Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy
MVO | |
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12th Governor General of Canada | |
In office 2 August 1921 – 5 August 1926 | |
Monarch | George V |
Prime Minister | |
Preceded by | The Duke of Devonshire |
Succeeded by | The Viscount Willingdon |
More... | |
Personal details | |
Born | Julian Hedworth George Byng 11 September 1862 Wrotham Park, Hertfordshire, England |
Died | 6 June 1935 Thorpe Hall, Essex, England | (aged 72)
Spouse | Marie Evelyn Moreton |
Profession | Officer |
Signature | |
Military career | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Army |
Years of service | 1879–1919 |
Rank | Field Marshal |
Commands held | |
Battles/wars |
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Awards |
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Known to friends as "Bungo", Byng was born to a
After his viceregal tenure, Byng returned to the UK to be appointed Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and was promoted within the peerage to become Viscount Byng of Vimy. Three years after attaining the rank of field marshal, he died at his home, Thorpe Hall on 6 June 1935.
Early life
Byng was born at the family seat of Wrotham Park, in Hertfordshire, as the seventh son and 13th and youngest child of George Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford (who, due to the size of his family, ran a relatively frugal household) and Harriet Elizabeth Cavendish, daughter of Charles Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham.[1] Until the age of 17, Byng was enrolled at Eton College, although he did not enter the sixth form. At Eton Byng first received the nickname "Bungo"—to distinguish him from his elder brothers "Byngo" and "Bango"[2]—but his time at the college was undistinguished, and he received poor reports; indicative of his attitude towards academics, he once traded his Latin grammar book and his brother Lionel's best trousers to a hawker for a pair of ferrets and a pineapple. Byng later claimed that he had been the school's worst "Scug", the colloquial term for an undistinguished boy.[3]
Early military career
Byng was from a military family, his
At a meeting of the
It was while the regiment was on the way home to Great Britain in 1884 that the Hussars were diverted to the
In June 1885, the regiment was relocated to the South Cavalry Barracks at
Staff College
In 1888, the Hussars again moved, this time to York, where Byng kept his men busy by raising successful cricket and football teams. Byng was promoted to captain on 4 January 1890,[18][19] around the time he began to consider entering the Staff College at Camberley. He thus, in order to dedicate his time to preparatory studies, which continued when the regiment moved in 1891 to Ireland, resigned his commission as adjutant and turned down an invitation from Prince Albert Victor to join him in India as an equerry. After being detached for a time in order to serve and gain more experience in the infantry and artillery,[20] Byng sat and passed his entrance exams into the Staff College and secured a nomination in September 1892.[21] A year before Byng entered the college, Albert Victor fell victim to the influenza pandemic that raged around the world, and, at the Prince's funeral on 20 January 1892, Byng commanded the pallbearers (all from the 10th Royal Hussars),[22] which was a significant display of trust shown Byng by the Prince of Wales.[23]
Once Byng was enrolled at the Staff College, he found amongst his fellow students men with whom he would be closely associated more than two decades later—
When we met of a morning out riding, if he was free, the fun began—though it wasn't always fun for me because I was bewildered, as he was never the same two days running. Talk of women being mutable—he could have given points and a beating to any one of them! On Monday he would be in his most enchanting mood; Tuesday he would treat me as a pal and a man; Wednesday he would hardly remember that I existed; Thursday he would be icily polite; Friday he would thaw a little and by Saturday be back in Monday's delightful mood! What could anybody make of such vagaries?[28]
Commanding officer
Byng was deployed in November 1899 to
In his first two years of marriage, Byng's wife suffered several
It was April 1909 when Byng was promoted to major-general and,[42] though he was placed on half pay, Byng—with added income from editing the Cavalry Journal and serving as the first north Essex District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts—purchased his first house, Newton Hall, in Dunmow, Essex. He would, however, only reside there for two years, as, exactly the same amount of time after taking command of the East Anglian Infantry Division of the Territorial Force in October 1910,[43]
First World War
In October 1912 Byng became General Officer Commanding (GOC) British Troops in Egypt,[44] where he remained until the outbreak of the First World War in the summer of 1914. Kitchener, then on leave on England and soon to become Secretary of State for War, recalled Byng back to Britain to become GOC of the newly created 3rd Cavalry Division.[45] This Byng did, and soon departed for the Western Front, landing at Ostend on 8 October, to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Both he and his division soon saw action at the First Battle of Ypres towards the end of the month, which lasted over four weeks. His actions there were rewarded in March 1915 with appointment as a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.[46]
