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{{short description|Royal Navy officer}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|name = Walter Napier Thomason Beckett
|birth_date = 25 March 1893
|death_date = 10 March 1941
|image =
|caption = Captain W.N.T. Beckett
|allegiance = {{UK}}
|serviceyears = 1906–1941
|rank = [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]]
|branch = {{navy|United Kingdom}}
|commands =
-[[HM Coastal Motor Boat 4]] (1916) Belgian Coast -[[Coastal Motor Boat|HM Coastal Motor Boat 14]] (1917) Portsmouth and Osea Island -[[Coastal Motor Boat|HM Coastal Motor Boat 86c]] (1919) North Russia – Dwina River Force -[[HMAS Vendetta (D69)|HMS ''Vendetta'']] (1926) Mediterranean -[[HMS Velox (D34)|HMS ''Velox'']] (1928) Atlantic Fleet -[[HMAS Vendetta (D69)|HMS ''Vendetta'']] (1930) Mediterranean -[[HMS Amazon (D39)|HMS ''Amazon'']] (1933) Irish Waters -[[HMS Winchester (L55)|HMS ''Winchester'']] (1936) Senior Officer "Vernon" Flotilla -[[HMS Centurion (1911)|HMS ''Centurion'']] (1937) Target Ship (Home Fleet) -[[HMNB Devonport|HMS ''Drake'']] (1939) Captain of Dockyard, Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master of Devonport Dockyard -{{HMS|Exeter|68|6}} (1940)
|battles = '''World War I''' -
[[Battle of Heligoland Bight (1914)|Heligoland Bight]] (28 August 1914) -
[[Terschelling]] (17 October 1914) -
[[Battle of Dogger Bank (1915)|Dogger Bank]] (24 January 1915) -
[[Harwich Force]] (1914–1915) -
[[Dover Patrol]] (1914–1915) -
Channel Convoys 1915 -
Belgian Coast (1915–1916) 
'''Russian Civil War''' 
-[[North Russia intervention|North Russia]] – Dwina River Force (1919) 
'''Arab Operations''' -
Jeddah (October 1924) -
Port Sudan (October 1924) 
'''World War II'''
|awards = [[Royal Victorian Order|Member of the Victorian Order]] [[Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Service Cross]] [[Mentioned in Dispatches]] }}

[[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] '''Walter Napier Thomason Beckett''', [[Royal Victorian Order|MVO]], [[Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)|DSC]] (1893 – 1941) was a noted [[Royal Navy]] officer in both the [[First World War]] and the [[Second World War]]. He was known to most people as "Joe" Beckett, after a famous British boxer of the same era, as they shared the same surname. Beckett was also a capable amateur boxer, holding the title of Royal Navy Heavyweight boxing champion for some time.

In ''Fabulous Admirals and some naval fragments'' published in 1957, Beckett is described as "an Elizabethan character, who was rough, tough, large and strong, and his words smelt of tar, spunyarn, sound commonsense and humour." The author, Commander Geoffrey Lowis RN, included a chapter on Beckett whom he thought a great character. Much of this article is drawn from that book.

==Early life==

Beckett was born in [[Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh|Bilaspur]] in the [[Central Provinces]] of [[India]] on 25 March 1893. He was the younger son of Brigadier-General [[William Thomas Clifford Beckett]] [[CBE]], [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]], [[Volunteer Decoration|VD]] (1862–1956) and Bessie Drummond Thomason, daughter of Major-General Charles Simeon Thomason (1833–1911) of the [[Bengal Engineer Group|Bengal Royal Engineers]]. His older brother Clifford became Major-General [[Clifford Thomason Beckett]] [[Companion in The Most Honourable Order of the Bath|CB]], [[CBE]], [[Military Cross|MC]] (1891–1972) of the [[Royal Artillery]], who had a distinguished military career including being Acting General Officer Commanding [[Malta]] in 1942.

