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Updated: June 26, 2025
"Well, when he grows up he will always have the gratification of knowing that his father was a colonel in the Great War!" mused Captain Andrews in a tone which suggested that he had a presentiment that Colonel Best-Dunkley would not survive the coming push.
On August 6 Major Brighten issued the following pathetic Special Order to the 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers at Le Poirier: "I regret to inform all ranks of the Battalion that our late Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Colonel B. Best-Dunkley, died at a C.C.S. yesterday from wounds received in the attack on 31st July an attack to the magnificent achievement of which he contributed so largely in the long preparation and training and in the actual carrying out.
Throughout the whole summer of 1917 his whole heart and soul were absorbed in preparation for the coming push; never did a man give his mind more completely, unstintingly, and whole-heartedly to a project than Best-Dunkley did to the Ypres offensive which was to have carried us to the Gravenstafel Ridge, then on to the Paschendaele Ridge, into Roulers and across the plains of Belgium.
Jean. A good many transport men and horses, and men of other units, were killed and wounded near. It was what might be called a rough night in the Ypres Salient! "A message came to us at 5 a.m. that I must proceed to Bilge Trench to be temporarily attached to D Company in Wood's place. Colonel Best-Dunkley calls it the front line, and considers it such in his dispositions.
Captain Andrews is really a very smart man; he could have been a staff officer once, but Colonel Best-Dunkley would not let him go in for it. He did not want to lose him. Colonel Hindle stands in a similar position to General Stockwell. Things were moderately peaceful at dinner-time, and for an hour or two after.
After the service the padre had a communion service in a corner of the field for those who wished to stay. About twenty men stayed, and the following officers Colonel Best-Dunkley, Allen, Gratton, Giffin and myself. The padre had a miniature oak altar, containing a crucifix, with two lighted candles, on a table.
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure than that you should come back and command your Battalion, and I greatly hope you will. I am afraid you have painful wounds, but I trust they will not keep you long laid by. "The best of luck to you. "Yours, "H. S. JEUDWINE." "General Jeudwine's hopes were not to be realized. After a few days' agony Best-Dunkley passed away.
They inquired whether we were going to the Club; and when we replied that we were, they exclaimed: 'Don't; the C.O.'s there! "'Who? The C.O. Colonel Best-Dunkley? we asked. "'Yes, was the reply. So we jolly well did not go; we went to a restaurant instead! Apparently Colonel Best-Dunkley had now returned. Everybody was very fed up at his return. "At 2 we turned up at the station.
"'Fourteen days Field Punishment No. 1, snapped the Colonel. Exit prisoner. "After orders, Colonel Best-Dunkley asked me: 'What is your strong point? I replied that I was sorry to have to say so, but I had none; I was not a specialist on anything. He did not even then become annoyed, but went on asking me one or two other questions. How long had I been gazetted?
"We shall remain out of the line for some time yet so cheer up!" I now come to one of the most remarkable, and in some respects certainly the most comical, of all the episodes in which Colonel Best-Dunkley figured the memorable march from Millain to Westbecourt.
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