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On the recommendation of the senior chaplain of the Anglican denomination the Rev. Joseph Best, vicar of St. John's, Soldier's Hill, Ballarat, has been appointed chaplain, fourth class, in the A.I.F., for continuous service. The appointment is to date from 1st March, and, he has been allotted for duty with the 10th Infantry Brigade. Mr Best will report to the O.C. of the 39th Battalion, Ballarat, at an early date. The Rev. C. 0. Anderson, vicar of Kaniva, will be Mr Best's local tenens at St. John's.
Mr Anderson is a St. Aidan's man, and is a very promising preacher of the younger school of clergymen. In view of the splendid work achieved at St. John's by Mr Best, his congregation, while doubtless glad to see his services utilized in a wider sphere, will regret his departure from their midst, and will look forward with pleasure to the time when the exigencies of the situation enable him to resume his ministration among them. It is worthy of recall that Bishop Green, on the occasion of his farewell to the people of St. John's, said that the church had many ups and downs, and one of the pleasantest thoughts that he took with him was,that the church was now, thanks to Mr Best, up.—" Courier."

Grenville Standard Saturday 18 March 1916 page 4

RETIRES AFTER 50 YEARS IN CHURCH
After 24 years as Archdeacon of Ballarat, and almost 50 years in the ministry of the Church of England, Archdeacon Joseph Best has announced
his retirement. It will take effect from May when he reaches the age of 70. Archdeacon Best has been held in-high regard throughout the
large Diocese of Ballarat and was known as a fine theologian, several of his books selling widely abroad as well as in Australia. Born at Great Western, Archdeacon Best entered the ministry in 1904 and was appointed to what he termed a "red-hot." mining town south of Ballarat. He said he found the miners good to work among and they co-operated, splendidly. He spent five years as vicar in Nhill, and then two and a half years at Linton and Skipton, after which he went to St. John's Soldiers Hill, Ballarat. He remained there until the 1914-18 war when he served three
years as a padre to the 39th Battalion in France and the Australian Light Horse in Palestine. At the end of the war he has senior chaplain to the Australian Mounted Division.
MET BISHOP
It was during the war that Archdeacon Best met Bishop Johnson, who was at that time the youngest chaplain with the AI.F. Returning to Soldier's Hill in 1919, he was appointed Archdeacon of Maryborough in 1921 this covering an area from Cressick to the Murray and to the South Australian border. Later, in 1926, when this area was incorporated in the Diocese of St. Arnaud, he was appointed Archdeacon of Ballarat. In 1937 the Archdeaconry of Warrnanmbool was add to his duties. "In all the years I have known the Diocese of Ballarat I have never known it to have a better team of clergy than it was, nor have I known better leader ship than that given by Bishop Johnson," said the Archdeacon.
Archdeacon Best will be greatly missed throughout the diocese for he has won the greatest respect from laymen and clergy alike during his long association with them.

The Horsham Times Friday 13 January 1950 page 2

Recommened for Military Cross

'Magnificent work both before and during the Battle of Messines,  His energy in the care of the wounded was untiring, and he  ???? the men of his Battalion with his fine spirit.  He called for volunteers to find and bury the dead, and personally supervised this work under very heavy shell fire.  His personal courage and devotion to tduty greatly inspired the men, and rallied them during the most trying periods. '