Prior to his military career Beckett's father William had been a senior [[Civil Engineer]], working on behalf of the [[British Raj|Indian]] government. At the time of W.N.T. Beckett's birth, his father was in charge of constructing the first [[Rail transport in India#History|railway]] bridges over the [[Orissa, India|Orissa]] rivers on the East Coast Extension of the [[South Eastern Railway (India)|Bengal – Nagpur Railway]], completing the connection between the cities of [[Kolkata|Calcutta]] and [[Chennai|Madras]]. In 1901, he was awarded the Gold Medal from the [[Institution of Civil Engineers]] for a paper he presented on his completed project.

The family returned to Great Britain for the boys education, and lived near [[Grantown-on-Spey]] in [[Scotland]], where Beckett loved wandering the hills and glens of Speyside.

Beckett boarded at Park House School in [[Kent]] and in 1906 he entered the [[Royal Naval College, Osborne]], where he excelled at sports and became friends with fellow cadet Prince Edward, the future [[King Edward VIII]]. Beckett won innumerable cups and medals for boxing, bayonet fighting, sabres and foils at the Naval Colleges, and later in the fleet and at the Royal Naval and Military Tournament.

Prince Edward and Beckett both joined the battleship [[HMS Hindustan (1903)|HMS ''Hindustan'']] as [[midshipmen]] in August 1911, and served together for a period of three months, until Edward was sent to [[Magdalen College, Oxford]], for further studies.

After two years as a midshipman Beckett was promoted to Acting Sub-Lieutenant and he was also playing [[Fullback (rugby union)|fullback]] in the Navy [[Rugby football|rugger]] team.

==World War I==

===Harwich Force===

Beckett served as [[Sub-Lieutenant]] in the destroyer [[HMS Legion|HMS ''Legion'']], of [[Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore]] Sir [[Reginald Tyrwhitt]]'s [[Harwich Force]], and took part in the [[Battle of Heligoland (1914)|Battle of Heligoland Bight]] and the [[Battle of Dogger Bank (1915)|Battle of Dogger Bank]]. It was about this time he brought out a pamphlet, subsequently published by the Admiralty, 'Questions in Dutch and German for Boarding Officers'. When [[HMS Amphion (1911)|HMS ''Amphion'']], the first Royal Naval ship to be sunk during the [[World War I|First World War]],<ref>[http://www.gwpda.org/naval/flccaslt.htm The First + Last Commonwealth Casualties] at www.gwpda.org</ref> was going down, Beckett was aboard searching for survivors, and became the hero of a tale often told. ''Amphion'' blew up and Beckett found himself sailing through the air amongst a cloud of bric-a-brac, and amongst it was the wardroom clock, of which Beckett observed the time as he tumbled through the air and into the sea.

During his time on ''Legion'', Beckett developed a reputation as an excellent seaman, and a practitioner of fine nautical skills and knot-work. These skills and his attention to detail became legendary in the Service, and many shoddy jobs were discarded with the words, "That would never do for Joe Beckett".

While Beckett was serving with the Harwich Force, he was befriended by the renowned English author [[Rudyard Kipling]], and was invited to his home [[Bateman's]], in [[East Sussex]]. Kipling was very interested in the Royal Navy, and used Beckett as a source of information for his 1916 naval classic, "Sea Warfare". In one of Kipling's letters, he colourfully describes his meeting with Lieutenant Beckett, and states "he held us breathless or weak with laughter".<ref>[http://www.kipling.org.uk/rg_seawarfare_destroyers_notes.htm "Sea Warfare - Destroyers at Jutland"] at www.kipling.org.uk</ref> Beckett also enjoyed their meeting, and went on the visit Bateman's again. He found they had various common interests, including a connection to India, where both men had been born. Kipling had previously based the character ''Findlayson'', the hero of his story ''The Bridge Builders'' on Beckett's great uncle, the well known [[British Raj|Indian]] bridge-builder [[Frederick Walton (Engineer)|Frederick Thomas Granville Walton]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kipling.org.uk/rg_bridgebuilders1.htm|title=The Bridge-Builders|date=15 April 2021}}</ref>

===Coastal Motor Boats (DSC)===

From April 1916 until the end of World War I, Beckett was employed in [[Coastal Motor Boats]] (CMB's), with a group of bright young officers known as the 'Suicide Club'.

