Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy
Encyclopedia
Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy (11 September 1862 6 June 1935) was a British Army
officer who served as Governor General of Canada
, the 12th since Canadian Confederation
.
Known to friends as "Bungo", he was born to a noble
family in Hertsmere
, England
, and educated at Eton College
, along with his brothers. Upon graduation, Byng received a commission as a militia officer and thereafter saw service in Egypt
and Sudan
before he enrolled in the Staff College at Camberley
. There, he befriended individuals who would be his contemporaries when he attained senior rank in France. Following distinguished service during World War I
specifically, with the British Expeditionary Force in France
, in the Battle of Gallipoli, as commander of the Canadian Corps
at Vimy Ridge, and as commander of the British Third Army Byng was in 1919 himself elevated to the peerage. He was in 1921 appointed as governor general by King George V
, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
David Lloyd George
, to replace the Duke of Devonshire
as viceroy
, and occupied that post until succeeded by the Viscount Willingdon
in 1926. Byng proved to be a popular with Canadians, due to his war leadership, though his stepping directly into political affairs
became the catalyst for widespread changes to the role of the Crown in all of the British Dominions
.
After the end of his viceregal tenure, Byng returned to the United Kingdom and there served as the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
and was promoted within the peerage to become Viscount Byng of Vimy. Three years after being appointed as a field-marshal, Byng died at his home on 6 June.
, as the seventh son and 13th and youngest child of the Earl of Strafford
, who, due to the size of his family, ran a relatively frugal household. Until the age of 12, Byng was enrolled at Eton College
, though he did not enter the sixth form
. While it was at Eton that Byng first received the nickname "Bungo" to distinguish him from his elder brothers "Byngo" and "Bango" 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 ferret
s and a pineapple
. Byng later claimed that he had been the school's worst "Scug", the colloquial term for an undistinguished boy.
, Byng's father did not think he could afford a regular army commission for his youngest son. Thus, at the age of 17, Byng was instead sent into the militia and on 12 December 1879 commissioned as a second lieutenant
in the King's Royal Rifle Corps
, and was promoted to lieutenant
three years later. During this period, Byng also developed a liking for theatre and music hall
s, and by the age of 20 had taken an interest in the banjo
.
At a meeting of the Jockey Club
in 1882, Byng's father was asked about his sons by his long-time friend, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales
. Upon hearing that Byng had not yet found a permanent career, the Prince offered a place for him in the Prince's own regiment, the 10th Royal Hussars. This was, however, the most expensive regiment in the army, the Earl of Strafford could only afford to give Byng 200 of the necessary 600 pounds
he would need each year, and yet, the Prince's offer could not be refused. Byng himself was delighted at the opportunity, as both his uncle, the Lord Chesham
, and his cousin, Charles Cavendish
, had served in the regiment. By raising finances through buying polo ponies
cheaply, using his excellent horsemanship to train them, and then selling them for a profit, Byng was able to transfer to the 10th Royal Hussars on 27 January 1883, and less than three months later joined the regiment in Lucknow
, India
.
It was while the regiment was en route home to the United Kingdom in 1884 that the Hussars were diverted to Sudan
to join the Suakin Expedition
and Byng, along with the rest of his regiment, on 29 February rode in the first line of the charge at the Battle of El Teb. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of both the squadron's other officers, was unsuccessful, and fighting continued, with Byng's horse being killed under him on 13 March at the Battle of Tamai
. Most of the rebels were then dispersed shortly after and, on 29 March, the regiment re-embarked for Britain, arriving on 22 April, and proceeding to their new base at Shorncliffe Barracks
in Kent
. During the summer of 1884, Byng spent much of his time playing polo
and training recruits and horses, and in July, for his services in Sudan, was mentioned in despatches.
In June 1885, the regiment was relocated to the South Cavalry Barracks at Aldershot
, where the Prince of Wales' eldest son, Prince Albert Victor, joined the regiment and thereafter the Prince of Wales and his other son, Prince George
, became frequent visitors. Byng struck up a friendship with both Albert Victor and George, but did not socialise with them much outside of army circles. Byng was appointed as the regimental adjutant
on 20 October 1886, only nine days before the death of his father, who left Byng a watch and £3,500. The regiment then moved again in 1887 to the barracks at Hounslow
, where, after suspecting that contractors were selling him inferior meat, Byng spent several early mornings at the Smithfield market to learn the meat trade, eventually proving his case and having the contractors changed. It was also at this time that Byng became acquainted with the Lord Rowton
, who, along with the Guinness Trust
, was trying to improve housing for skilled workers in London
. Byng accompanied Rowton around the poorest areas of the city and suggested that retired senior soldiers from the rank-and-file be hired to maintain order in the Rowton Houses
that Rowton had set up, thus starting a long-lived tradition.
, where Byng kept his men busy by raising successful cricket
and football teams. Byng was promoted to captain at the beginning of the next year, 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, Byng sat and passed his entrance exams into the Staff College and secured a nomination in September 1892. A year before Byng entered the college, however, 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 pallbearer
s (all from the 10th Royal Hussars), which was a significant display of trust shown Byng by the Prince of Wales.
