Naval gazing: The Death of Admiral Byng
The execution of Admiral John Byng on 14 March 1757 is just one of many military miscarriages of justice, but even in its day, it was seen as a cynical act, scapegoating an honourable man for failing to win a battle.
The French author and playwright, Voltaire, wrote about it in his play Candide and his summary of the execution, “…pour encourager les autres” or “…to encourage the others” is in common usage today.
“There is no doubt of it; but in this country it is found good, from time to time, to kill one Admiral to encourage the others.” — Candide by Voltaire
In Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey and Maturin Novels, Jack Aubrey refers to “Poor Admiral Byng” indicating how the Royal Navy viewed his execution, more than half a century later. In 2007, 250 years after his execution, his family petitioned the Ministry of Defence for a pardon and that petition was denied.
The invasion of Minorca
In 1707 the (Spanish) island of Minorca became a British possession [we used to be particularly good at hoovering up bit of the globe that appealed to us] but in 1756 during the Seven Years War, one in a long-running series of wars between England and France, the French invaded the island and effectively put the British Fortress, Fort St. Phillip, under siege.
Admiral Byng was tasked with taking a fleet to Minorca to break the siege and re-take the island.
From the outset, Admiral Byng was “set up to fail”. He was given insufficient ships for the task, and those ships were in a poor state of readiness and training. After many delays, he sailed from Portsmouth 800 men short and had to employ a regiment of soldiers to make up the shortfall.
The Battle of Minorca
The Battle for Minorca was an unimpressive affair, in a Royal Navy that considered itself invincible. Admiral Byng was able to secure the “weather-gauge” which meant that he could force the French to battle, but poor training and misunderstood orders meant that the British line was broken and several ships failed to engage the enemy.
The battle was inconclusive. No ships were taken or sunk, and for a small fleet action between line of battleships the losses were small, 43 British killed and 38 French killed. In the confusion, the French were able to disengage.
An impartial observer would probably state that, “Admiral Byng had a bad day”. He didn’t do anything wrong, there was some confusion and bad luck which resulted in a fleeting naval engagement.
The result of the battle was that the besieged Fort St. Phillip was not relieved, and after Admiral Byng returned to Gibraltar for stores and reinforcements, the garrison surrendered ceding the island to the French.
The trial
Before Admiral Byng could return to Minorca he was recalled to England, and charged under Article 12 of the Articles of War for withdrawing or keeping back from the fight.
During his trial he was found not guilty of cowardice, negligence or disaffection, but was found guilty of “failing to do his utmost” and there was only one sentence possible. Death.
The Articles of War
The Articles of War, effectively the Royal Navy’s rule book, dictated the crimes and punishments on a Man O’War and set the scene for the often brutal disciplinary regime in the Navy.
Admiral John Byng was convicted of breaching Article 12:
XII. Withdrawing or keeping back from fight, &c. Every person in the fleet, who through cowardice, negligence, or disaffection, shall in time of action withdraw or keep back, or not come into the fight or engagement, or shall not do his utmost to take or destroy every ship which it shall be his duty to engage, and to assist and relieve all and every of His Majesty’s ships, or those of his allies, which it shall be his duty to assist and relieve, every such person so offending, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of a court-martial, shall suffer death.
Other articles of war, such as Article 11: Obedience to orders in battle, has a similar punishment of death, but is ameliorated by the phrase:
…shall suffer death, or such other punishment, as from the nature and degree of the offence a court martial shall deem him to deserve.
However, in 1757 Article 12: Withdrawing or keeping back from fight, & c. did not have that caveat. The only possible sentence when found guilty was death. This caveat was added in later versions of the articles.
Request for clemency
After the trial, public opinion, and that of the Royal Navy, was very much in favour of pardoning Admiral Byng. Many people believed he was a scapegoat for an Admiralty that had failed in its duty to maintain the Royal Navy and to protect the country’s assets in the Mediterranean.
The House of Commons recommended a pardon, with William Pitt (The Elder) telling King George II that, “…the House of Commons, Sir, is inclined to mercy”.
However, the King refused.
The Execution of Admiral John Byng
On 14 March 1757, Admiral John Byng was executed on his own quarter-deck by a firing squad of six Marines while the whole fleet looked on. He was a brave man. He refused a blindfold but eventually agreed to wear one to prevent the Marines from having to see his face as they shot him.
Burial
Admiral Byng was buried in All Saint’s Church, Southill, Bedfordshire, his family home.
His headstone reads:
To the perpetual Disgrace of PUBLICK JUSTICEThe Honble. JOHN BYNG Esqr Admiral of the Blue Fell a MARTYR to POLITICAL PERSECUTION March 14th in the year 1757 when BRAVERY and LOYALTY were Insufficient Securities For the Life and Honour of a NAVAL OFFICER
Admiral Byng’s Legacy
There have been many military injustices, but over 250 years later, the court-martial and execution of Admiral Byng remains a travesty.
However, in Voltaire’s words, it may well have resulted in “encouraging the others”. It isn’t a stretch to associate the aggression and dominance of the Royal Navy in Napoleonic times to the collective memory of the death of Admiral Byng. Every Admiral, Captain, Officer and Sailor knew the penalty for “failing to do their utmost”. Is the outcome of the Battle of Trafalgar and numerous other engagements actually his legacy? I’d like to think so.
In 2027 it will be the 270th anniversary of his death. I hope his family open a petition for a pardon. If they do I will gladly sign it, and I hope you will too.
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