Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

Otto Humphrey Becher, &

Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...

(13 September 1908 – 15 June 1977) was a senior officer in the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

(RAN). Born in

Harvey, Western Australia Harvey is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, south of Perth, between Pinjarra and Bunbury. It has a population of 2,750. Harvey Town is known for its dairy industry and oranges. History Har ...

, Becher entered the Royal Australian Naval College in 1922. After graduating in 1926, he was posted to a series of staff and training positions prior to specialising in

gun A gun is a ranged weapon designed to use a shooting tube (gun barrel) to launch projectiles. The projectiles are typically solid, but can also be pressurized liquid (e.g. in water guns/cannons, spray guns for painting or pressure washing, pr ...

nery. A

lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...

at the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Becher assisted in the extraction of Allied troops from the Namsos region of Norway while aboard the heavy cruiser , and was decorated with the

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

. Following service in the Mediterranean theatre, he returned to Australia in 1942 as officer-in-charge of the gunnery school at . He spent two years at ''Cerberus'' before being given command of the Q class destroyer in March 1944. While commanding ''Quickmatch'' in operations against Japanese forces in the Pacific, Becher earned a

to his Distinguished Service Cross. At the war's end Becher was posted to the Navy Office and later to the aircraft carrier ; in 1951 he was given command of the destroyer . ''Warramunga'' formed part of Australia's contribution to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

forces engaged in the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

; Becher was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...

while carrying out operations in Korean waters. On returning to Australia, he filled several staff positions and commanded the aircraft carriers and . Promoted to rear admiral in 1959, he served as Flag Officer Commanding Australian Fleet from 1964 to 1965, before taking up the post of Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area. Becher retired from the RAN in 1966, and died in 1977 at the age of 68.

Early life and career

Otto Becher was born in

, on 13 September 1908, to Francis Joseph Becher, an

orchardist An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees which are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of larg ...

, and Antonia Amalie (née Vetter). On 1 January 1922, at the age of thirteen, he enrolled in the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay, where he performed well both academically and at sport, receiving

colours Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associa ...

for hockey and

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

. Graduating in 1926, he served as a

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...

aboard and later , before being posted to the United Kingdom in September of that year for further sea-training and professional development with the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

. Becher was promoted to acting

sub-lieutenant Sub-lieutenant is usually a junior officer rank, used in armies, navies and air forces. In most armies, sub-lieutenant is the lowest officer rank. However, in Brazil, it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain, it is the second high ...

in September 1928; the rank was made substantive the following March. He returned to Australia in January 1930 and was raised to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

, gaining further seafaring experience over the next two years on and . Deciding to specialise in gunnery, he attended an advanced course at the Royal Navy's gunnery school at in England from September 1932 until April 1934. Returning to Australia in May 1934, Becher was posted to the gunnery school at the shore establishment HMAS ''Cerberus'' in Victoria until June 1935. On 7 January 1935, Becher married Valerie Chisholm Baird at St Michael's Anglican Church in

Vaucluse Vaucluse (; oc, Vauclusa, label= Provençal or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.intelligence officer, after which he was transferred to for flotilla duties. Promoted to lieutenant commander on 16 June 1938, Becher briefly returned to ''Cerberus'' before embarking for the United Kingdom on exchange with the Royal Navy in January 1939.

Second World War

Becher was serving as squadron gunnery officer aboard the Royal Navy heavy cruiser when the Second World War broke out. In May 1940, ''Devonshire'' was dispatched to the Namsos region of Norway to assist in the extraction of

Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

troops. Commended for his "daring, resource and devotion" during the operation, Becher was awarded the

. The notification for the decoration was published in a supplement to the ''

London Gazette London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

'' on 19 July 1940, and the investiture ceremony was held by

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

on 11 March 1941. In late November 1940, Becher transferred to the recently launched destroyer as part of the ship's commissioning crew. While completing working-up exercises, ''Napier'' was tasked with transferring British Prime Minister

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

and his wife from

Thurso Thurso (pronounced ; sco, Thursa, gd, Inbhir Theòrsa ) is a town and former burgh on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland. Situated in the historical County of Caithness, it is the northernmost town on the island of Great ...

in Scotland to the battleship , and later returning them to the mainland. With her working-up complete, ''Napier'' was initially posted to convoy duties in the

North Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Africa, Europe and ...

, before setting sail in April 1941 with for the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

. Arriving in May, she formed up as part of the

Mediterranean Fleet The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between t ...