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 Henry Rawlinson
, Henry Hughes Wilson, Thomas D'Oyly Snow
, and James Aylmer Lowthorpe Haldane
and in 1894, while en route to visit a friend at Aldershot, travelled with a cadet at the nearby Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
, Winston Churchill
. Byng also journeyed with his class to see the battlefields of the Franco-Prussian War
at Alsace-Lorraine
and accompanied to the United States
one of his lecturers who was compiling information on a book on Stonewall Jackson
. By December 1894, Byng graduated from the Staff College and was immediately appointed to command the A Squadron
of the hussars. Only three years later, though, the regiment returned to Aldershot and Byng left to become adjutant of the 1st Cavalry Brigade, shortly before becoming the Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General
(DAAG) of the Aldershot Command and was promoted to the rank of major. Later that same year, Byng met at a local party Marie Evelyn Moreton, the only daughter of Sir Richard Charles Moreton, who had himself served as comproller at the Canadian royal and viceroyal residence of Rideau Hall
, under the then Governor General of Canada
the Marquess of Lorne
. Evelyn, as she was known, later described her early encounters with Byng:
Byng was deployed in November 1899 to South Africa
, where he was to act as a provost marshal
, but was instead immediately given the local rank of lieutenant colonel and tasked with raising and commanding the South African Light Horse during the Second Boer War
. Byng thereafter served on the front lines, during which time he ended up in command of a group of columns, was mentioned in despatches five times, and in November 1900 was promoted to brevet
lieutenant colonel and in February 1902 to brevet colonel
. The beginning of 1902 brought more significant events for Byng, with his return to England in March, his marriage to Evelyn the following month, and in May his appointed to the Royal Victorian Order
as a member 4th class. However, by the mid-point of the year, Byng was sent back to India to command the 10th Royal Hussars at Mhow and was appointed to the rank of a substantive lieutenant colonel in October.
In his first two years of marriage, Byng's wife suffered several miscarriage
s, resulting in the declaration that she would be unable to bear children. By January 1904, Byng had also, while playing polo, broken his right elbow so severely that it was feared he would have to quit the army. After four months' treatment in England, though, he was pronounced to be again fit for duty and in May became the first commandant of the new cavalry
school at Netheravon
. The posting was to be only a brief one, as, in May 1905, Byng was made commander of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade at Canterbury
, with the simultaneous temporary rank of brigadier general
and substantive rank of colonel. After appointment as a Companion of the Order of the Bath
in 1906, he was again back in Aldershot, in command of the 1st Cavalry Brigade.
It was April 1909 when Byng was promoted to major-general
and, 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, Byng became commander of the British troops stationed in Egypt
, where he remained until the outbreak of the First World War
. He then returned briefly to the UK to take leadership of the 3rd Cavalry Division before going with the British Expeditionary Force to France
and the First Battle of Ypres
. His actions there were rewarded in March 1915 with appointment to the Order of St. Michael and St. George
as a Knight Commander, the second highest level in the order, and which entitled Byng to the honorific prefix of Sir.
After three months serving as commander of the Cavalry Corps, beginning in May 1915, at which time he was also made a temporary lieutenant-general, Byng was off to Gallipoli
to head the IX Corps and supervise the successful British withdrawal from the ill-fated campaign. For this, he was on 1 January 1916 elevated within the Order of the Bath
to the rank of Knight Commander, 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
and was promoted when, for distinguished service, the King made substantive Byng's rank of lieutenant-general. Byng's greatest glory then came when he, along with his subordinate officer, the Canadian
Major-General Arthur Currie
, led the Canadian victory in April 1917 at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
, an historic military milestone for the Dominion
that inspired nationalism at home.
In June 1917, and holding the temporary rank of general
, Byng took command of Britain's largest army, the Third Army, until the cessation of hostilities and, with those troops, conducted at the Battle of Cambrai the first surprise attack using tank
s. This was later considered a key turning point in the war and Byng was honoured on 24 November 1917 by having his temporary rank of general made substantive, as well as being made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1919 New Year's honours. In the United States, Byng's exploits during World War I were commemorated near the town of Ada, Oklahoma
, when a post office and power plant were in 1917 named after him, leading to the later emergence of the town of Byng
. Further, Byng was in his own right raised on 7 October 1919 to the peerage
as Baron Byng of Vimy, of Thorpe-le-Soken in the County of Essex. The next month, though he was offered the Southern Command
, Byng retired from the military and moved to Thorpe Hall
, which his wife had in 1913 purchased while Byng was in Egypt.
had, by commission under the royal sign-manual
and signet, approved the recommendation of his British prime minister
, David Lloyd George
, to appoint Byng as his representative in Canada. The designation of Byng proved less controversial than that of his predecessor, the Duke of Devonshire
, due partly to the General's popularity, but also because the practice of prior consultation with the Canadian prime minister
had been revived. Byng had not been Meighan's first choice for presentation to the King, since he preferred someone with more civilian credentials. Nevertheless, Byng was eventually chosen because he was both willing and available.
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 hockey
, rarely missing a game played by the Ottawa Senators
. He was also fond of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
, held each year in Toronto
, and established the Governor General's Cup to be presented at the competition. Byng was also the first Governor General of Canada to appoint Canadians as his aides-de-camp
(one of whom was future Governor General Georges Vanier
) and approached his viceregal role with enthusiasm, gaining him popularity with Canadians on top of that received from the men he had commanded on the battlefields of Europe
.
