question Execution of Admiral Byng

[Great War truck]

Admiral Byng was executed today (14 march) in 1757 on the forecastle of HMS Monarch for not doing his “utmost against the enemy”. This charge was brought against him for failing to attack a larger sized French fleet when some of the ships of his fleet had already been badly damaged and the crew were suffering from poor health and exhaustion. It is generally thought that his execution instilled "a culture of aggressive determination which set British officers apart from their foreign contemporaries, and which in time gave them a steadily mounting psychological ascendancy".

 

Do you feel that this was:

A. A complete travesty of justice

B. Richly deserved.

C. Rather unfair, but necessary to encourage the others and is really what made the Royal Navy the greatest Naval force in the world (up until WW2, when the Americans took over).

[Tony B]

As for C, you are asking for it!!! :argh: A US officer was on Gibraltar when he sayw a royal marine in full dress on gaurd. 'Say Buddy ' says he, 'What the doggone does the RM stand for?'. The booty looked him straight in the eyes and replied' Real Marine'.

[ArtistsRifles]

Re. C - I'd have said it was either in the very end phase of WW2 or during the Labour Gov't axe wielding thereafter that the US Navy "took over the reins".

 

But it's probably the right answer as regards Admiral Byng.....