By the Editor: Voltaire in his novel Candide wrote: “In this country, it is thought wise to kill an Admiral from time to time to encourage the others.” Adm Byng, a simple story that you all know I suppose? That couldn’t be further from the truth. The author here examines the man and in doing so highlights the issue of courage with both of its facets (moral and physical) that are a pre-requisite in any truly successful commander – a lesson of acute importance in what has been termed a ‘snowflake’ age today. Byng undoubtedly made mistakes. But was he but the symptom of a wider malaise of over pr…
