14 March
Admiral John Byng (baptised 29 October 1704 – 14 March 1757) was a Royal Navy officer. After joining the navy at the age of thirteen, he participated at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718. Over the next thirty years he built up a reputation as a solid naval officer and received promotion to vice-admiral in 1747. Byng is best known for failing to relieve a besieged British garrison during the Battle of Minorca at the beginning of the Seven Years’ War. Byng had sailed for Minorca at the head of a hastily assembled fleet of vessels, some of which were in poor condition. He fought an inconclusive engagement with a French fleet off the Minorca coast, and then elected to return to Gibraltar to repair his ships. Byng was subsequently court-martialled and found guilty of failing to “do his utmost” to prevent Minorca falling to the French. He was sentenced to death and shot by firing squad on 14 March 1757. Continue reading “1757 – Admiral Sir John Byng is executed by firing squad” →