In May 1916, Beckett took command of the newly built [[HM Coastal Motor Boat 4]], designed by Sir [[J I Thornycroft|John Thornycroft]]. CMB No. 4 was one of a series of small, shallow draft vessels used during World War I. Operated by a crew of three, it was capable of {{convert|24.8|kn|mph km/h|1}}. The main armament was a single {{convert|18|in|mm|0|adj=on}} torpedo in a trough abaft the cockpit (from which it was launched tail-first over the stern by a cordite-powered ram). It also had four .303 in [[Lewis machine gun]]s.

While in command of CMB No. 4, Beckett carried out duties of CMB Flotilla Signal Officer, and he trained personnel and conducted smoke trials and experiments.
In August 1916, he took command of 3rd Division CMB Flotilla. In December 1916, he proceeded to [[Dunkirk]] in charge of the 3rd CMB Division, and operated on the Belgian coast. He organised a temporary base and established liaison with French naval authorities and with the air force. Beckett was in command of a Divisional CMB attack on German destroyers at [[Zeebrugge]] on 7 April 1917, as a result one was sunk and one very seriously damaged. For these actions Beckett was [[Mentioned in Despatches]] and was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Service Cross]] (DSC).

In May 1917, Beckett was appointed in command of CMB No. 14, the first of a larger-type CMB carrying four depth charges in addition to a torpedo: these boats were {{convert|55|ft|m|0}} long, longer than the forty-foot original type. In July 1917, Beckett was ordered to [[Portsmouth]] to form an anti-submarine CMB base there, and command the Portsmouth CMB Flotilla on anti-submarine and convoy duties. He stayed at that post until September 1918, when he was transferred to CMB Base [[Osea Island]], where he was in charge of half 2nd CMB flotilla. During this time he wrote the CMB Signal Table for the Admiralty. He continued in that position until after the [[Armistice]] on 11 November 1918.

===North Russia and the Dwina River===

From May to November 1919, Beckett volunteered for "Special Service" on a dangerous secret mission in North Russia using CMBs. The [[Bolsheviks]] were attacking the [[White Movement|White Russians]] and Beckett was sent as Second-in-Command of CMB Flotilla – [[Northern Dvina|Dwina River]] Force, under Commander-in-Chief Admiral [[John Green (Royal Navy officer)|Sir John Green]], with whom he began a long friendship. Beckett was in command of CMB No. 28A. During this time he worked with the military (on land), as a Lewis Gun Officer, and on mine clearance duties on the river. He was left in charge to destroy materiel at their up-river base at Troitsa, and to cover the retirement of military forces.

==Between the wars==

Following the Russian action Beckett returned to [[Osea Island]], but was soon made [[First Lieutenant#Royal Navy|First Lieutenant]] of [[HMS Cockchafer (1915)|HMS ''Cockchafer'']], in which he proceeded to China to serve on the [[Yangtse River]] Patrol. In June 1921, Beckett was back in England and in charge of the HM [[Fishery Protection Squadron|Fishery Gunboat]] ''Boyne'', on [[North Sea]] Fishery duties and minesweeping. During this time he salvaged SS ''Edith'' and towed her to [[Dover]], but his salvage claim was disallowed.

In November 1921 he was appointed to the battleship [[HMS Ramillies (07)|HMS ''Ramillies'']], and became [[Executive Officer#Military|executive officer]]. During this time Beckett published ''The boatswain's call: how it is used, and some facts about it'', which was later incorporated into the Official Seamanship Manual. Beckett was made [[lieutenant-commander]] while serving aboard ''Ramillies''.

===Mediterranean service===

September 1924, Beckett was appointed in command of the destroyer [[HMAS Vendetta (D69)|HMS ''Vendetta'']], in the [[Mediterranean Sea]], under Commander-in-Chief Admiral Sir [[Roger Keyes]]. In October 1924, HMS ''Vendetta'' proceeded to the [[Red Sea]] and Beckett acted as Senior Naval Officer (SNO) at [[Jeddah]] during operations between [[Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia|Ibn Saud]] and [[Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca|Emir Ali]], to safeguard British interests and property. Beckett was then ordered to [[Port Sudan]], to take charge as SNO and to arrange the evacuation of the Egyptian Army from [[Khartoum]], after the assassination of Sir [[Lee Stack|Lee Oliver Stack]], the British Governor-General of Sudan and Egyptian army commander.

