1 8 9 1 – 1 9 7 2 ) ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Art illery , ▁had ▁a ▁distinguished ▁military ▁career ▁including ▁being ▁Act ing ▁General ▁Officer ▁Command ing ▁Mal ta ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Cl iff ord ▁Beck ett ▁was ▁the ▁older ▁son ▁of ▁Brig ad ier - General ▁William ▁Thomas ▁Cl iff ord ▁Beck ett ▁C BE , ▁D SO , ▁V D ▁( 1 8 6 2 – 1 9 5 6 ) ▁and ▁B ess ie ▁Dr um mond ▁Thom ason , ▁daughter ▁of ▁Major - General ▁Charles ▁S ime on ▁Thom ason ▁( 1 8 3 3 – 1 9 1 1 ) ▁of ▁the ▁Beng al ▁Royal ▁Engine ers . ▁His ▁younger ▁brother ▁was ▁Walter ▁Nap ier ▁Thom ason ▁Beck ett , ▁R N . ▁ ▁Before ▁his ▁military ▁career , ▁Beck ett ’ s ▁father ▁William ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁civil ▁engineer ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Raj . ▁Cl iff ord ▁Beck ett ▁spent ▁a ▁significant ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁child hood ▁living ▁in ▁India , ▁where ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁construct ing ▁the ▁first ▁railway ▁brid ges ▁over ▁the ▁Or issa ▁rivers ▁on ▁the ▁East ▁Coast ▁Ext ension ▁of ▁the ▁Beng al ▁– ▁Nag pur ▁Railway , ▁comple ting ▁the ▁connection ▁between ▁the ▁cities ▁of ▁Cal cut ta ▁and ▁Mad ras . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Gold ▁Medal ▁from ▁the ▁Institution ▁of ▁Civil ▁Engine ers ▁for ▁a ▁paper ▁he ▁presented ▁on ▁his