BEST, SGT. D.S. WILLIAM Reg. #9771
David Samuel William Best was born February 25, 1896 in Magnetawan, the son of David Brodie Best and Estella Margaret Piper.
David’s mother died on February 26, 1896. At the time of the 1901 census, David and his father were shown as living with his grandparents Samuel and Mary Best in Chapman Township. It is not clear where David Samuel lived at the time of the 1911 census although his father remained in Chapman Twp.
At the time of his enlistment, David identified his occupation as a clerk (like his father) and identified his next of kin as D,B, (David Brodie) Best on Harris Ave. inn Toronto., but when he enlisted, he identified his address as
David Samuel Best's attestation papers were signed in Valcartier, Quebec on September 23, 1914
The files are relatively cryptic as to when David sailed to England and was subsequently deployed to France. The records do show that he, like so many other soldiers, suffered influenza – in his case in June of 1916. Later that same month, after return to active duty he received a gunshot wound to the head along with other shrapnel injuries at Givenchy.
As a result of these injuries he was discharged as medically unfit
In applying for a War Service Gratuity, David Best identified that he had first enlisted in the CEF on August 5, 1914 and that he served with the 3rd Battalion from August 5, 1914 to September 10th, 1916 (25 months), He further identified that he had served with the 3rd on the front from February to June 1915.
In his Post Discharge papers, he is shown as having been originally in the 3rd Bn. But later in the 23rd Reserve Battalion.
He was discharged August 17, 1916.
David married Gladys Conley on December 5, 1917 in Carlton, He moved to the United States in the 120’s and on July 14, 1928 married Marion Dundas in Los Angeles, They had 2 children.
The Vimy Ridge Foundation describes the Battle of Givenchy in which David Best was injured as below:
In May and June of 1915, at Festubert and Givenchy in Northern France, Canadian troops went on the offensive for the first time in the WWI. These battles were part of the Allied effort to challenge entrenched German positions and where possible push the invaders back. Hampered by poor information, unrealistic goals, a lack of substantial artillery support and facing unbroken barbed wire and hidden machine gun nests, Canadians troops were unable to make any significant gains. 2,868 Canadians were killed or wounded in these two battles alone. The stalemate of trench warfare had now become painfully real to the Canadian soldiers and public.
In the trenches in June 1915 (Wikipedia)
David Best was standing in a trench such as this when he was struck in the head by a bullet
In describing the Battle at Givenchy, Wikipedia identifies that:
With the Canadian Division remaining in the Bethune area after the Battle of Festubert, they were asked to move a few miles south to the La Basse Canal and the village of Givenchy.
The 1st Battalion held the right flank. Unlike Festubert, where the deadly German machine guns neutralized the British attacks before they started, on this occasion heavy artillery was used to eliminate the machine nests located on the parapets. As well a mine was set by Engineers to blow at Zero hour (5:45 pm, June 15) under the German line. From a Canadian perspective, the attack went well despite the mine blowing up short with heavy casualties. The German strong point H.3 was captured and some men made it across Duck's Bill into the German trench with a Victoria Cross being captured by Lt. Frederick Campbell. However the units on the flanks were not so successfully with the 1st Battalion reversing their attack and withdrawing back to the crater, assisted by the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. By 11:00pm, the men of the 1st Battalion were back behind their parapet. They had 386 casualties, 46% of their strength.
Despite the failure, orders were issued by the 1st Canadian Brigade to renew the attack. The 3rd Battalion attacked 4:45 pm June 16 after a two hour artillery attack."The attack seemed from every angle one viewed it, as futile and hopeless. The attackers had no supporting fire. They were shot down as they climbed over the parapet. None of them got over 25 yards, except perhaps a few who were trapped in the sap and could nothing but lie low and await a chance to return".
The 3rd Battalion lost 115 men, killed and wounded, at Givenchy. Total Canadian losses for two days fighting were 802, including 306 killed.
