 Otto Becher was born in Harvey , Western Australia , on 13 September 1908 , to Francis Joseph Becher , an orchardist , and Antonia Amalie ( née Vetter ) . On 1 January 1922 , at the age of thirteen , he enrolled in the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay , where he performed well both academically and at sport , receiving colours for hockey and tennis . Graduating in 1926 , he served as a midshipman aboard HMAS Adelaide and later HMAS Brisbane , before being posted to the United Kingdom in September of that year for further sea @-@ training and professional development with the Royal Navy . 
