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Second World War: clean up

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	In February 1942 Becher was leading the KOYLI's 2nd battalion in Burma and fought during the [[Battle of Sittang Bridge]], the unsuccessful defence of the [[Sittang River]] against the assaulting Japanese.<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Warren \|first1=Alan \|title=Burma 1942: The Road from Rangoon to Mandalay \|date=1 December 2011 \|publisher=A&C Black \|isbn=978-1-4411-0673-5 \|page=78 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NE4B9qwlGQoC \|language=en}}</ref> He was appointed to the temporary rank of colonel on 23 March 1942.<ref name=list>{{cite book \|title=Quarterly Army List \|date=1946 \|publisher=War Office \|page=1201 \|url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/89909585}}</ref> Becher completed his three-year period in command of his battalion on 24 April but was retained with the regiment in a supernumerary capacity.<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 35543\|date=28 April 1942\|page=1905\|supp=y}}</ref>		In February 1942 Becher was leading the KOYLI's 2nd battalion in Burma and fought during the [[Battle of Sittang Bridge]], the unsuccessful defence of the [[Sittang River]] against the assaulting Japanese.<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Warren \|first1=Alan \|title=Burma 1942: The Road from Rangoon to Mandalay \|date=1 December 2011 \|publisher=A&C Black \|isbn=978-1-4411-0673-5 \|page=78 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NE4B9qwlGQoC \|language=en}}</ref> He was appointed to the temporary rank of colonel on 23 March 1942.<ref name=list>{{cite book \|title=Quarterly Army List \|date=1946 \|publisher=War Office \|page=1201 \|url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/89909585}}</ref> Becher completed his three-year period in command of his battalion on 24 April but was retained with the regiment in a supernumerary capacity.<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 35543\|date=28 April 1942\|page=1905\|supp=y}}</ref>

	Becher was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] on 23 March 1944 for his service in the [[Sicily Campaign]], in which the 1st battalion of the KOYLI served, and on 6 April was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier.<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 36436\|date=21 March 1944\|page=1361\|supp=y}}</ref~~><ref name=list/~~> On 22 March 1945 he was [[mentioned in despatches]] for his service in the [[North West Europe campaign]].<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 36994\|date=20 March 1945\|page=1548\|supp=y}}</ref> He received a second mention in despatches on 20 May 1945.<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 37072\|date=8 May 1945\|page=2456\|supp=y}}</ref> Becher was appointed a commander of the [[Order of Leopold II]] with palm and also received the [[Croix de guerre (Belgium)\|Croix de Guerre 1940]] with palm, receiving permission to wear the insignia of both on his uniform on 25 September 1947.<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 38079\|date=23 September 1947\|page=4517\|supp=y}}</ref>		Becher was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] on 23 March 1944 for his service in the [[Sicily Campaign]], in which the 1st battalion of the KOYLI served, and on 6 April was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier.<ref name=list/><ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 36436\|date=21 March 1944\|page=1361\|supp=y}}</ref> On 22 March 1945 he was [[mentioned in despatches]] for his service in the [[North West Europe campaign]].<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 36994\|date=20 March 1945\|page=1548\|supp=y}}</ref> He received a second mention in despatches on 20 May 1945.<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 37072\|date=8 May 1945\|page=2456\|supp=y}}</ref> Becher was appointed a commander of the [[Order of Leopold II]] with palm and also received the [[Croix de guerre (Belgium)\|Croix de Guerre 1940]] with palm, receiving permission to wear the insignia of both on his uniform on 25 September 1947.<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue= 38079\|date=23 September 1947\|page=4517\|supp=y}}</ref>

	==Later life ==		==Later life ==

BernadineMedwort: Adding initial article from scratch

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Adding initial article from scratch

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{{Short description|English cricketer (1897–1957)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name =
| image =
| country = England
| full_name = Adrian William Bay Becher
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1897|5|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Bourton-on-the-Water]], Gloucestershire, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1957|3|29|1897|5|17|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Cheltenham]], Gloucestershire, England
| family =
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling =
| role =
| club1 = [[Europeans cricket team|Europeans]]
| year1 = 1924/25–1925/26
| club2 = [[Gloucestershire County Cricket Club|Gloucestershire]]
| year2 = 1925–1929
| columns = 1
| column1 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches1 = 12
| runs1 = 327
| bat avg1 = 15.57
| 100s/50s1 = –/1
| top score1 = 64
| deliveries1 = 186
| wickets1 = 0
| bowl avg1 = –
| fivefor1 = –
| tenfor1 = –
| best bowling1 = –
| catches/stumpings1 = 18/–
| date = 27 July
| year = 2022
| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/adrian-becher-9401 ESPNcricinfo
}}

