Matthew Best (Royal Navy officer)

The Hon Sir Matthew Best
The Hon Sir Matthew Best
Born	18 June 1878; Frampton, Dorset
Died	13 October 1940 (aged 62); Crockway, Frampton, Dorset
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1892–1939
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	HMS Queen Elizabeth; HMS Excellent; HMS Nelson; 2nd Cruiser Squadron; America and West Indies Station
Battles/wars	First World War Battle of Jutland;
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath; Distinguished Service Order & Bar; Member of the Royal Victorian Order; Mentioned in Despatches

Admiral The Honourable Sir Matthew Robert Best KCB, DSO & Bar, MVO (18 June 1878 – 13 October 1940) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station.

Early life

Best was born in Frampton, Dorset, on 18 June 1878, the fifth child and third son of George Best (later the 5th Baron Wynford) and his wife Edith Anne (née Marsh).[1]

Naval career

Best joined the Royal Navy in 1892. He served in the First World War and fought at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 as Staff Officer to the Commander-in-chief of the Grand Fleet [2] where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). He was appointed Commanding Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth in 1919 and Commanding Officer HMS Nelson and Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet in 1927, before becoming Commander of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron in the Atlantic Fleet in 1929.[2] He was appointed Admiral Superintendent of Malta Dockyard in 1931 and Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard Bermuda (with his shore residence at Admiralty House Bermuda), in 1934.[2] He was promoted vice-admiral on 13 November 1932[3] and admiral on 19 June 1936.[4]

He died with the rank of admiral in 1940 at Frampton in Dorset.[5]

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References

"Lieutenant-Colonel George Best, 5th Baron Wynford". The Peerage. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
"No. 33875". The London Gazette. 21 October 1932. p. 6626.
"No. 34297". The London Gazette. 23 June 1936. p. 4016.
"Admiral Sir Matthew Best" (Obituaries). The Times. Tuesday, 15 October 1940. Issue 48747, col F, pg. 7.

Military offices
Preceded by Francis Mitchell	Admiral Superintendent, Malta Dockyard 1931–1934	Succeeded by Sir Wilfred French
Preceded by Sir Reginald Plunkett	Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station 1934–1937	Succeeded by Sir Sidney Meyrick

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[1] "Lieutenant-Colonel George Best, 5th Baron Wynford". The Peerage. Retrieved 18 January 2019.

[lh-2] Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives

[3] "No. 33875". The London Gazette. 21 October 1932. p. 6626.

[4] "No. 34297". The London Gazette. 23 June 1936. p. 4016.

[5] "Admiral Sir Matthew Best" (Obituaries). The Times. Tuesday, 15 October 1940. Issue 48747, col F, pg. 7.