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 King in his British Council, Byng's tenure as viceroy of Canada was notable in that he became the first to step directly into political matters since the country had gained a degree of autonomy from the United Kingdom following the First World War, denying, as he did, the recommendations of his prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King
, who sought to have parliament dissolved in order to avoid a vote of non-confidence
in his government. The Governor General's course of action in what came to be colloquially known as the King-Byng Affair
remains debated, though the consensus amongst constitutional historians is that Byng's moves were appropriate in the circumstances that came to be in the summer of 1926. Mackenzie King, however, made much of the scenario and its outcome in the election that eventually followed on 14 September
, in which Mackenzie King's Liberal Party
gained a majority of seats, seeing King once again appointed as prime minister. At the 1926 Imperial Conference
, King then went on to use Byng and his refusal to follow his prime minister's advice as the impetus for widespread constitutional change throughout the British Commonwealth
. Byng himself said of the matter: "I have to await the verdict of history to prove my having adopted a wrong course, and this I do with an easy conscience that, right or wrong, I have acted in the interests of Canada and implicated no one else in my decision." Some 80 years later, one of Byng's viceregal successors, Michaëlle Jean
, found herself in a similar situation when her prime minister
advised her to prorogue parliament in order to avoid a non-confidence motion.
in the County of Essex. Later that year, he was appointed as the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
and, 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 box
es, the extensive use of police car
s, and a central radio control room. In July 1932, Byng was once more promoted in the British military to the rank of field marshal the highest rank an officer can attain before he died suddenly of an abdominal blockage at Thorpe Hall on 6 June 1935. The barony and viscountcy died with him.
Byng's style and title as governor general of Canada was, in full, and in English
: His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Julian Hedworth George Byng, Baron Byng of Vimy, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Member of the Royal Victorian Order, grand officier de Légion d'honneur, Member First Class With Swords of the Order of the White Eagle, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the Militia and Naval and Air Forces of Canada, General of the Militia of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and in French
: Son Excellence le très honorable Sir Julian Hedworth George Byng, Baron Byng de Vimy, chevalier grand-croix de le très honorable ordre du Bain, chevalier grand-croix de le très distingué ordre de Saint-Michel et Saint-George, membre de l'ordre royal de Victoria, grand officier de Légion d'honneur, membre première classe de l'ordre de l'Aigle Blanc, gouverneur générale et commandant en chef de la milice et les forces navales et aérienne du Canada, général de la milice du Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Norde.
In his post-viceregal life, Byng's style and title was: The Right Honourable Sir Julian Hedworth George Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy, Baron Byng of Vimy, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Member of the Royal Victorian Order, grand officier de Légion d'honneur, Member First Class With Swords of the Order of the White Eagle, Field Marshal of the Militia of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Byng's post-nominal letters
are, in order according to the Oxford University Calendar Notes on Style: GCB, GCMG, MVO, DCO, LLD(hc) Alb
Appointments 2 May 1902 6 June 1935: Member of the Royal Victorian Order
(MVO) 1906 1 January 1916: Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath
(CB)
Medals 1894: Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
1899: Queen's South Africa Medal
1901: King's South Africa Medal
1902: King Edward VII Coronation Medal
1911: King George V Coronation Medal
1918: 1914-15 Star
1919: British War Medal
1919: Victory Medal
1935: King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
Awards 6 February 1900: Mentioned in Despatches 23 June 1902: Mentioned in Despatches 11 December 1915: Mentioned in Despatches 11 December 1915: Mentioned in Despatches 22 December 1915: Mentioned in Despatches 20 February 1918: Mentioned in Despatches 20 July 1918: Mentioned in Despatches 21 December 1918: Mentioned in Despatches
Foreign honours 8 March 1918: Croix de guerre
29 January 1919 6 June 1935: Grand officier de Légion d'honneur
11 March 1919: Croix de guerre
12 July 1919: Distinguished Service Medal
24 October 1919 6 June 1935: Grad Cross With Swords of the Order of the White Eagle
2 August 1921 5 August 1926: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Foot Guards
2 August 1921 5 August 1926: Colonel of the Regiment of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
1922: University of Alberta
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
: Byng
: Byng Avenue, Saskatoon
Schools: Lord Byng Elementary School
, Richmond
: Lord Byng Secondary School
, Vancouver
: General Byng School
, Winnipeg
: Baron Byng High School
, Montreal
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British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who served as Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, the 12th since Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
.
Known to friends as "Bungo", he was born to a noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
family in Hertsmere
Hertsmere
Hertsmere is a local government district and borough in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Borehamwood. Other towns in the borough include Bushey, Elstree, Radlett and Potters Bar.-History:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, along with his brothers. Upon graduation, Byng received a commission as a militia officer and thereafter saw service in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
before he enrolled in the Staff College at Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
. There, he befriended individuals who would be his contemporaries when he attained senior rank in France. Following distinguished service during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
specifically, with the British Expeditionary Force in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in the Battle of Gallipoli, as commander of the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
at Vimy Ridge, and as commander of the British Third Army Byng was in 1919 himself elevated to the peerage. He was in 1921 appointed as governor general by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, to replace the Duke of Devonshire
Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire
Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire , known as Victor Cavendish until 1908, was a British politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 11th since Canadian Confederation....
as viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, and occupied that post until succeeded by the Viscount Willingdon
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
Major Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon was a British Liberal politician and administrator who served as Governor General of Canada, the 13th since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, the country's 22nd.Freeman-Thomas was born in England and...
in 1926. Byng proved to be a popular with Canadians, due to his war leadership, though his stepping directly into political affairs
King-Byng Affair
The King–Byng Affair was a Canadian constitutional crisis that occurred in 1926, when the Governor General of Canada, the Lord Byng of Vimy, refused a request by his prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, to dissolve parliament and call a general election....
became the catalyst for widespread changes to the role of the Crown in all of the British Dominions
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
.