Brigadier '''Adrian William Bay Becher''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|OBE|MC*}} (17 May 1897 – 29 March 1957) was a British Army officer and [[first-class cricket|first-class]] [[cricket]]er. Born in Gloucestershire he was educated at [[Repton School]] before entering the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} Becher was commissioned into the [[King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry]] (KOYLI) in the early months of the [[First World War]]. After serving as an [[aide-de-camp]] he was promoted to the acting rank of captain and command of a company. He received the [[Military Cross]] on 16 August 1917 for his actions in leading his company in an assault on an enemy position. He received a [[Medal bar|bar]] to this medal on 19 November 1917 for holding a position with his company whilst a new trenchline was dug. In 1918 Becher served briefly as an observer officer with the newly founded [[Royal Air Force]].

After the war Becher served as [[adjutant]] with a KOYLI's [[Army Reserve (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] battalion and as instructor with the [[Small Arms School Corps]]. During the [[Second World War]] Becher commanded the 2nd battalion of the KOYLI in the [[Burma campaign|defence of Burma]]. He was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] on 23 March 1944 for his service in the [[Sicily Campaign]] and promoted to the [[temporary rank]] of brigadier. He was twice [[mentioned in despatches]] in 1945 for service in the [[North West Europe Campaign]]. Becher was also a commander of the Belgian [[Order of Leopold II]] and was awarded that nation's [[Croix de guerre (Belgium)|Croix de Guerre 1940]] with palm. He retired from the army in 1948.

Becher was a keen cricketer playing for his school team and for the [[Europeans cricket team]] in the [[Lahore Tournament]] whilst on service in [[British India]]. When in England he played for [[Gloucestershire County Cricket Club|Gloucestershire]] in the County Championship. Becher played twelve [[first-class cricket|first-class]] matches.

==Early life and cricket ==
The son of Charles Adrian Gough Becher, he was born in [[Gloucestershire]] at [[Bourton-on-the-Water]] on 17 May 1897. Becher was educated at [[Repton School]], where he played for the school cricket team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/12/12936/all_teams.html|title=Teams Adrian Becher played for|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=27 July 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

While serving in the military in [[British India]], Becher made his debut in [[first-class cricket]] when he was selected to play for the [[Europeans cricket team]] against the [[Muslims cricket team|Muslims]] in the [[1924–25 Lahore Tournament]]. Shortly after he returned to England, where he made his debut for [[Gloucestershire County Cricket Club|Gloucestershire]] at [[Lord's]] against [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]] in the [[1925 County Championship]]. Becher played for Gloucestershire during the remainder of the 1925 season, making seven first-class appearances. During the English winter, he returned to India where he made two further first-class appearances for the Europeans in the [[1925–26 Lahore Tournament]]. He later made two first-class appearances for Gloucestershire, playing against [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]] in the [[1926 County Championship]] and [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]] in the [[1929 County Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/12/12936/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Adrian Becher|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=27 July 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In twelve first-class matches, Becher scored 327 runs at an [[batting average (cricket)|average]] of 15.57;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/12/12936/f_Batting_by_Team.html|title=First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Adrian Becher|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=27 July 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref> he made one half century, a score of 64 for Gloucestershire against [[Somerset County Cricket Club|Somerset]] in 1925.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/11/11495.html|title=Somerset v Gloucestershire, 1925 County Championship|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=27 July 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

== Military career ==
===First World War ===
Becher attended the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]], as a gentleman cadet and on 11 November 1914 was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the [[King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry]] (KOYLI).<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 28969|date=10 November 1914 |page=9141 }}</ref> He was promoted to lieutenant on 14 April 1915, though this promotion was later antedated to 6 February.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 29236|date=20 July 1915 |page=7077 }}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 29427|date=4 January 1916|page=186}}</ref> Becher served as an [[aide-de-camp]] until 9 April 1916.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 29559|date=25 April 1916|page=4237|supp=y}}</ref> He was appointed to the acting rank of captain on 8 February 1917, whilst he held command of a company.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 29993|date=20 March 1917|page=2758}}</ref> During this time he led his company in an assault on enemy positions and was noted for keeping up their morale during three days of heavy shellfire. He was awarded the [[Military Cross]] for this action on 16 August 1917.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 30234|date=14 August 1917|page=8359|supp=y}}</ref>