===Royal service===

[[File:Beckett & King George V.jpg|thumb|275px|Lt.Cdr. Beckett & [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] aboard [[HMAS Vendetta (D69)|HMS ''Vendetta'']], April 1925]]
Beckett had one of his most pleasant duties in March and April 1925, when HMS ''Vendetta'' and another destroyer were chosen to accompany the Royal Yacht on a cruise of the Mediterranean. The purpose of the cruise was for [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] to recuperate after a period of serious illness. The King was joined by [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], [[Prince George, Duke of Kent]], [[Princess Victoria Alexandra of the United Kingdom|Princess Victoria]] and their party. During the cruise Beckett had the opportunity to spend time with the Royal family, and upon the completion of their cruise, King George V presented Beckett with a Member of the [[Royal Victorian Order]] (MVO) for the services he had given during their most enjoyable cruise. See accompanying photo taken by Princess Victoria, of Beckett with King George V aboard HMS ''Vendetta'' during the cruise.

On 14 April 1927, he was appointed in command of [[HMS Velox (D34)|HMS ''Velox'']] in the Atlantic Fleet.
During this period Beckett began to court Gladys Hemery Lindon, an heiress of an old Welsh family, the Edwardes of [[Rhyd-y-gors]]. In 1928 they wed, and were deeply in love. He always referred to her as his 'Snowdrop'. They settled at her home, St Regulus, near [[Southampton]], and soon after Beckett was made a [[commander]]. On 21 February 1935 their daughter Rosemary Caroline Rowan Beckett was born.

===Scuttling of HMY ''Britannia''===

In 1936, Beckett was selected by the [[Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth]], Admiral Sir [[John Kelly (Royal Navy officer)|John Kelly]] GCVO, KCB for an unusual task. Beckett had served under Sir John Kelly in the past, and the two were on very good terms. After the death of King George V, [[King Edward VIII]] asked Sir John Kelly to organise the scuttling of [[HMY Britannia (Royal Cutter Yacht)|HMY ''Britannia'']], as it was King George V's dying wish. Kelly felt there was no better man for the job than Beckett, who had been made a Captain by this stage, and was in command of the destroyer [[HMS Winchester (L55)|HMS ''Winchester'']]. On 10 July 1936, ''Winchester'' towed the stripped hull of the Royal Yacht out past the [[Isle of Wight]] to St Catherine's Deep, and in the presence of Sir [[Philip Hunloke]], who had so often sailed Britannia for the King during her racing career, ''Britannia'' was [[scuttled]] by Captain Beckett.

==World War II==

Prior to the announcement of the Second World War, Beckett had spent time honing his skills with the Senior Officers Technical Course and Senior Officers War Course.

In January 1939, Beckett was appointed Captain of Dockyard, Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master of [[HMNB Devonport|HMNB ''Devonport'']] (HMS ''Drake'').
This was an unusual job for a junior Captain, but one to which Beckett was well fitted.

Beckett was a seadog, and was not happy to be serving on land. When the opportunity of the Captaincy of the {{sclass|York|cruiser|0}} [[heavy cruiser]] {{HMS|Exeter|68|2}} became available, Beckett jumped at the opportunity. She was receiving an extensive refit at Devonport Dockyard following her participation in the [[Battle of the River Plate]]. Beckett was appointed captain of the ''Exeter'' during her refit and supervised the whole process.

==Death==

During this time Beckett's health began to fail, partially due to the heavy workload entailed in running a dockyard in time of war, and the stress of refitting ''Exeter'', but also due to injuries he had sustained earlier in his career.

During his time on the Dwina River in North Russia, he had been exposed to poison gas, that had caused damage to his chest and lungs, and while in CMB's he had received [[Shrapnel shell|shrapnel]] in his left knee. These wounds, particularly his chest, finally took their toll on him and he was sent to have chest X-rays. After a month of ill-health, through which he persevered at the dockyard, Beckett left on Friday, 7 March 1941, for the last time.

