LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION

1201, Private Walter Oliver BEST — 4th Light Dragoons

Birth & early life

Born at East Budleigh, Devonshire [c.1825-27].

(A "James Walter Best" was baptised at East Budleigh on the 9th of April 1826, the son of Henry Best of Knowle, a carpenter, and his wife, Mary.

The former died on the 2nd of August 1863 and the latter on the 10th of September 1877, aged 80 years.

He was one of eight children: John, baptised on the 2nd of May 1825 (died at Knowle on the 6th of December 1846, aged 22 years); Jane, baptised on the 19th of September 1830; Charles, baptised on the 10th of October 1833, (died at East Budleigh on the 22nd of July 1833, aged 50 years); Edwyn James (first baptised on the 20th of July 1836), and Victoria, baptised on the 15th of July 1838.

(The records show Edwyn James as being also baptised in the same day, having been born on the 10th of July 1836.)

Victoria married Henry Tyler, a wheelwright, at East Budleigh on the 16th of May 1861. She was shown as being a dressmaker, and both as "being of full age."

Eliza Emilia, baptised on the 27th of January 1839, and Mary Matilda, baptised on the 15th of November 1840, and who later married Harry Emmitt at East Budleigh on the 16th of May 1871. A "Walter Best" and Charlotte East were the witnesses.)

Enlistment

Enlisted at Exeter on the 27th of December 1843.

Age: 18.

Height: 5' 10". [WL gives 5' 9½" ]

Trade: Labourer.

Appearance: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.

Service 1

1843: Private

4Q 1854: Private

1855: Private

1860: Private

A nominal roll of men of the regiment at the Cavalry Depot, Scutari, made out on the 9th of November 1855, shows him as being In Hospital there from the 4th of November 1855.

WL: Servant to Major McMahan [ARMS]

Discharge & pension 1

Discharged from Brighton on the 24th of November 1860.

"Free, to deferred pension with right of registry for a pension of 4d. per day upon reaching the age of 50 years."

Served 16 years 334 days.

Conduct: "good".

In possession of one Good Conduct badge.

Service 2

Re-enlisted into the 5th Lancers at Aldershot on the 9th of June 1861. Regimental No. 935.

Previous service with the 4th Light Dragoons allowed to reckon — vide War Office Authority dated the 28th of August 1862.

Discharge & pension 2

Discharged from Canterbury on the 17th of March 1868.

"Free, to pension after 24 years' service."

Aged 43 years 3 months on discharge.

In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 10 months. India 3 years 3 months.

Conduct: "very good".

In possession of five Good Conduct badges.

Nine times entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Never tried by Court-martial.

To live at Budleigh Salterton, Devon, after discharge.

He was granted a pension of 1/1d. per day.

Medals

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.

He was awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 7th of December 1865.

Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with four clasps, and the Long Service & Good Conduct medal with a gratuity of £10.

A four-clasp Crimean medal, with impressed naming, was sold by Seaby's in 1974.

A four-clasp Crimean medal, said to be "named" to him, figured in a court-case in July of 1977 when two Midland medal dealers were convicted of falsifying the naming on previously unnamed Crimean medals to men, known to have ridden in the Charge, but of whose genuine Crimean medals nothing was known as to their whereabouts. Whether this particular medal was identical with that sold by Seaby's in 1974 is not known.

(The forged-naming Crimean medal was returned to the complainant, believed to be a dealer, by the police.)

Further detailed medal information archived.

Commemorations

Attended the first Balaclava Dinner in 1875.

Life after service

He married Emily Longden in 1868.