. ''Napier'' assisted in the evacuation of British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

troops from the island of Crete in late May, following the successful Axis invasion. On one such occasion the vessel embarked 296 soldiers, three women, one Greek and one Chinese civilian, ten sailors, two children and a dog. Returning to

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

, the destroyer came under attack but arrived unscathed. Two days later ''Napier'' was less fortunate; having taken 705 soldiers on board, she was targeted on her return journey by a formation of twelve German dive-bombers. The ship was struck twice by bombs and suffered damage to the

stern The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Ori ...

, the engine room and boiler room. One of the aircraft was shot down and a further three damaged. Although no allied casualties were sustained and the destroyer arrived safely in Alexandria, she spent the next two-and-a-half months in

Port Said Port Said ( ar, بورسعيد, Būrsaʿīd, ; grc, Πηλούσιον, Pēlousion) is a city that lies in northeast Egypt extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal. With an approximate population of 6 ...

under repair. Becher returned to Australia in early 1942, and from 17 May was appointed officer-in-charge of the gunnery school at HMAS ''Cerberus''. He remained at this post for almost two years until, on 12 March 1944, he was given command of the destroyer —formed up as part of the

Eastern Fleet Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air L ...

. On 22 July, ''Quickmatch'' was among a 23-vessel strong task force that set out from Trincomalee to assault the Japanese naval base off northern

Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...

at Sabang Island. The formation approached Sabang on the night of 24/25 July, launching fighter strikes on airfields in the area at first light. At 06:55, the fleet bombarded the harbour installations, coastal defence batteries and the military barracks. As the formation's two battleships maintained their fire, ''Quickmatch'' joined three other ships that entered the harbour to carry out close-range bombardment. After completing their task, ''Quickmatch'' and her fellows withdrew under the cover of fire from two cruisers. Praised for his "outstanding courage and skill" in pressing home the assault, Becher was awarded a

to his Distinguished Service Cross, announced in a supplement to the ''London Gazette'' on 31 October 1944. In October 1944, ''Quickmatch'' was transferred to Australian waters and underwent her annual refit at Sydney from November to December. Once the refit was completed she operated mainly off the Australian coast. During the early hours of 25 December 1944, the Navy Office in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

received an

SOS is a Morse code distress signal (), used internationally, that was originally established for maritime use. In formal notation is written with an overscore line, to indicate that the Morse code equivalents for the individual letters of "SOS" ...

from the SS ''Robert J. Walker'', reporting that she had been torpedoed by a submarine while travelling from

Fremantle, Western Australia Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for ...

, to Sydney. Aircraft were dispatched to provide aerial cover, and HMA Ships ''Quickmatch'', ''Kiama'' and ''Yandra'' were directed to ''Robert J. Walker''s position. ''Quickmatch'' and ''Yandra'' were to operate against the submarine, while ''Kiama'' was to take the ''Robert J. Walker'' under tow. Arriving at the reported location at approximately 23:30 that evening, ''Quickmatch'', under the command of Becher, and ''Kiama'' patrolled the vicinity in search of the submarine and ''Robert J. Walker''s crew. Sixty-seven men were discovered in

lifeboats Lifeboat may refer to: Rescue vessels * Lifeboat (shipboard), a small craft aboard a ship to allow for emergency escape * Lifeboat (rescue), a boat designed for sea rescues * Airborne lifeboat, an air-dropped boat used to save downed airmen A ...

at 05:45 the following morning and were taken aboard ''Quickmatch''; ''Robert J. Walker'' had sunk two hours earlier with the loss of two crew. Becher was promoted to

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

on 31 December 1944, and the following month ''Quickmatch'' was transferred to the recently established British Pacific Fleet. On 28 February, the British Pacific Fleet, including ''Quickmatch'', sailed from

Sydney Harbour Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...

for

Manus Island Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth-largest island in Papua New Guinea, with an area of , measuring around . Manus Island is covered in rugged jungles w ...

to prepare for its role in support of the planned United States

invasion of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

. The fleet engaged in eleven days of exercises at Manus before departing for

Ulithi Ulithi ( yap, Wulthiy, , or ) is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about east of Yap. Overview Ulithi consists of 40 islets totaling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest i ...

