1914-15 Star (22518 Pte. W. Best. Yorks: L.I.)

Killed-in-Action: Private William Best, 6th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry is confirmed being Killed-in-Action in France, on, 25 April 1918. At the time of his death he was serving attached 2/4th Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)

Note: 6th (Service) Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was disbanded in February 1918, with the men of 6/KOYLI transferred to other battalion of the British Expeditionary Force

Although his body was never recovered from the battlefield, the life & supreme self-sacrifice of, Private William Best, is commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on a memorial panel at the Pozieres Memorial in France

Medal verification: Private Best's entitlement to the 1914-15 Star (and the companion British War Medal & Interallied Victory Medal) is confirmed per the respective medal rolls of the K.O.Y.L.I. cited below:

- 1914-15 Star: WO 329/2761. The roll showing that the recipient entered theatre of war France on, 18 September 1915
- British War Medal. Silver issue: WO 329/1458
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 329/1458

William Best, eldest son of William Frank Best (an Insurance Agent) & Harriet Best (nee), was a native of Castleford, Yorkshire, England, where he was born in 1887. In the 1911 National Census for England & Wales, William is recorded living with his parents and 5 x younger siblings, at the family residence located at, 49 Ridgefield Street, Castleford, Yorkshire, at which time he was employed as a Miner. He enlisted in the British Army at Castleford, Yorkshire, where he was posted to his local infantry regiment, the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He was subsequently posted to the 6th (Service) Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and served overseas in France & Flanders with his unit from, 18 September 1915. His parent battalion was disbanded in France on 19 February 1918, and William was then attached to 2/4th Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), and it was with that latter battalion that he was serving when he was 'Killed-in-Action' on, 25 April 1918, during the heavy fighting of the German 'Spring Offensive'

Condition: EF

Code: 24277