W. N. T. Beckett

Who was W. N. T. Beckett?

Captain Walter Napier Thomason Beckett, MVO, DSC, RN 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.