After the end of his viceregal tenure, Byng returned to the United Kingdom and there served as the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, classing the holder as a chief police officer...
and was promoted within the peerage to become Viscount Byng of Vimy. Three years after being appointed as a field-marshal, Byng died at his home on 6 June.
Early life
Byng was born at the family seat of Wrotham Park, in HertsmereHertsmere
Hertsmere is a local government district and borough in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Borehamwood. Other towns in the borough include Bushey, Elstree, Radlett and Potters Bar.-History:...
, as the seventh son and 13th and youngest child of the Earl of Strafford
George Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford
George Stevens Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford, PC , styled Viscount Enfield between 1847 and 1860, was a British peer and Whig politician.-Background, education and military career:...
, who, due to the size of his family, ran a relatively frugal household. Until the age of 12, Byng was enrolled at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, though he did not enter the sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
. While it was at Eton that Byng first received the nickname "Bungo" to distinguish him from his elder brothers "Byngo" and "Bango" 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
Peddler
A peddler, in British English pedlar, also known as a canvasser, cheapjack, monger, or solicitor , is a travelling vendor of goods. In England, the term was mostly used for travellers hawking goods in the countryside to small towns and villages; they might also be called tinkers or gypsies...
for a pair of ferret
Ferret
The ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...
s and a pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
. Byng later claimed that he had been the school's worst "Scug", the colloquial term for an undistinguished boy.
Military career
With three sons already in the army and another already put up for the 7th Queen's Own Hussars7th Queen's Own Hussars
The 7th Queen's Own Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first formed in 1690. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Hussars in 1958....
, Byng's father did not think he could afford a regular army commission for his youngest son. Thus, at the age of 17, Byng was instead sent into the militia and on 12 December 1879 commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the King's Royal Rifle Corps
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
, and was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
three years later. During this period, Byng also developed a liking for theatre and music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
s, and by the age of 20 had taken an interest in the banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
.
At a meeting of the Jockey Club
Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...
in 1882, Byng's father was asked about his sons by his long-time friend, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
. Upon hearing that Byng had not yet found a permanent career, the Prince offered a place for him in the Prince's own regiment, the 10th Royal Hussars. This was, however, the most expensive regiment in the army, the Earl of Strafford could only afford to give Byng 200 of the necessary 600 pounds
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
he would need each year, and yet, the Prince's offer could not be refused. Byng himself was delighted at the opportunity, as both his uncle, the Lord Chesham
William Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham
William George Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham was a British Liberal politician.A member of the Cavendish family headed by the Duke of Devonshire, Chesham was the son of Charles Compton Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham and Lady Catherine Susan Gordon, daughter of George Gordon, 9th Marquess of Huntly...
, and his cousin, Charles Cavendish
Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham
Charles Compton William Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham KCB, PC, DL , styled The Honourable Charles Cavendish between 1863 and 1882, was a British soldier, courtier and Conservative politician...
, had served in the regiment. By raising finances through buying polo ponies
Polo pony
A polo pony is the term used for a horse used in the game of polo. They may be of any breed or combination of breeds, though many have a significant amount of Thoroughbred breeding. They are called "ponies", but that is in reference to their agile type rather than their size...
cheaply, using his excellent horsemanship to train them, and then selling them for a profit, Byng was able to transfer to the 10th Royal Hussars on 27 January 1883, and less than three months later joined the regiment in Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
It was while the regiment was en route home to the United Kingdom in 1884 that the Hussars were diverted to Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
to join the Suakin Expedition
Suakin Expedition
The Suakin Expedition refers to two military expeditions led by Major-General Sir Gerald Graham V.C. to Suakin in Sudan with the intention of destroying the power of Osman Digna, the first in February 1884 and the second in March 1885.-The first expedition:...
and Byng, along with the rest of his regiment, on 29 February rode in the first line of the charge at the Battle of El Teb. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of both the squadron's other officers, was unsuccessful, and fighting continued, with Byng's horse being killed under him on 13 March at the Battle of Tamai
Battle of Tamai
The Battle of Tamai took place on March 13, 1884 between a British force under Sir Gerald Graham and a Mahdist Sudanese army led by Osman Digna....
. Most of the rebels were then dispersed shortly after and, on 29 March, the regiment re-embarked for Britain, arriving on 22 April, and proceeding to their new base at Shorncliffe Barracks
Cheriton, Kent
Cheriton is a northern suburb of Folkestone in Kent that is the location of the English terminal of the Channel Tunnel. It is the location of the major army barracks of Shorncliffe Camp.- History :...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. During the summer of 1884, Byng spent much of his time playing polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
and training recruits and horses, and in July, for his services in Sudan, was mentioned in despatches.
In June 1885, the regiment was relocated to the South Cavalry Barracks at Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, where the Prince of Wales' eldest son, Prince Albert Victor, joined the regiment and thereafter the Prince of Wales and his other son, Prince George
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, became frequent visitors. Byng struck up a friendship with both Albert Victor and George, but did not socialise with them much outside of army circles. Byng was appointed as the regimental adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
on 20 October 1886, only nine days before the death of his father, who left Byng a watch and £3,500. The regiment then moved again in 1887 to the barracks at Hounslow
Hounslow
Hounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area.-Etymology:...
