St Edward's School Oxford and the Great War 1914-1918

H ARRY B ECKE (O.S.E.) This O.S.E. suffered from chronic short-sightedness but like everyone at this time was determined that this would not stop him ‘doing his bit’ for the war effort. He enlisted in the Army Service Corps, as the front line infantry regiments would not accept him. He was placed in charge of ‘Lord Salisbury's Staff Horses and Cars’ - and here he is shown at the driving wheel of one of the vehicles involved. Later in the war as the shortage of men did away with previous barriers to soldiers like Becke he transferred to the London Regiment (Artists Rifles) as a Despatch Rider and saw much action. He survived the war.