On the night of Saturday 8 March, he had great pain in his chest and stomach. On the morning of Sunday 9 March, two doctors saw him at home and he was taken to Saltash Hospital for an exploratory operation. He had the operation at 3.00 pm. His wife Gladys saw him at 7pm and stayed with him, but at 10pm he lost consciousness and he finally died at 3.00 am, with Gladys at his side, on Monday 10 March 1941, the day he was due to recommission {{HMS|Exeter|68|6}}. Beckett is remembered on the war memorial in [[Grantown-on-Spey]] in [[Morayshire]], Scotland.

Beckett's wife Gladys Hemery died in 1964, and {{As of|2021|lc=y}} their daughter Rosemary Caroline Rowan lived with her husband and family in [[Queensland]], Australia.

==Legacy==
[[HM Coastal Motor Boat 4]], Captained by W.N.T. Beckett in 1916–1917, and used by Beckett during CMB attack on Zeebrugge, 7 April 1917, for which he was awarded DSC and mentioned in Despatches, is on permanent display at the [[Imperial War Museum]], [[Duxford]].

Beckett received the thanks of the Admiralty for devices he had designed (e.g. a balloon indicating device for locating fired practice torpedoes [dated 14 August 1924], a device submitted concerning a sprocket wheel for mine moorings [dated 15 November 1926]).

Buried: Havant and Waterloo (Warblington) Cemetery, sec. 2, old ground, grave 105

Beckett's published work includes:

*The boatswain's call: how it is used, and some facts about it, 1922, Gieves Ltd, Portsmouth (Later incorporated in the Official Seamanship Manual [dated 10.03.1927] ).
*A few naval customs, expressions, traditions and superstitions, 1930, Gieves Ltd, Portsmouth
*Questions in Dutch and German for Boarding Officers, 1914 (A pamphlet published by the Admiralty);

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Fabulous Admirals, and some naval fragments (Commander GL Lowis, Putnam & Co. Ltd, London, 1957 ... (One chapter on Captain W.N.T. Beckett) )
*A few naval customs, expressions, traditions and superstitions (Captain W.N.T. Beckett, Gieves Ltd, Portsmouth, 1930)
*Burke's Landed Gentry, 18th Edition (London, 1965)
*The Bridges over the Orissa Rivers on the East Coast Extension of the Bengal – Nagpur Railway. (W.T.C. Beckett, M. Inst. C.E., Paper No. 3250, 1901)
*[http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersB3.html#Beckett_WNT Beckett’s Naval Career]
*The Letters of Rudyard Kipling, Volume IV, 1911 – 1919 (Editor – Thomas Pinney, MacMillan, London, 1998)
*[http://www.kipling.org.uk/rg_seawarfare_destroyers_notes.htm Rudyard Kipling, 'Sea Warfare' - Destroyer Notes]
*Record of Service of Lieutenant Commander W.N.T. Beckett (Unpublished, 1928)
*Personal Diary of Gladys Hemery Beckett (Unpublished, 1941)

==External links==
*[http://www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk/genealogyjunction/Morayshire/Grantown%20on%20spey%20War%20Mem.htm Commemorated on War Memorial] ''(Grantown-on-Spey, Morayshire, Scotland)''
*[http://www.unithistories.com/officers/Army_officers_B01.html#Beckett_CT] Career of Major General CT Beckett
*[http://www.rhyc.demon.co.uk/britannia.htm Further Information on HMY Britannia]
*{{cite book
|title=Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal
|author=Marquis of Ruvigny & Raineval, Marquis of Ruvigny and Raineval Staff
|year=1994
|publisher=Genealogical Publishing Com
|isbn=0-8063-1433-8
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0aUD4NqGYqAC&q=beckett&pg=PA405
}}'' (Marquis of Ruvigny & Raineval, London, 1907)''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beckett, W.N.T.}}
[[Category:Military personnel of British India]]
[[Category:Royal Navy officers]]
[[Category:Royal Navy officers of World War I]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Russian Civil War]]
[[Category:Royal Navy officers of World War II]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Members of the Royal Victorian Order]]
[[Category:1893 births]]
[[Category:1941 deaths]]
[[Category:British male boxers]]
[[Category:People educated at the Royal Naval College, Osborne]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel killed in World War II]]

W. N. T. Beckett - Revision history

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