, where, after suspecting that contractors were selling him inferior meat, Byng spent several early mornings at the Smithfield market to learn the meat trade, eventually proving his case and having the contractors changed. It was also at this time that Byng became acquainted with the Lord Rowton
Montagu Corry, 1st Baron Rowton
Montagu William Lowry-Corry, 1st Baron Rowton KCVO, CB, PC, DL , also known as "Monty," was a British philanthropist and public servant, best known for serving as Benjamin Disraeli's private secretary from 1866 until the latter's death in 1881.-Background and education:Born in London, Lowry-Corry...
, who, along with the Guinness Trust
Guinness Trust
The Guinness Trust is the oldest member of the Guinness Partnership, a group of housing associations. It is a UK registered charity providing affordable housing....
, was trying to improve housing for skilled workers in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Byng accompanied Rowton around the poorest areas of the city and suggested that retired senior soldiers from the rank-and-file be hired to maintain order in the Rowton Houses
Rowton Houses
Rowton Houses were a chain of hostels built in London, England by the Victorian philanthropist Lord Rowton to provide decent accommodation for working men in place of the squalid lodging houses of the time....
that Rowton had set up, thus starting a long-lived tradition.
Staff College
In 1888, the hussars again moved, this time to YorkYork
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, where Byng kept his men busy by raising successful cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and football teams. Byng was promoted to captain at the beginning of the next year, around the time he began to consider entering the Staff College at Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
. He thus, in order to dedicate his time to preparatory studies, which continued when the regiment moved in 1891 to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, resigned his commission as adjutant and turned down an invitation from Prince Albert Victor to join him in India as an equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
. After being detached for a time in order to serve and gain more experience in the infantry and artillery, Byng sat and passed his entrance exams into the Staff College and secured a nomination in September 1892. A year before Byng entered the college, however, 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 pallbearer
Pallbearer
A pall-bearer is one of several funeral participants who helps carry the casket of a deceased person from a religious or memorial service or viewing either directly to a cemetery or mausoleum, or to and from the hearse which carries the coffin....
s (all from the 10th Royal Hussars), which was a significant display of trust shown Byng by the Prince of Wales.
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 Henry Rawlinson
Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson
General Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson, GCB, GCSI, GCVO, KCMG , known as Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt between 1895 and 1919, was a British First World War general most famous for his roles in the Battle of the Somme of 1916 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.-Military career:Rawlinson was...
, Henry Hughes Wilson, Thomas D'Oyly Snow
Thomas D'Oyly Snow
Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas D’Oyly Snow KCB, KCMG was a British General in the First World War who commanded during some of the major battles of the Western Front. He had two nicknames, ‘Slush’ and ‘Snowball’, both plays on 'Snow'.-Education and early military career:Snow was born on 5 May 1858...
, and James Aylmer Lowthorpe Haldane
James Aylmer Lowthorpe Haldane
General Sir James Aylmer Lowthorpe Haldane GCMG, KCB, DSO was a senior British Army officer with a long and distinguished career.-Military career:...
and in 1894, while en route to visit a friend at Aldershot, travelled with a cadet at the nearby Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
. Byng also journeyed with his class to see the battlefields of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
at Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
and accompanied to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
one of his lecturers who was compiling information on a book on Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
. By December 1894, Byng graduated from the Staff College and was immediately appointed to command the A Squadron
Squadron (cavalry)
A squadron was historically a cavalry sub unit. It is still used to refer to modern cavalry units but can also be used as a designation for other arms and services.-United States:...
of the hussars. Only three years later, though, the regiment returned to Aldershot and Byng left to become adjutant of the 1st Cavalry Brigade, shortly before becoming the Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
(DAAG) of the Aldershot Command and was promoted to the rank of major. Later that same year, Byng met at a local party Marie Evelyn Moreton, the only daughter of Sir Richard Charles Moreton, who had himself served as comproller at the Canadian royal and viceroyal residence of Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
, under the then Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
the Marquess of Lorne
John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll
John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll KG, KT, GCMG, GCVO, VD, PC , usually better known by the courtesy title Marquess of Lorne, by which he was known between 1847 and 1900, was a British nobleman and was the fourth Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883...
. Evelyn, as she was known, later described her early encounters with Byng:
Commanding officer and World War I
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, where he was to act as a provost marshal
Provost Marshal
The Provost Marshal is the officer in the armed forces who is in charge of the military police .There may be a Provost Marshal serving at many levels of the hierarchy and he may also be the public safety officer of a military installation, responsible for the provision of fire, gate security, and...
, but was instead immediately given the local rank of lieutenant colonel and tasked with raising and commanding the South African Light Horse during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. Byng thereafter served on the front lines, during which time he ended up in command of a group of columns, was mentioned in despatches five times, and in November 1900 was promoted to brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
lieutenant colonel and in February 1902 to brevet colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. The beginning of 1902 brought more significant events for Byng, with his return to England in March, his marriage to Evelyn the following month, and in May his appointed to the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
as a member 4th class. However, by the mid-point of the year, Byng was sent back to India to command the 10th Royal Hussars at Mhow and was appointed to the rank of a substantive lieutenant colonel in October.
