John Byng (29 October 1704 – 14 March 1757) was a British politician and an admiral in the Royal Navy. Byng was court-martialed and executed by firing squad for failing to "do his utmost" against the French Navy during the Battle of Minorca, at the beginning of the Seven Years' War. The French historian Voltaire sardonically surmised that the purpose of Byng's death was "pour encourager les autres" (to encourage the others) to perform more competently.
Admiral Byng was hanged by the British government for dereliction of duty, sometime in the 18th century.[1] The French chronicler Voltaire believed the reason was because the British government wanted to encourage its other admirals by example: "pour encourager les autres." Custis Cawthorne referenced this incident in the Atlantean Assembly to emphasize how important it was that the Atlanteans win the Atlantean War of Independence.[2]Victor Radcliff referenced Cawthorne referencing the same incident, when discussing the disobedient attitudes of the Nouveau Redon quartermasters,[3] and the Marquis de La Fayette referenced the same quote in describing the penalty for soldiers who raped local women.[4]
↑The year of Byng's death in this timeline is undetermined. The Seven Years' War analog seems to have delayed until 1761, so it may be that Byng lived longer than in OTL. However, it is also possible that Byng's death resulted from an earlier fictional war which we are not told about.
