W . N . T . Beckett Captain Walter Napier Thomason Beckett , MVO , DSC , RN ( 1893 – 1941 ) was a noted Royal Navy officer in both World War I and World War II . 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 , who he thought a great character . Much of this article is drawn from that book . Early life . Beckett was born in Bilaspur in the Central Provinces of India on 25 March 1893 . He was the younger son of Brigadier - General William Thomas Clifford Beckett CBE , DSO , VD ( 1862 – 1956 ) and Bessie Drummond Thomason , daughter of Major - General Charles Simeon Thomason ( 1833 – 1911 ) of the Bengal Royal Engineers . His older brother Clifford became Major - General Clifford Thomason Beckett CB , CBE , 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 Indian government . At the time of W . N . T . Beckett ’ s birth , his father was in charge of constructing the first railway bridges over the Orissa rivers on the East Coast Extension of the Bengal – Nagpur Railway , completing the connection between the cities of Calcutta and 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 HRH 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 . The HRH Prince Edward and Beckett both joined the battleship 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 in the Navy Rugger team . World War I . Harwich Force . Beckett served as Sub - Lieutenant in the destroyer HMS " Legion " , of Commodore Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt ' s Harwich Force , and took part in the Battle of Heligoland Bight and the 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 " , the first Royal Naval ship to be sunk during the First World War , 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 " . 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 Indian bridge builder Frederick Thomas Granville Walton . 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 John Thornycroft . CMB No . 4 was one of a series of small , shallow draft vessels used during World War I . She had a Thornycroft V - 12 Petrol engine capable of . She carried a single torpedo in a trough abaft the cockpit ( from which it was launched tail - first over the stern by a cordite - powered ram ) and four . 303 Lewis machine guns and carried a crew of 3 . 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 ( 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 long , opposed to 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 Armistice occurred 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 Russians and Beckett was sent as Second - in - Command of CMB Flotilla – Dwina River Force , under Commander - in - Chief Admiral 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 material 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 of 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 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 . November 1921 , he was appointed to the battleship HMS " Ramillies " , and became 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 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 and 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 Oliver Stack , the British Governor - General of Sudan and Egyptian army commander . Royal service . 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 King George V to recuperate after a period of serious illness . The King was joined by Queen Mary , Prince George , Duke of Kent , 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 " 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 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 " , 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 " . On 10 July 1936 , the " 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 " ( HMS " Drake " ) . This was an unusual job for a junior Captain , but one to which Beckett was well fitted . War was on the horizon and a strong man was needed to tighten things up . Beckett was a seadog , and was not happy to be serving on land . When the opportunity of the Captaincy of the York Class Heavy Cruiser 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 made 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 incredible workload placed on his broad shoulders with the running of the dockyard in preparation for war , and the refitting of the " 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 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 the 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 beloved wife Gladys saw him at 7pm and stayed with him . At 10pm he lost consciousness , and he finally died at 3 . 00 am , on Monday 10 March 1941 , with Gladys holding his hand . This was the very day he was due to recommission . Beckett ’ s wife Gladys Hemery died in 1964 , and their daughter Rosemary Caroline Rowan now resides in Queensland , Australia and is married with a family ( Current at 2013 ) . 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 . External links . 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 :