1871 Census

Devon, Tamerton Foliott, District 18

Schedule 26

Brookfield

Charles Prid___, Head, Mar, [52], Retired Bank Manager, Brickland, Tou__i__, Devon [Enumerated in Plymouth]

Harriet Richardson, Niece, Unm, [34], Ireland [Enumerated in Plymouth]

Mary Read, Serv, Unm, 33, Parlour Maid, Devon Honiton [Enumerated in Plymouth]

Susan Nelder, Serv, Unm, 15, Housemaid, Devon [Cornwood]

Emily Best, Serv, Mar, 39, Cook, Middlesex St Pancras

Walter Best, Serv, Mar, 44, Coachman, Devon East Burleigh

1881 Census

No. 1 Whimple Street. Plymouth.

The 1881 Census shows him as la Licenced Victualler, aged 54, born in Plymouth, with his wife, Emily, aged 47, born in St. Pancras, London.

One Domestic Serveant was also shown.

1881 Census

Devon, Plymouth St Andrew, District 26

Schedule 1

1 Whimple Street, Guildhall Vault

Walter Best, Head, Mar, 54, Licensed Victualler, Devon Plymouth

Emily Best, Wife, Mar, 47, Middlesex St Pancras

Catherine Blackler, Visitor, Mar, 24, Cornwall Redruth

Jane Butler, Ser, Unm, 27, General Serv, Alderney

Death & burial

Death registration

A "Walter Best" is shown in the St. Catherine's House records as dying in the Plymouth District during the January-March quarter of 1883, aged 55 years.

Death registered

Walter Best, aged 55 years, March Quarter 1883, Plymouth.

From the Western Mercury for the 25th of February and the 4th of March 1883:

Feb. 24th. — At the Old Guildhall Wine and Spirits Vaults. No 1 Whimple Street, Plymouth. Mr. Walter Best, Late 5th Lancers and One of the "Six Hundred." — aged 55 years.

Funeral of the Balaclava Hero at Plymouth:

On Wednesday at Plymouth Cemetery, with military honours and in the presence of a large number of sympathetic friends were interred the remains of Walter Best, late Army pensioner.

Born in the neighbourhood of Exmouth 55 years ago, the deceased enlisted in 1843 into the 4th Light Dragoons, being "One of the Six Hundred" in the engagement at Balaclava on the memorable October 25th, 1854.

He was the only pensioner on the pension list of the district who took part in the Charge. The deceased, to use his own words, "came through without a scratch."

He was also present at the battles of the Alma, Inkerman and the siege and fall of Sebastopol, and also served at Calcutta, Madras, Cawnpore and Lucknow, remaining in India about two-and-a-half years.

Deceased joined the 5th Lancers in 1861 and received his discharge in 1868, after 24 years' service. He was awarded five good conduct badges and the Crimean medal with the clasps for the Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.

The funeral cortege, consisting of the hearse and three mourning coaches, left the residence of the late deceased at No. 1 Whimple Street, at shortly after two o'clock, headed by a funeral party consisting of a sergeant (Sergeant Ryan) and 13 rank and file belonging to the 2nd Bn. of the Highland Light Infantry.

The pipes and band of the regiment were also present and played the "Dead March" along the route; Old Town Street — Coburg Street — to the cemetery.

The usual three volleys were fired over the grave at the conclusion of the burial service and a large number of persons also accompanied the cortege to and from the cemetery."

Bridport Telegram, 9 March 1883

(Click on image to enlarge)

In his will he left "his wearing apparel and his silver watch and chain to his brother, Charles Best, of No. 4 Pembroke Place, Nottingham, and the residue of his estate to his wife, Emily."

He was buried in Grave No. K-80/7 in the Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse Cemetery, Ford Park Road, Plymouth. No memorial stone was erected to him at the time.

In 1923 the plot was purchased as a freehold in the name of Weeks, and the stone now on the grave was said to be in the name of a Samuel Weeks who died in 1923.

From the inscription on the stone however, the first recorded is a William A. Weeks who died in 1960, although an added kerb inscription commemorates an RAF officer missing in action in April of 1945. (See photograph of this stone in the 4th Hussar file.)

There is nothing in the records to show if Walter Oliver Best was re-interred elsewhere.