In his first two years of marriage, Byng's wife suffered several miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
s, resulting in the declaration that she would be unable to bear children. By January 1904, Byng had also, while playing polo, broken his right elbow so severely that it was feared he would have to quit the army. After four months' treatment in England, though, he was pronounced to be again fit for duty and in May became the first commandant of the new cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
school at Netheravon
Netheravon
Netheravon is a village and civil parish on the River Avon, about north of the town of Amesbury in Wiltshire.-Notable people:The writer Frank Sawyer , although born in Bulford, spent most of his life in Netheravon as river keeper River Avon and died on the banks of the river near the parish church...
. The posting was to be only a brief one, as, in May 1905, Byng was made commander of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, with the simultaneous temporary rank of brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and substantive rank of colonel. After appointment as a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1906, he was again back in Aldershot, in command of the 1st Cavalry Brigade.
It was April 1909 when Byng was promoted to major-general
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
and, 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
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
purchased his first house, Newton Hall
Newton Hall
Newton Hall is a large housing estate in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the north of Durham, near Framwellgate Moor and Pity Me, and has the East Coast Main Line running the length of its east boundary...
, in Dunmow
Great Dunmow
Great Dunmow is an ancient market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England in which the great Shannon Gray, also known as Hazzah Potter, lives...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. 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
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
in October 1910, Byng became commander of the British troops stationed in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, where he remained until the outbreak of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He then returned briefly to the UK to take leadership of the 3rd Cavalry Division before going with the British Expeditionary Force to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the First Battle of Ypres
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
. His actions there were rewarded in March 1915 with appointment to the Order of St. Michael and St. George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
as a Knight Commander, the second highest level in the order, and which entitled Byng to the honorific prefix of Sir.
After three months serving as commander of the Cavalry Corps, beginning in May 1915, at which time he was also made a temporary lieutenant-general, Byng was off to Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
to head the IX Corps and supervise the successful British withdrawal from the ill-fated campaign. For this, he was on 1 January 1916 elevated within the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
to the rank of Knight Commander, but was not allowed much rest, as he spent the next month commanding the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
defences before returning to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
to lead the XVII Corps
XVII Corps (United Kingdom)
The British XVII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I.- History :British XVII Corps was formed in France in January 1916 under Lieutenant General Julian Byng. In April 1917 the Corps attacked to the east of Arras near the River Scarpe but became bogged down in rain and snow...
. By June, he was in command of the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
and was promoted when, for distinguished service, the King made substantive Byng's rank of lieutenant-general. Byng's greatest glory then came when he, along with his subordinate officer, the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Major-General Arthur Currie
Arthur Currie
Sir Arthur William Currie GCMG, KCB , was a Canadian general during World War I. He had the unique distinction of starting his military career on the very bottom rung as a pre-war militia gunner before rising through the ranks to become the first Canadian commander of the four divisions of the...
, led the Canadian victory in April 1917 at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
, an historic military milestone for the Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
that inspired nationalism at home.
In June 1917, and holding the temporary rank of general
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
, Byng took command of Britain's largest army, the Third Army, until the cessation of hostilities and, with those troops, conducted at the Battle of Cambrai the first surprise attack using tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. This was later considered a key turning point in the war and Byng was honoured on 24 November 1917 by having his temporary rank of general made substantive, as well as being made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1919 New Year's honours. In the United States, Byng's exploits during World War I were commemorated near the town of Ada, Oklahoma
Ada, Oklahoma
Ada is a city in and the county seat of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 16,008 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the city population was estimated at 17,019....
, when a post office and power plant were in 1917 named after him, leading to the later emergence of the town of Byng
Byng, Oklahoma
Byng is a town in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,090 at the 2000 census.-History:The beginnings of the town of Byng were established in 1917 with the building of a post office and power plant . The post office and power plant were named to honor the World War I...
. Further, Byng was in his own right raised on 7 October 1919 to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Baron Byng of Vimy, of Thorpe-le-Soken in the County of Essex. The next month, though he was offered the Southern Command
Southern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Second Army Corps and was initially based at Tidworth but in 1949 moved to Fugglestone Farm near Wilton in Wiltshire....
, Byng retired from the military and moved to Thorpe Hall
Thorpe Hall
Thorpe Hall at Longthorpe in the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire is a Grade I listed building, built by Peter Mills between 1653 and 1656, for the Lord Chief Justice, Oliver St John. The house is unusual in being one of the very few mansions built during the Commonwealth period...
, which his wife had in 1913 purchased while Byng was in Egypt.
Governorship general
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 George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
had, by commission under the royal sign-manual
Royal sign-manual
The royal sign manual is the formal name given in the Commonwealth realms to the autograph signature of the sovereign, by the affixing of which the monarch expresses his or her pleasure either by order, commission, or warrant. A sign-manual warrant may be either an executive actfor example, an...
and signet, approved the recommendation of his British prime minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, to appoint Byng as his representative in Canada. The designation of Byng proved less controversial than that of his predecessor, the Duke of Devonshire
Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire
Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire , known as Victor Cavendish until 1908, was a British politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 11th since Canadian Confederation....
, due partly to the General's popularity, but also because the practice of prior consultation with the Canadian prime minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
had been revived. Byng had not been Meighan's first choice for presentation to the King, since he preferred someone with more civilian credentials. Nevertheless, Byng was eventually chosen because he was both willing and available.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, rarely missing a game played by the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
. He was also fond of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, colloquially called The Royal, is an annual fall fair in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which takes place over two weeks in November...
