Matthew Best (Royal Navy officer)

The Hon Sir Matthew Best
Born (1878-06-18)18 June 1878
Frampton, Dorset
Died 13 October 1940(1940-10-13) (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

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).

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 [1] 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.[1] 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.[1]

He died in 1940 at Frampton in Dorset.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
  2. "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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