John Beckett

Earlier years John Beckett was born in Lurgan, County Armagh, Ireland, the son of Samuel Nicholl Beckett and Elizabeth Swanton Beckett.

There was a grave danger that the main tank of the refuelling vehicle would explode, killing or seriously injuring personnel who were working in the vicinity and destroying the twenty or more aircraft in the park. Mindful of this danger and in considerable pain, Beckett got into the driver's seat of the blazing vehicle and drove it a distance of about four hundred yards to a point where it could do no further damage.

At this point Beckett collapsed and he was taken by ambulance to the Station's Sick Quarters in a dangerously ill condition.

The fires in the Lancaster and in the vehicle were eventually brought under control and extinguished with no further damage to persons or property.

Beckett died of his injuries on 12 April 1947 and was posthumously awarded the George Cross.