, held each year in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and established the Governor General's Cup to be presented at the competition. Byng was also the first Governor General of Canada to appoint Canadians as his aides-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
(one of whom was future Governor General Georges Vanier
Georges Vanier
Major-General Georges-Philéas Vanier was a Canadian soldier and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 19th since Canadian Confederation....
) and approached his viceregal role with enthusiasm, gaining him popularity with Canadians on top of that received from the men he had commanded on the battlefields of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
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 King in his British Council, Byng's tenure as viceroy of Canada was notable in that he became the first to step directly into political matters since the country had gained a degree of autonomy from the United Kingdom following the First World War, denying, as he did, the recommendations of his prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
, who sought to have parliament dissolved in order to avoid a vote of non-confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
in his government. The Governor General's course of action in what came to be colloquially known as the King-Byng Affair
King-Byng Affair
The King–Byng Affair was a Canadian constitutional crisis that occurred in 1926, when the Governor General of Canada, the Lord Byng of Vimy, refused a request by his prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, to dissolve parliament and call a general election....
remains debated, though the consensus amongst constitutional historians is that Byng's moves were appropriate in the circumstances that came to be in the summer of 1926. Mackenzie King, however, made much of the scenario and its outcome in the election that eventually followed on 14 September
Canadian federal election, 1926
The Canadian federal election of 1926 was held on September 14 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 16th Parliament of Canada. The election was called following an event known as the King-Byng Affair...
, in which Mackenzie King's Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
gained a majority of seats, seeing King once again appointed as prime minister. At the 1926 Imperial Conference
1926 Imperial Conference
The 1926 Imperial Conference was the sixth Imperial Conference held amongst the Prime Ministers of the dominions of the British Empire. It was held in London from 19 October to 22 November 1926...
, King then went on to use Byng and his refusal to follow his prime minister's advice as the impetus for widespread constitutional change throughout the British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
. Byng himself said of the matter: "I have to await the verdict of history to prove my having adopted a wrong course, and this I do with an easy conscience that, right or wrong, I have acted in the interests of Canada and implicated no one else in my decision." Some 80 years later, one of Byng's viceregal successors, Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
, found herself in a similar situation when her prime minister
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
advised her to prorogue parliament in order to avoid a non-confidence motion.
Post-viceregal life
Byng returned to England on 30 September 1926, and in January 1928 was created Viscount Byng of Vimy, of Thorpe-le-SokenThorpe-le-Soken
Thorpe-le-Soken is a village in Essex, located west of Walton-on-the-Naze, Frinton-on-Sea and north of Clacton-on-Sea.-History:Thorpe-le-Soken's history can be traced back to Saxon times....
in the County of Essex. Later that year, he was appointed as the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, classing the holder as a chief police officer...
and, 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
Patrol
A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as police officers or soldiers, that are assigned to monitor a specific geographic area.- Military :...
(which had previously allowed criminals to work out the system), police box
Police box
A police box is a British telephone kiosk or callbox located in a public place for the use of members of the police, or for members of the public to contact the police...
es, the extensive use of police car
Police car
A police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
s, and a central radio control room. In July 1932, Byng was once more promoted in the British military to the rank of field marshal the highest rank an officer can attain before he died suddenly of an abdominal blockage at Thorpe Hall on 6 June 1935. The barony and viscountcy died with him.
Titles
- 11 September 1862 12 December 1879: The Honourable Julian Byng
- 12 December 1879 23 April 1881: Second Lieutenant the Honourable Julian Byng
- 23 April 1881 January 1889: Lieutenant the Honourable Julian Byng
- January 1889 August 1897: Captain the Honourable Julian Byng
- August 1897 10 October 1902: Major the Honourable Julian Byng
- 10 October 1902 11 May 1905: Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable Julian Byng
- 11 May 1905 1 April 1909: Colonel the Honourable Julian Byng
- 1 April 1909 May 1916: Major-General the Honourable Julian Byng
- May 1916 24 November 1917: Lieutenant-General the Honourable Sir Julian Byng
- 24 November 1917 7 October 1919: General the Honourable Sir Julian Byng
- 7 October 1919 2 August 1921: General the Right Honourable the Lord Byng of Vimy
- 2 August 1921 5 August 1926: His Excellency General the Right Honourable the Lord Byng of Vimy, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the Militia and Naval and Air Forces of Canada
- 5 August 1926 16 January 1928: General the Right Honourable the Lord Byng of Vimy
- 16 January 1928 11 October 1932: General the Right Honourable the Viscount Byng of Vimy
- 11 October 1932 6 June 1935: Field Marshal the Right Honourable the Viscount Byng of Vimy
Byng's style and title as governor general of Canada was, in full, and in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Julian Hedworth George Byng, Baron Byng of Vimy, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Member of the Royal Victorian Order, grand officier de Légion d'honneur, Member First Class With Swords of the Order of the White Eagle, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the Militia and Naval and Air Forces of Canada, General of the Militia of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Son Excellence le très honorable Sir Julian Hedworth George Byng, Baron Byng de Vimy, chevalier grand-croix de le très honorable ordre du Bain, chevalier grand-croix de le très distingué ordre de Saint-Michel et Saint-George, membre de l'ordre royal de Victoria, grand officier de Légion d'honneur, membre première classe de l'ordre de l'Aigle Blanc, gouverneur générale et commandant en chef de la milice et les forces navales et aérienne du Canada, général de la milice du Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Norde.
