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.

Great War

He was appointed to Iron Duke "for special service" in August, 1914.

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".

At the Battle of Jutland, he served as one of four flag captains to Admiral Jellicoe.

On 15 September he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) for his services at Jutland.

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".

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.

Best was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 13 October, 1932, vice Hall Thompson.

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 – 7 Apr, 1918	Succeeded by Arthur K. Betty
Preceded by A. Ernle M. Chatfield	Captain of H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth 8 Apr, 1919 – 28 Jun, 1921	Succeeded by Geoffrey Blake
Preceded by Arthur J. Davies	Captain of H.M.S. Excellent 15 Aug, 1924 – 14 Aug, 1926	Succeeded by Guy C. C. Royle
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Nelson 5 Jan, 1927 – 15 Aug, 1927	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by William A. H. Kelly	Rear-Admiral Commanding, Second Cruiser Squadron 16 May, 1929 – 27 Apr, 1931	Succeeded by Edward A. Astley-Rushton
Preceded by Brian H. F. Barttelot as S.N.O. in Charge of all Naval Establishments at Malta	Admiral Superintendent, Malta Dockyard 12 Jun, 1931 – 22 Jan, 1934	Succeeded by Sir Wilfred F. French
Preceded by Reginald A. R. Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax as Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station	Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station 11 Oct, 1934 – c. 26 May, 1937	Succeeded by Matthew R. Best as Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station
Preceded by The Hon. Matthew R. Best as Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station	Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station 11 Oct, 1934 – 26 May, 1937	Succeeded by Sidney J. Meyrick

 

Footnotes

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