Becher received a temporary commission in the rank of captain on 11 March and a regular commission on 4 May.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 30193|date=20 July 1917|page=7415|supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 30299|date=21 September 1917|page=9828|supp=y}}</ref> He was awarded a [[Medal bar|bar]] to the Military Cross on 19 November 1917 for his actions holding a position under heavy shellfire for five days. Becher had been buried by a shell explosion on the first day but recovered and maintained order in his company, allowing a new trenchline to be dug to consolidate the defences.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 30389|date=16 November 1917|page=11950|supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 30590|date=19 March 1918|page=3593|supp=y}}</ref>

Becher joined the newly established [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) on 1 August 1918 as an observer officer. He held the RAF ranks of temporary second lieutenant and honorary captain, though he retained his captain's commission in the KOYLI.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 30881|date=3 September 1918|page=10395}}</ref> Becher returned to his regiment on 20 March 1919.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 31467|date=22 July 1919|page=9254}}</ref>

=== Inter-war period ===
Becher became adjutant of the KOYLI's 4th ([[Army Reserve (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]]) battalion on 20 April 1926.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 33178|date=2 July 1926|page=4323}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 33170|date=8 June 1926|page=3753}}</ref> He returned to the regular army on 20 April 1929.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 33491|date=3 May 1929|page=2927}}</ref> Becher was promoted to major on 15 January 1932.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 33790|date=15 January 1932|page=348}}</ref> He was appointed an instructor at the [[Netheravon]] wing of the [[Small Arms School Corps]] on 4 April 1935 and held this position until 4 April 1938.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 34150|date=12 April 1935|page=2513}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 34499|date=5 April 1938|page=2248}}</ref> Becher was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 24 April 1939.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 34619|date=25 April 1939|page=2751}}</ref>

=== Second World War===
[[File:The War in the Far East- the Burma Campaign 1941-1945 CB(OPS)5008.jpg|thumb|right|Sittang Bridge, where Becher fought at the [[Battle of Sittang Bridge]] in 1942]]
In February 1942 Becher was leading the KOYLI's 2nd battalion in Burma and fought during the [[Battle of Sittang Bridge]], the unsuccessful defence of the [[Sittang River]] against the assaulting Japanese.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Warren |first1=Alan |title=Burma 1942: The Road from Rangoon to Mandalay |date=1 December 2011 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-1-4411-0673-5 |page=78 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NE4B9qwlGQoC |language=en}}</ref> He was appointed to the temporary rank of colonel on 23 March 1942.<ref name=list>{{cite book |title=Quarterly Army List |date=1946 |publisher=War Office |page=1201 |url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/89909585}}</ref> Becher completed his three-year period in command of his battalion on 24 April but was retained with the regiment in a supernumerary capacity.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 35543|date=28 April 1942|page=1905|supp=y}}</ref>

Becher was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] on 23 March 1944 for his service in the [[Sicily Campaign]], in which the 1st battalion of the KOYLI served, and on 6 April was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 36436|date=21 March 1944|page=1361|supp=y}}</ref><ref name=list/> On 22 March 1945 he was [[mentioned in despatches]] for his service in the [[North West Europe campaign]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 36994|date=20 March 1945|page=1548|supp=y}}</ref> He received a second mention in despatches on 20 May 1945.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 37072|date=8 May 1945|page=2456|supp=y}}</ref> Becher was appointed a commander of the [[Order of Leopold II]] with palm and also received the [[Croix de guerre (Belgium)|Croix de Guerre 1940]] with palm, receiving permission to wear the insignia of both on his uniform on 25 September 1947.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 38079|date=23 September 1947|page=4517|supp=y}}</ref>

==Later life ==
Becher retired on 21 March 1948 as a lieutenant-colonel in the KOYLI. He was granted the honorary rank of brigadier.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 38242|date=19 March 1948|page=2009|supp=y}}</ref> Becher died at [[Cheltenham]], [[Gloucestershire]], on 29 March 1957.<ref>{{Cricinfo | id= 9401 | name= Adrian Becher| access-date= 28 July 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cricinfo|id=9401}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Becher, Adrian}}
[[Category:1897 births]]
[[Category:1957 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Bourton-on-the-Water]]
[[Category:People educated at Repton School]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry officers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:English cricketers]]
[[Category:Europeans cricketers]]
[[Category:Gloucestershire cricketers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:British recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium)]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of Leopold II]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]

Adrian Becher - Revision history

CleanupBot: /* Second World War */ clean up

BernadineMedwort: Adding initial article from scratch