In his post-viceregal life, Byng's style and title was: The Right Honourable Sir Julian Hedworth George Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy, Baron Byng of Vimy, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Member of the Royal Victorian Order, grand officier de Légion d'honneur, Member First Class With Swords of the Order of the White Eagle, Field Marshal of the Militia of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Byng's post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
are, in order according to the Oxford University Calendar Notes on Style: GCB, GCMG, MVO, DCO, LLD(hc) Alb
Honours
| Ribbon bars of the Viscount Byng of Vimy | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Appointments 2 May 1902 6 June 1935: Member of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(MVO) 1906 1 January 1916: Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(CB)
-
- 1 January 1916 1 January 1919: Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (KCB)
- 1 January 1919 6 June 1935: Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (GCB) March 1915 July 1921: Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(KCMG) - July 1921 6 June 1935: Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG) 2 August 1921 5 August 1926: Chief Scout for Canada 2 August 1921 5 August 1926: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada ClubRoyal Military College of CanadaThe Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
Medals 1894: Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
The Long Service & Good Conduct Medal is a medal awarded by the British Government to members of the British Armed Forces who have completed 15 years of reckonable service.-British Army:...
1899: Queen's South Africa Medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
1901: King's South Africa Medal
King's South Africa Medal
The King's South Africa Medal was awarded to all troops who served in the Boer War in South Africa on or after 1 January 1902, and completed 18 months service before 1 June 1902. The medal was not issued alone but always with the Queen's South Africa Medal or QSA.The KSA was awarded only to those...
1902: King Edward VII Coronation Medal
King Edward VII Coronation Medal
The King Edward VII Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal issued in 1902 to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII.-Issue:The medal was only awarded to people who attended the coronation, or participated in the coronation parade...
1911: King George V Coronation Medal
King George V Coronation Medal
The King George V Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of George V.-Issue:This coronation medal was the first to be issued to people who were not in attendance at the coronation...
1918: 1914-15 Star
1914-15 Star
The 1914-15 Star was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The 1914-15 Star was approved in 1918, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 .Recipients of this medal also...
1919: British War Medal
British War Medal
The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918...
1919: Victory Medal
Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
The Victory Medal is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA in accordance with decisions as taken at the Inter-Allied Peace Conference at...
1935: King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the coronation of King George V.-Issue:...
Awards 6 February 1900: Mentioned in Despatches 23 June 1902: Mentioned in Despatches 11 December 1915: Mentioned in Despatches 11 December 1915: Mentioned in Despatches 22 December 1915: Mentioned in Despatches 20 February 1918: Mentioned in Despatches 20 July 1918: Mentioned in Despatches 21 December 1918: Mentioned in Despatches
Foreign honours 8 March 1918: Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
29 January 1919 6 June 1935: Grand officier de Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
11 March 1919: Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
12 July 1919: Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
24 October 1919 6 June 1935: Grad Cross With Swords of the Order of the White Eagle
Honorary military appointments
2 August 1921 5 August 1926: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Horse GuardsThe Governor General's Horse Guards
The Governor General's Horse Guards is an armoured reconnaissance regiment in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. Based in Toronto, it is the most senior reserve regiment in Canada, and the only Household Cavalry regiment of...
2 August 1921 5 August 1926: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Foot Guards
Governor General's Foot Guards
The Governor General's Foot Guards is one of three Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, along with The Governor General's Horse Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. The GGFG is the most senior militia infantry regiment in Canada."Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra" is...
2 August 1921 5 August 1926: Colonel of the Regiment of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
The Canadian Grenadier Guards
The Canadian Grenadier Guards is the second most senior and oldest infantry regiment in the Reserve Force of the Canadian Forces. Located in Montreal, its primary role is the provision of combat-ready troops in support of Canadian regular infantry...
Honorary degrees
AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
1922: University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Honorific eponyms
Geographic locations: Camp Byng, Roberts Creek: Byng Place, WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
: Byng
Byng, Oklahoma
Byng is a town in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,090 at the 2000 census.-History:The beginnings of the town of Byng were established in 1917 with the building of a post office and power plant . The post office and power plant were named to honor the World War I...
: Byng Avenue, Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
Schools: Lord Byng Elementary School
Lord Byng Elementary School
Lord Byng Elementary School in the Steveston neighbourhood of Richmond, British Columbia, is an elementary school named after The Lord Byng of Vimy, the Governor General of Canada from 1921 to 1926....
, Richmond
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
: Lord Byng Secondary School
Lord Byng Secondary School
Lord Byng Secondary School is a grade 8-12 school located in the West Point Grey neighbourhood on the west side of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
: General Byng School
General Byng School
General Byng School is a Kindergarten-Grade 9 school located in the south end of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is in the Pembina Trails School Division.The school is named after Julian Byng, former Governor General of Canada....
, Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
: Baron Byng High School
Baron Byng High School
Baron Byng High School was located at 4251 St. Urbain Street, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was named after the Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy, the Governor General of Canada from 1921 to 1926. Byng was a World War I hero at the battle of Vimy Ridge, an important battle...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
External links
- Website of the Governor General of Canada entry for Julian Byng
- First World War entry for Julian Byng
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