becke/.
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