The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-01-12
'Bi,lg0 By,1g"
Something Of the Man Who
Led Cambrai Smash.
Bingo Byng."

''iht y what iHeS tti MN III INC
amy. 'Bingo Byng," the man who
comma aided the Canadians at Nimy
Lingo, Byng.' the sciplinaran, the
man who insists that the men shall
polish the backs OF their buttons and
the nails on their boots. #
Lingo Byrr," the man who led the
big British drive at CambIai
II has bebn said that General Byng
is the original Of Colonel Rendezvous
IL Mr.. Drifting Sees 1t Through"
Whether this be true or not it is quite
tue that he is an apostle OF eff
cheney" But he is none the less
popular with his men for this reason.
The brilliance of the battle of Cam
brai has cleared from the name of
Byng historical cloud under wHich
it had rested for one hundred and
sixty years. in 1856 Admiral John
Bsng was appointed to command a
hastily equipped squadron Of ten
ships sent to tho relief of Minorca,
which was blockaded by a French
fleet. AZ the Buffalo Times says:
Byng was accused of hesitation
about attacking, Public Indignation
eas great. Byng was tried by court
martial and found guilty Though he
was recommended to mercy. the min
istry in power insisted on the extreme
penalty. He was shot by firing
sauad on the Earship Monarch. ut
Portsmouth. the 18th of March, 1867.
The general verdict of historians
has been that the execution of Ad-
miral Byns was n ease of undue Sc
verify. In the light OF reason and n
calm review OF tho circumstances. his
worst fault appears TO have been an
excess Of ca,ati1h. Few II any compe-
tent authorities would now say that
he was a traitor. But for more than
Il century artl half Il cloud has
hang over hisi memory. 1t is an in
stance of popular forgetfulness. or,
indeed, ingratitkde. that the afact tina {
Admiral John Byng's father, himself
an admiral, was one of the most ag-
Eressive leaders, of the British navy,
and in Ills anllihilated the Spanish
fleet off Messilla, has almost lapscd
into oblivion. For one reader who
knows OF the Nelson-likc exploit of
the father. there are hundred to
whom the mention of Admiral Byng
Is q reminder of the sons failure at
Minorea and his deS,th scene at Ports
mouth
Whatever may. b, said of the in
justice or justice " the verdict that
for 100 years oYershadowcd the name
OF Byng, by sad. memories of one who
bore it, that name stands magnifi-
Gently retrieved today.
General Byng succeeded General
Stopford in command of the Ninth
army corps at Suvla' Bay in 1915, and
took part In the later stages of the
Gallipoli campaign 1t was in May of
| 1916 that he WAS placed In command
Of the Canadian troops. and the Times
says:
II was under General Byng that the
Canadians performed their great part
in the battle OF the Somme, and ef-
fccted the brilliant capture of vimy
Ridge last April. Last June, when
General Sir Henry Edmund Allenby
was sent to Egypt, General Byng sue
| ceeded him in command Of the British
Third army r..
He has never been gallery play
er. at ALL" an officer said of him. yet
with his Third arlny he has led one
Of the most sensational surprise attacks
of the war" a.
General Byng is the second British
commander thus tn he mentioned in
the official report from the field
marshals headquarters. The first
general thus honoreti was Sir Herbert
Charles Onslow Plunncr. to whom, by
name. Sir Douglas Haig gave first
credit for the Messiines Ridge advance
in June.
1t was explained that the reason
General Plumer was especially men
toned in the report was that he had
himself originated ana perfected the
plan and preparation of the attack,
1t Is not unnatural inference that
the idea of the tank onslaught. and
the marvellous secrecy that preceded
tho sudden action, may be duo to Cen
eral Byns himself.
General Byng Is SIS years old His
Wife, who was Miss Marie Evedyn
Moreton before her marriage in 1902,
Is wen known in England as a novel
list. His grandfather. the first Earl
81 Trafford, was u noted English
tleld inurshal.-li Literary Digest