Brigadier-General John Harold Whitworth Becke CMG DSO AFC (17 September 1879 – 7 February 1949) was an infantry officer in the Second Boer War

Second Boer War

The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...

 and commander in the Royal Flying Corps

Royal Flying Corps

The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...

 during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. He transferred to the 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 and as a Captain in the Sherwood Foresters seconded to the Royal Flying Corps he was awarded his Royal Aero Club

Royal Aero Club

The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...

 aviators certificate on the 18 June 1912 flying a Bristol Biplane at Brooklands.

Honours and awards

• Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
  Order of St Michael and St George
  The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
  
   - 3 Jun 1918
• Distinguished Service Order
  Distinguished Service Order
  The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
  
   - 1 Jan 1917
• Air Force Cross
  Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
  The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
  
   - 3 Jun 1919
• Mentioned in Despatches - 17 Feb 1915, 20 May 1918
• Officers of the Légion d'honneur
  Légion d'honneur
  The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
  
   - 24 Feb 1916
• Croix de Guerre
  Croix de guerre
  The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
  
  (France) - 18 Apr 1918