, and on 23 March was attached to the

United States Fifth Fleet The Fifth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It has been responsible for naval forces in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean since 1995 after a 48-year hiatus. It shares a commander and headq ...

with the designation "Task Force 57". Setting sail for Okinawa two days later, the fleet launched air strikes against airfield targets in the Sakishima Islands on 26 and 27 March. During these operations ''Quickmatch'' formed part of the escort for the fleet's aircraft carriers. Becher later stated: "These two days' operations were successful, the enemy airstrips being neutralised and a number of aircraft being destroyed on the ground." Task Force 57 continued operations around the Sakishima Islands for the following two months to cover the United States' left flank, with ''Quickmatch'' forming part of the carrier force's escort throughout this period. On 25 June 1945, Becher relinquished command of the ''Quickmatch'' and returned to Australia, where he was attached to the shore base . For his "distinguished service ... in the Pacific" he received a Mention in Despatches. In August, he transferred to HMAS ''Cerberus'' for duties with the Navy Office.

Interbellum and Korean War

Becher remained with the Navy Office until November 1947, when he was posted to the United Kingdom to join the aircraft carrier 's commissioning crew. Embarking from Melbourne during February 1948, he was temporarily attached to HMS ''Drake'' and later until ''Sydney''s commissioning on 16 December. His service aboard the aircraft carrier lasted for two years, and was followed on 23 January 1950 by an appointment as Commanding Officer to the shore establishment . However, Becher's time at ''Watson'' was cut short when, on 28 July, he relieved Captain

Alan McNicoll Vice Admiral Sir Alan Wedel Ramsay McNicoll, (3 April 1908 – 11 October 1987) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and a diplomat. Born in Melbourne, he entered the Royal Australian Naval College at the age of thirte ...

as commander of the destroyer HMAS ''Warramunga'', which had been selected for service in the Korean War. ''Warramunga'' was to be attached to a force of five Royal Navy destroyers led by a captain, making it expedient to have the Australian ship commanded by an officer of lower rank. ''Warramunga'' arrived in Korean waters in late August 1950. After some initial escort work, the destroyer joined as part of the carrier 's protective screen while the latter contributed air cover to the Allied

landing at Inchon The Battle of Incheon (), also spelled Battle of Inchon, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved so ...

on 15 September. For the next three months, ''Warramunga'' engaged in patrol and screening duties, in addition to transporting food for famine relief. On 4 December, ''Warramunga'' and ''Bataan'' supported the emergency withdrawal of Allied troops from

Chinnampo Nampo (North Korean official spelling: Nampho; ), also spelled Namp'o, is the second largest city by population and an important seaport in North Korea, which lies on the northern shore of the Taedong River, 15 km east of the river's mouth. ...

. Becher decided to sail up a channel of the

Taedong River The Taedong River (Chosŏn'gŭl: ) is a large river in North Korea. The river rises in the Rangrim Mountains of the country's north where it then flows southwest into Korea Bay at Namp'o.Suh, Dae-Sook (1987) "North Korea in 1986: Strengthening ...

known as Short Cut, which according to his charts should have allowed him five to ten feet of clearance. The chart proved inaccurate, and ''Warramunga'' ran aground at 23:15; Becher's only option was to wait for the rising tide to float the destroyer off. ''Warramunga'' came free at 23:50 without having sustained damage, and was able to resume her mission, escorting troop transports south. Later, Becher brought ''Warramunga'' alongside ''Bataan'' and entreated the latter's commander, via megaphone, to keep quiet about the incident. With Becher's promotion to captain due, he was concerned that if the Naval Board became aware of the grounding his promotion would be delayed until an investigation had taken place. His "well-earned" rise in rank came through as scheduled on 31 December. On the journey south, ''Warramunga''s crew developed a new way of signalling between ships that was considerably quicker than using international code flags. Known to the crew as the "Murphy Method", it involved wrapping messages around potatoes and throwing them from one ship to the other. ''Warramunga'' participated in the

siege of Wonsan The Blockade of Wonsan, or the siege of Wonsan, from February 16, 1951 to July 27, 1953, during the Korean War, was the longest naval blockade in modern history, lasting 861 days. UN naval forces, primarily from the United States, successfully ...

during late February 1951, where she engaged and partially destroyed North Korean shore batteries, as well as shelling buildings and transport infrastructure. Despite coming under fire the destroyer sustained no damage. For the remainder of her tour in Korea, ''Warramunga'' took part in patrols and shore bombardments, earning special praise from Vice Admiral

C. Turner Joy Charles Turner Joy (17 February 1895 – 6 June 1956) was an admiral of the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War. During the last years of his career, while fighting leukemia, he served as Superintendent of the Naval Academy. ...

