Andrew Cracroft Becher was born in Brighton on 26 Aug 1858. He was the youngest son of General Sir Arthur Mitford Becher KCB and his wife Frances Ann, and educated at Rugby School. He entered the Royal Scots Regiment as a 2nd lieutenant on 30 Jan 1878 but soon after transferred to the Norfolk Regiment. He fought in the Second Afghan War of 1879-80, serving with the 2nd Battalion and was in the advance to Kabul in Brigadier-General Charles Gough’s force. He saw action at Jugdullock and Saidabad. He was then appointed as Gough’s Orderly Officer. He remained in the 2nd Battalion until May1884 when he was promoted to captain in the 1st Battalion.
He was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion in March 1900 after the death of Lt-Colonel Govan, while the regiment was serving in India. The 1st Battalion remained in India for the duration of the war ongoing in South Africa but Lt Col Becher served with the 2nd Battalion along with other volunteers from the 1st battalion. In the Boer War he took part in operations in the Orange Free State from Feb to May 1900. He was at the Battle of Paardeberg and Karree Siding. In the Transvaal, from May to June 1900 he took part in actions near Johannesburg and Pretoria.
After relinquishing command of the 1st Battalion in March 1904 he was, in 1907, appointed commander of the 2nd Lothian Volunteer Infantry Brigade. A year later he was commanding the Durham Light Infantry Brigade and went on to be GOC 63rd Division in 1914 and Commander of Southern Command Depot in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands in 1916.
He was married to Frances Maude Johnson in 1883 and they had a son and two daughters. But Frances died and he remarried, to Elizabeth Dalyell Stewart in 1907. They had three sons. Andrew Becher reached the rank of brigadier-general and died in Westward Ho, Devon on 11 May 1929. He was buried at St Margaret’s, Northam, Devon.
1878 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Scots 30 Jan
1880 Lieutenant, Norfolk Regiment 1 Sep
1884 Captain 21 May
1895 Major 14 Aug
1900 Lieutenant-Colonel 12 Mar
Regimental Details | Commanding Officers