After three months serving as GOC of the Cavalry Corps, beginning in May 1915, at which time he was also made a temporary lieutenant-general,[47] Byng was off to Gallipoli to head the IX Corps and supervise the successful British, Australian, and New Zealand forces withdrawal from the ill-fated campaign at Gallipoli.[48] For this, he was on 1 January 1916 elevated within the Order of the Bath to the rank of Knight Commander,[49] but was not allowed much rest, as he spent the next month commanding the Suez Canal defences before returning to the Western Front to lead the XVII Corps. By June, he was in command of the Canadian Corps–"which was generally regarded, not least by those in it, as one of the crack formations on the Western Front"–and was promoted when, for distinguished service, the King made substantive Byng's rank of lieutenant-general.[48][45]
A good soldier, he swiftly became popular with the Canadian troops, who sometimes referred to themselves as 'The Byng Boys' after a popular music-hall act of the day.[50]
Byng's greatest glory then came when he led the Canadian victory in April 1917 at the battle of Vimy Ridge, a historic military milestone for the Dominion that inspired nationalism at home.[27][51][52][53][54]
In June 1917, and by now holding the temporary rank of general,[55] Byng was rewarded for his success at Vimy Ridge[56] and succeeded General Sir Edmund Allenby in command of Britain's largest field army, the Third Army, which he was to lead until the cessation of hostilities some nineteen months later and. He led the Third Army in the First Battle of Cambrai in November, conducting the first surprise attack using tanks.[27] The battle–described by historian Robin Neillands as "the great 'might-have-been' of the Great War"[57]–was later considered a turning point in the war and Byng was honoured on 24 November 1917 by having his temporary rank of general made substantive;[58] however according to the war memoirs of Arthur S. Bullock, the battle failed to breach the Hindenburg Line, due to a lack of reserves, and it was at General Byng's second attempt to take Cambrai in 1918 that the British triumphed, owing to sufficient troops and supplies being in place "to sustain the attack day and night until the Germans were broken".[59]
The Germans launched their spring offensive on 21 March 1918, which continued over the following weeks and managed to inflict heavy losses on Byng's men, although it was able to retreat without breaking his line.[60] By the summer of 1918 the tide of the war began to turn in favour of the Allies. Byng's Third Army launched an attack on the Germans on 21 August, where, on 27 September, it managed to break through the Hindenburg Line before continuing on to Maubeuge, which was reached on 10 November, the day before the Armistice with Germany.[60]
Post-war
As a result of the success at Cambrai, Byng was made Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the
Governor General of Canada
After Byng was made in July 1921 a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, it was announced on 2 August that King
The Governor General travelled the length and breadth of the country, meeting with Canadians wherever he went. He also immersed himself in Canada's culture and came to particularly love
King–Byng Affair
While it had been acceptable prior to the turn of the 20th century for Canadian governors general to involve themselves in political affairs, being, as they were, representatives of the
Post-viceregal life
Byng returned to England on 30 September 1926, and in January 1928 was created Viscount Byng of Vimy, of Thorpe-le-Soken in the County of Essex.[71] Later that year, he was appointed as the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and,[72] before his retirement in 1931, introduced a number of changes to the force, including a system of promotion based on merit rather than length of service, improvement in discipline, retirement of inefficient senior officers, an irregularity to policemen's beats (which had previously allowed criminals to work out the system), police boxes, the extensive use of police cars, and a central radio control room. In July 1932, Byng was once more promoted in the British military to the rank of field marshal[73]—the highest rank an officer can attain—before he died suddenly of an abdominal blockage at Thorpe Hall on 6 June 1935.[27]
Lord Byng of Vimy was buried at the 11th Century Parish Church of St. Leonard in Beaumont-cum-Moze.[74]
Honours
Viceregal styles of The Viscount Byng of Vimy (1921–1926) | ||
---|---|---|
Reference style | His Excellency The Right Honourable Son Excellence le très honourable | |
Spoken style | Your Excellency Votre Excellence |
Appointments
- 2 May 1902 – 6 June 1935: Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)[35]
- 29 June 1906 – 1 January 1916: Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB)[75]
- March 1915 – July 1921: Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (KCMG)[46]
- July 1921 – 6 June 1935: Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG)[66]
- 2 August 1921 – 5 August 1926: Chief Scout for Canada[76]
Medals
- 1884: Egypt Medal with "El-Teb-Tamaai" clasp[77]
- 1897: Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Medal[77]
- 1899: Queen's South Africa Medal with "Cape Colony", "Tugela Heights", "Orange Free State", "Relief of Ladysmith", "Laing's Nek", and "Belfast" clasps[77]
