Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy

ARTICLE CONTENTS:  |  Links to Other Sites

Byng of Vimy, Julian Hedworth George, Viscount
Julian Hedworth George Byng of Vimy, Viscount, governor general of Canada, 1921-26 (b at Wrotham Park, Eng 11 Sept 1862; d at Thorpe-le-Soken, Eng 6 June 1935). A British aristocrat and cavalry officer, Byng was appointed to command the Canadian Corps in May 1916. He directed it in the attack on VIMY RIDGE in Apr 1917 and was promoted to command the British 3rd Army. In 1921, the first time the Canadian government was formally consulted about the selection of a governor general, Byng was a prominent nominee. But PM Arthur MEIGHEN preferred someone of civilian experience. Byng was finally chosen because he was willing and available. In Apr 1926 PM Mackenzie KING pronounced Byng the ideal governor; in June, however, Byng refused King's request for a dissolution of Parliament, precipitating the KING-BYNG AFFAIR. Byng had acted honestly and (in the view of most constitutional experts) correctly, but he departed from Canada under a shadow. His last major appointment was as chief commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police, 1928-31. Byng's wife Evelyn wrote movingly about Canada in Up the Stream of Time (1945). In 1925 she donated the LADY BYNG TROPHY, the National Hockey League's award for sportsmanship combined with excellence.
Byng of Vimy, Viscount
Byng of Vimy, Viscount
Julian Hedworth George Byng, May 1917. Byng had acted honestly in the affair with King, but he departed from Canada under a shadow (courtesy Library and Archives Canada/PA-1356).

Author O.A. COOKE AND NORMAN HILLMER


Links to Other Sites
Historica-Dominion Institute
The website for the Historica-Dominion Institute, parent organization of The Canadian Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada. Check out their extensive online feature about the War of 1812, the "Heritage Minutes" video collection, and many other interactive resources concerning Canadian history, culture, and heritage.

The Battle of Mount Sorrel
A brief description of the Battle of Mount Sorrel, accompanied by a map of troop positions during the conflict. From the Canadian War Museum.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge
This site offers a brief account of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

0
0
Absolutely free, with over 40,000 articles in French and English, The Canadian Encyclopedia is the ultimate online resource for all things Canadian, from history, sports, arts, science, technology, and much, much more. Get started at www.TheCanadianEncyclopedia.com
Feature Articles
Maisonneuve and the Founding of Montreal

The story of the founding of Montreal is perhaps unique in history....

INSIDE TCE

Gallery
Browse the rich visual resources of The Canadian Encyclopedia through thematic galleries of Canadian Art, History, Nature, People, and Science and Technology.
Interactive Resources
Illustrations, lively text, animations, sounds and games help make learning about Canadian history, art, geography, architecture and other topics entertaining as well as informative.
Canucklehead
The ultimate test of your knowledge of Canada, trivial and otherwise. You can choose from more than 60 dynamic quizzes with visual or text clues. Your scores depend on the speed with which you answer and the number of clues you need. Results are sent to you by email and high scores are posted on the site.
Timeline
This unique resource includes more than 6000 events from Canadian and world history. It can be searched by era, subject, keyword or date. To find out what happened on your birthday, select the month and day of your birth.
100 Greatest Events
This selection of the 100 "greatest" events in Canadian history was made by editor in chief James H. Marsh to draw attention to events that have left an indelible memory in the minds of later generations.