Allegiance United Kingdom Years of service 1892–1939 Role Royal Navy officer | Service/branch Royal Navy Name Matthew Best Rank Admiral | |
Born 18 June 1878
Frampton, Dorset ( 1878-06-18 ) 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 Died October 13, 1940, Frampton, United Kingdom Battles and wars Battle of Jutland, World War I | ||
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.
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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 (nee Marsh).
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 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. He was appointed Admiral Superintendent of Malta Dockyard in 1931 and Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station in 1937.
He died in 1940 at Frampton in Dorset.