, Commander US Naval Forces Far East, for the accuracy of her gunnery. On 17 July 1951, it was announced that Becher had been appointed as an honorary aide-de-camp to the

Governor-General of Australia The governor-general of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia. Following ''Warramunga''s departure from Korean waters on 1 August, Rear Admiral

Alan Scott-Moncrieff Admiral Sir Alan Kenneth Scott-Moncrieff, (3 September 1900 – 25 November 1980) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet from 1955 to 1957. Early life and education Scott-Moncrieff was born in Buenos Aires, ...

, Commander West Coast Blockade Force, commented: "She has been a tower of strength and done an incredible amount of steaming with no troubles at all. I cannot speak too highly of Captain O. H. Becher and his men ..." Together with ''Bataan'', ''Warramunga'' had borne the brunt of Australia's naval contribution to the Korean War. Noting his "courage, skill and determination", a recommendation for Becher to be awarded the

was approved by the

Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...

on 17 August 1951, and announced in the ''London Gazette'' the following month. For his "meritorious service ... as C.O. of HMAS ''Warramunga''", Becher was also decorated by the United States with the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

Senior command

Becher retained command of ''Warramunga'' until October 1951, when he was posted to the shore base for service with the Navy Office as Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel and Director of Personal Services. In September that year he was additionally appointed trustee of the Services Canteens Trust Fund; a position he held until October 1952 and for which he received a letter of appreciation from the

Minister for Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

. The same month he assumed the position of Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. On 25 August 1954, Becher was given command of the aircraft carrier HMAS ''Vengeance'', and in October he returned with his new command to the Korean theatre to transport the aircraft, equipment and personnel of No. 77 Squadron RAAF back to Australia. In 1956, Becher embarked for the United Kingdom to attend the Imperial Defence College. A month after his December graduation, he travelled back to Australia and assumed command of . Becher remained with ''Melbourne'' until December 1958, at which time he returned to the Navy Office at HMAS ''Lonsdale'' to resume his role as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. He was promoted to acting

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

on 3 January 1959, the rank being made substantive twelve months later. In the

Queen's Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are present ...

of 1961, Becher was appointed a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

. Relinquishing his position with the Navy Office in 1962, Becher was sent to the United Kingdom as Head of the Australian Joint Services Staff in London. In January 1964 he returned to Australia, and was made Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet. During his time in this role Becher became embroiled in the controversy that followed the collision of HMA Ships ''Voyager'' and ''Melbourne'', which took place in February that year. Prior to giving evidence before the Royal Commission that had been established to investigate the incident, Becher had discussed events with ''Melbourne''s Commanding Officer, Commander Ronald Robertson. The discussion became public knowledge, and led to suggestions of conspiracy. Becher stated to the commission that ''Melbourne'' should have questioned ''Voyager''s final movements; his evidence is alleged to have influenced the Royal Commissioner, Sir John Spicer, to place a degree of blame on Robertson. In 1965, Becher assumed his final command as Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area, before retiring from the Royal Australian Navy on 6 March 1966.

Retirement

Following his retirement, Becher accepted the position of Director-General of Recruiting for the Australian armed forces from 1966 until 1969, a period during which

conscription Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...

was in effect. Minister of Defence

Allen Fairhall Sir Allen Fairhall KBE FRSA (24 November 19093 November 2006) was an Australian politician who served in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1969, representing the Liberal Party. He was a government minister under four prime ministers, mo ...

asked Becher to find enough volunteers to fill the armed forces, and Becher believed that conscription eroded professional standards, but he found this task difficult given that the military was "competing with industry, and the country was short of labour." He also held the post of chairman of the Council of the Institute of Marine Sciences at the

University of New South Wales The University of New South Wales (UNSW), also known as UNSW Sydney, is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the founding members of Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensive ...

. On 15 June 1977, aged 68, Becher died from a

myocardial infarction A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may ...

Sydney Hospital Sydney Hospital is a major hospital in Australia, located on Macquarie Street in the Sydney central business district. It is the oldest hospital in Australia, dating back to 1788, and has been at its current location since 1811. It first rece ...

. Survived by his wife and their three sons, he was cremated.

Notes

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Becher, Otto 1908 births 1977 deaths Military personnel from Western Australia Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Australian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Australian military personnel of the Korean War Australian people of German descent Australian recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) Deputy Chiefs of Naval Staff (Australia) Graduates of the Royal Australian Naval College Officers of the Legion of Merit People from Harvey, Western Australia Royal Australian Navy admirals Royal Australian Navy personnel of World War II Academic staff of the University of New South Wales Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies