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Lieutenant Colonel Henry Campbell Becher

Four males, military officers standing and talking in front of a building. Second from right holds his hands behind his back. They all have pistol holsters and swords.

Officers of the 7 Fusiliers Regiment
Lieut.-Col. Becher is third from left. Ca. 1914. IFLR.

Becher was born in London, ON, on 20 January 1874 to a prominent family in the city. His father, Henry had served as the mayor of the city in 1885. Lieut.-Col. Becher was a stock broker and served fifteen years in the 7th Regiment of Fusiliers, which he commanded before heading to Europe. He signed the Attestation Paper for service overseas on 23 September 1914. On 15 June 1915, during the Second Battle of Ypres, Becher succumbed to a gunshot wound to the neck having already sustained shrapnel wounds earlier that day.  He was the older brother of Maj. Becher.

He is commemorated on page 5 of the First World War Book of Remembrance (Memorial Chamber in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill).

Grave: Beuvry Communal Cemetery, France.

Three medals, mounted to bright coloured ribbons as follows (from left to right): first medal is golden shade, in the shape of a 4-pointed star, surmounted by a crown suspended to the ribbon by a ring, and with 2 swords intersected across; a laurel wreath is superimposed; second medal is silver shade, round shaped suspended to the ribbon on a bar; in the centre of the medal, a male profile looking to the left; the third medal is golden shade, round shaped, suspended to the ribbon by a ring; in the centre the image of a winged female, symbol of Victory.

Medal Set Belonging to Lieut.-Col. Becher (1914-15 Star, 1914-15 War Medal, Victory Medal)
Ca. 1914 – 1918. Capt. Michael O’Leary Collection, London, ON.

A large 2 storeys house in a garden. The house is of yellow brick, with nice ornaments in white wood and the main entrance is through a large front porch. An adjacent smaller building can be seen behind a small tree.

Lieut.-Col. Becher’s Family Home, London, ON
Photograph by Thomas Van Dewark, 2017.