At 12 Mr. Byng was Shot [Paperback]

Dudley Pope (Author)

Book Description

Series: Phoenix Press | Publication Date: October 28, 2002

A wonderfully compelling examination of the infamous episode immortalized by Voltaire in Candide. Admiral John Byng was shot on the deck of the HMS Monarch on March 14, 1757. His offense: following his superiors' orders. The British navy sent his poorly armed ship to fight the French, using outdated tactics. The offensive failed. Though Byng was cleared of cowardice, he received a death sentence for "error of judgment." He died...giving the signal to the firing squad for his own execution.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dudley Pope, author of the best-selling Ramage series and LIFE IN NELSON'S NAVY, needs little introduction. After service during WWII in the Merchant Navy, he went on to work for fifteen years in Fleet Street before settling down to become a full-time writer. In 1965 he set sail for the West Indies where he lived on his boat until his death in 1997.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Press (October 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1842126075
• ISBN-13: 978-1842126073
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,037,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars British Royal Navy's darkest hour, November 27, 2010

By 

lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: At 12 Mr. Byng was Shot (Paperback)

Of all the great glories won by the British Royal Navy during its grand history, there were also few acts so infamous and foul that it stain the honor of such glory. Dudley Pope in this book made it clear that British Navy did indeed committed foul deed of cold-blooded judicial murder of a British Admiral to covered up the mistakes and errors made by the Navy. There isn't much written about the execution of Admiral John Byng in 1759 but this book address that issue very clearly. It proves to be very well researched, nicely written and nicely told. You would almost think that Mr. Pope was writing one of his Ramage novels if it wasn't for the fact that he was writing real history.

Talk about being held as a scapegoat, Admiral Byng surely fit that description in this book. It was bad enough that the British Admiralty took a French report as gospel even before they read their own from Byng but they also condemned him already based on an enemy report. Does that sound insane to anyone out there?? Sent with a dilapidated fleet to a lost cause that even men who sent him must know, he was put on trial basically to cover the hindquarters of his superiors. Although the court realized that there was no personal misconduct concerning Byng's personal courage, they still found him guilty for "not doing his utmost" to save the situation that was unsolvable. I suppose only other military service who might have punished Admiral Byng under this condition would probably be the Imperial Japanese Navy of the World War II era. For the book have clearly shown that the only way Admiral Byng could have been save is if he led a suicide charge against the French fleet and perish with all hands.

If I had one whine to make, there is exacts from the French Dispatch in the appendix section that got the entire thing in motion against Admiral Byng. Sad thing is...this dispatch is still written in French...so I wonder - where is the English translation? Does the author believes everyone can read French like he does?? (Too bad Mr. Pope can't answer that since he died some while ago.)

But this great injustice probably had a positive affects since I have often read where many admirals of the British Navy thereafter, really did do their utmost to win and they did. When they failed...fate of Admiral Byng was not far from their minds. Even in fiction, for example in the Hornblower series, poor Hornblower often pondered on the fact that he was serving in a navy that shot an admiral for not doing his utmost, what chance did he have if he fail?

This is highly recommended reading material for anyone interested in the the history of the Royal Navy during the great days of wooden ships and iron men. It is out of print right now but it is well worth the read.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars At 12 Mr Byng Was Shot, December 18, 2010

By 

Edna Mumford - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: At 12 Mr. Byng was Shot (Paperback)

I purchased this book because Mr Byng is/was a relative of my Grandfather. Was very informative but sad that his life ended as it did.