Captain “Joe” Walter Napier Thomason Beckett was born in Bilaspur in the Central Provinces of India on 25 March 1893 where his father had been a civil engineer working on behalf of the Indian government.
The family returned to Britain for their son’s education. 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. Whilst here Beckett won numerous 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. Whilst in the Navy Beckett held the title of Heavy-weight boxing champion for some time, and this is what earned him his nickname after the British boxer Joe Beckett.
Walter Napier Thomason was a noted Royal Navy officer in both World War I and World War II.  In ‘Fabulous Admirals and some naval fragments’ written by Commander Geoffrey Lowis RN, published in 1957, Beckett is described as “an Elizabethan character, who was rough, tough, large and strong, and his words smelt of tar, spun yarn, sound commonsense and humour.”

World War I     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. 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 often became the hero of this tale when told.
While Beckett was serving with the Harwich Force, he befriended the English author Rudyard Kipling. Kipling was very interested in the Royal Navy, and used Beckett as a source of information for his 1916 naval classic, “Sea Warfare”.
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’ and during this time Beckett was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
From May to November 1919, Beckett volunteered for “Special Service” on a dangerous secret mission in North Russia using CMBs. During this time he worked with the military (on land) as a Lewis Gun Officer, and on mine clearance duties on the river.

World War II     In January, 1939, Beckett was appointed Captain of Dockyard, Deputy Superintendent and King’s Harbour Master of HMNB Devonport (HMS Drake). While this was an unusual job for a junior captain it was one to which Beckett was well fitted. At this time war was on the horizon and a strong man was needed to tighten things up.  However, Beckett was a seadog and when the opportunity of Captaincy of the York Class heavy cruiser HMS Exeter became available Beckett jumped at the chance.

During this time Beckett’s health began to fail due to heavy workload, exposure to poison gas in Russia and shrapnel in his left knee received in CMB’s. After persevering after a month of ill health at the dockyards Beckett left on the 7th March 1941 for the last time.
Beckett was taken to Saltash Hospital for an exploratory operation after stomach and chest pains the night before. He later lost consciousness and died on Monday the 10th March with his beloved wife Gladys holding his hand and now resides in Warblington Cemetery.

A memorial service for Captain Beckett was held at his grave on 10th March 2018.

The ‘Last Post’ sounds, the Standard dips and the Rear Admiral and Pete Cox of the HMS Exeter Association salute in tribute to Captain Beckett.

The wreath from the HMS Exeter Association and the poppy crosses laid on behalf of the family for Captain Beckett and to his Wife Gladys (for Mother’s Day).

Once the weather improves the HMS Exeter Association will place some turf on the grave to help it blend in with the surroundings and look tidy.

Nuns in Warblington Cemetery

On entering the cemetery by the main gate, there is an area on the right hand side of the path given over to graves for nuns from two orders.

The earlier graves were for nuns from the Order of St Anne of Bethany.  This Anglican Order was established in The United States in 1910.  In 1922 a group of sisters from this order opened a convent at 34 Havant Road, Emsworth, opposite what is now The Emsworth Sports & Social Club who originally rented their land from the Convent.   The original convent building has now been converted into apartments.

By 1973 there were only 4 sisters left and they decided to rejoin the Order in the United States.  The existing graves and additional plots were then entrusted to The Society of the Sisters of Bethany, who have continued to maintain them and have buried members of their order there as well.  This Anglican Order was founded in Clerkenwell, London in 1866 and has subsequently had Houses in Bournemouth, Hindhead and Winchester.  The House in Southsea opened in 1987 and is now the Mother House for this order.  It is the nuns from this House that occupy the more recent graves.