William James BEST MM

William James BEST MM Update Details

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BEST, William James

Service Number:	958
Enlisted:	2 February 1916, Narrabri, New South Wales
Last Rank:	Sergeant
Last Unit:	33rd Infantry Battalion
Born:	Tambar Springs, New South Wales, Australia, 22 October 1894
Home Town:	Tambar Springs, Gunnedah, New South Wales
Schooling:	Tambar Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation:	Farmer
Died:	Killed in Action, Proyart, France, 10 August 1918, aged 23 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Tambar Springs War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)

World War 1 Service

2 Feb 1916:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 958, 33rd Infantry Battalion, Narrabri, New South Wales
4 May 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 958, 33rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Marathon embarkation_ship_number: A74 public_note: ''
4 May 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 958, 33rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Marathon, Sydney
19 Jun 1917:	Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 33rd Infantry Battalion
16 Oct 1917:	Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 33rd Infantry Battalion
16 Nov 1917:	Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 33rd Infantry Battalion
10 Aug 1918:	Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 958, 33rd Infantry Battalion, "The Last Hundred Days", --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 958 awm_unit: 33rd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-08-10
24 Jan 1919:	Honoured Military Medal, "The Last Hundred Days", For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations against enemy positions south of the Somme East, of Hamel on the 8 August 1918. Showing great skill and dash in leading his men through Accroche Wood in deep fog. On two occasions he rushed enemy positions killing two men and capturing twelve. He then, with another man, captured the garrison of six at a post in Rat Wood.

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Biography

"...958 Private William James Best, C Company, 33rd Battalion, of Tambar Springs, NSW. A farmer prior to enlistment, he embarked aboard HMAT Marathon (A74) on 4 May 1916. Pte Best served on the Western Front; he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant (Sgt) in December 1917. He was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations against enemy positions south of the Somme East, of Hamel on the 8 August 1918. Sgt Best was killed in action in Proyart, near Peronne, France on 10 August 1918. He was 24 years of age." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

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