Matthew Robert Best
Admiral THE HONOURABLE SIR Matthew Robert Best, K.C.B., D.S.O., C.V.O., Royal Navy (18 June, 1878 – 13 October, 1940) was an officer of the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Best was promoted to Commander on 31 December, 1911.[1]
Great War
He was appointed to Iron Duke "for special service" in August, 1914.[2]
In Best's diary entry for Monday 1st September, 1914: "C in C saw all Dreado: Captains onboard Iron Duke on subject of Action Tactics".[3]
At the Battle of Jutland, he served as one of four flag captains to Admiral Jellicoe.[4]
On 15 September he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) for his services at Jutland.[5]
Post-War
He was appointed as Captain of Nelson in 1927.[Citation needed]
On 25 November, 1927 Pound wrote to Keyes, mentioning: "Sir C.M. has been staying with Matthew Best in Nelson and I don't suppose any information obtained from the latter will be very sound".[6]
On the occasion of the King's birthday he was appointed an Ordinary Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 4 June, 1928.[7]
Best was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 13 October, 1932, vice Hall Thompson.[8]
Best died on 13 October, 1940 at Crockway, Frampton, Dorset, at the age of sixty-two. His funeral took place at Toller Fratrum, Dorset, on Wednesday 16 October.
Bibliography
- "Admiral Sir Matthew Best" (Obituaries). The Times. Tuesday, 15 October, 1940. Issue 48747, col F, pg. 7.
- Keyes, R. J. B. (1980). Halpern, Paul G. ed. The Keyes Papers. Volume II 1919-1938. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd. ISBN 0-04-942165-4.
Service Record
- The National Archives. ADM 196/44
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by The Hon. Herbert Meade |
Captain of H.M.S. Royalist 30 May, 1917[9] |
Succeeded by Arthur K. Betty |
| Preceded by A. Ernle M. Chatfield |
Captain of H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth 8 Apr, 1919[10] |
Succeeded by Geoffrey Blake |
| Preceded by Reginald A. R. Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax |
Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station 1934 |
Succeeded by Sidney J. Meyrick |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 9.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 338.
- ↑ Best Diaries. September, 1914. p. 79.
- ↑ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_battle_at_Jutland Wikipedia
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29751. p. 9071. 15 September, 1916.
- ↑ Keyes Papers. II. p. 232.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 33390. p. 3847. 4 June, 1928.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 33875. p. 6626. 21 October, 1932.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 898.
- ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1919). p. 888.