- 1901: King's South Africa Medal with "South Africa 1901" and "South Africa 1902" clasps[77]
- 1911: King George V Coronation Medal[77]
- 1918: 1914 Star with clasp[77]
- 1919: British War Medal[77]
- 1919: Victory Medal[77]
Awards
- 6 February 1900: Mentioned in Despatches[78]
- 23 June 1902: Mentioned in Despatches[79]
- 11 December 1915: Mentioned in Despatches[80]
- 11 December 1915: Mentioned in Despatches[81]
- 22 December 1915: Mentioned in Despatches[82]
- 20 February 1918: Mentioned in Despatches[83]
- 20 July 1918: Mentioned in Despatches[84]
- 21 December 1918: Mentioned in Despatches[85]
Foreign honours
- 1884: Khedive's Star[77]
- Order of St Vladimir, 4th Class (with Swords)[86]
- 8 March 1918: Croix de guerre[87]
- 29 January 1919 – 6 June 1935: Grand officier de Légion d'honneur[88]
- 11 March 1919: Croix de guerre[89]
- 12 July 1919: Distinguished Service Medal[90]
- 24 October 1919 – 6 June 1935: Grand Cross With Swords of the Order of the White Eagle[91][92]
Arms
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Honorary military appointments
- the Governor General's Horse Guards
- 2 August 1921 – 5 August 1926: Colonel of the Governor General's Foot Guards
- the Canadian Grenadier Guards
Honorary degrees
Honorific eponyms
Geographic locations
- Alberta: Mount Byng[95]
- Camp Byng, Roberts Creek[96]
- Manitoba: Byng Place, Winnipeg[97]
- Oklahoma: Byng[98]
- Ontario: Byng Avenue, Toronto[99]
- Saskatchewan: Byng Avenue, Saskatoon[100]
Schools
- British Columbia: Lord Byng Secondary School, Vancouver[102]
- Quebec: Baron Byng High School, Montreal[104]
See also
- List of World War I battles
Notes
References
- ^ Williams 1983, pp. 2–3
- ^ Williams 1983, p. 5
- ^ a b c Williams 1983, p. 6
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- ^ Williams 1983, p. 7
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- ^ a b Williams 1983, p. 14
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- ^ Williams 1983, p. 21
- ^ Williams 1983, p. 23
- ^ Williams 1983, p. 22
- ^ Williams 1983, p. 24
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- ^ Williams 1983, pp. 24–25
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- ^ Neillands 1999, p. 327.
- ^ "First World War.com - Feature Articles - Julian Hedworth George Byng". www.firstworldwar.com. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ "Pride at Vimy Ridge". cbc.ca.
- ^ "Birth of Julian Byng | Historica Canada". www.historicacanada.ca. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
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- ^ Neillands 1999, p. 361.
- ^ Neillands 1999, p. 438.
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- ^ a b c Heathcote 1999, p. 67.
- ^ a b "No. 31092". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1918. p. 1.
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- ^ "Lady Byng Memorial Trophy history". Legendsofhockey.net. Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 20 August 2007.
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- ^ "No. 31111". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 January 1919. p. 333.
- ^ "No. 29945". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 February 1917. p. 1599.
- ^ "No. 30568". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 March 1918. p. 3095.
- ^ "No. 31150". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 January 1919. p. 1445.
- ^ "No. 31222". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 March 1919. p. 3279.
- ^ "No. 31451". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 July 1919. p. 8937.
- ^ "No. 31615". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 October 1919. p. 13005.
- ^ Acović, Dragomir (2012). Slava i čast: Odlikovanja među Srbima, Srbi među odlikovanjima. Belgrade: Službeni Glasnik. p. 591.
- ^ "Honorary Degree Recipients 1850 – 2016" (PDF). University of Toronto. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
- ^ "University of Alberta Senate: Past honorary Degree Recipients". University of Alberta. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
- ^ Place-names of Alberta. Ottawa: Geographic Board of Canada. 1928. p. 27.
- ^ "Camp Byng". Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ "Byng Place closed for reconstruction on Tuesday". Metro. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ "Pontotoc County, Oklahoma Town History". Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ^ "Byng Avenue, Toronto". Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ "Byng Avenue, Saskatoon". Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ "Welcome to Lord Byng Elementary School". Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ "Lord Byng Secondary School". Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ "General Byng School". Archived from the original on 19 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
- ^ "Baron Byng High School". Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
Sources
- Beckett, Ian F. W.; Corvi, Steven J. (2006). Haig's Generals. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-84415-169-1.
- Heathcote, Tony (1999). The British Field Marshals, 1736–1997: A Biographical Dictionary. Barnsley: Leo Cooper. ISBN 0-85052-696-5.
- Hesilrige, Arthur G. M. (1921). Debrett's Peerage and Titles of courtesy. London: London: Dean & son, limited. p. 159.
- Turner, Alexander (2005). Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1841768717.
- ISBN 978-0850523003.
- ISBN 1841190632.