Remembering Bungo: The life and career of Field Marshal Lord Byng of Vimy

The great World War I historian and author John Terraine wrote of Julian Byng, that he was ' a lovely man and a fine general.' William Franklin's talk explores Byng's successes and failures as a divisional, corps and army commander and also looks at his career after the Great War as a dedicated public servant. The talk touches on Byng's contribution to the community in North East Essex where he lived which is also where the speaker grew up.

During the war, Byng initially saw action on the Western Front (notably at First Ypres) before being sent out as a corps commander to Gallipoli in August 1915, where he played a significant role in the successful evacuation from the Peninsula. On returning to the Western Front, he was given command of the Canadian Corps, which he led to victory in April 1917 at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Following this, he was given command of Third Army, a post he held until the end of the war. This was followed by his appointment in 1922 as the Governor General of Canada.

William Franklin is a retired history and politics teacher and department head. He completed an MA in Military History on the University of Buckingham, London Programme (supervised by Spencer Jones) and has developed a particular interest in military leadership. He has recently contributed chapters to books on the Battle of Kohima (1944) and the Battle of Beda Fomm in (1941).

Members and non-members of The Western Front Association are equally welcome. Any new visitors are guaranteed a friendly atmosphere and a warm welcome from a group of like-minded enthusiasts.

Main Image: King George V with his Army Commanders (Byng on far right) December 1918 (PD).