Pardon hope for executed admiral

John Byng was found guilty of neglect of duty, pic - NMM

The Bedfordshire descendants of an admiral executed for not "doing his utmost" to beat the French in a naval battle are hoping he will be pardoned.

Admiral John Byng was shot on 14 March 1757 after failing to retake Menorca for the British with a small fleet.

His descendents believe he was used as a scapegoat and have appealed to the Defence Secretary Des Browne.

A service will be held at All Saints Church in Southill on Wednesday to mark the 250th anniversary of his death.

Members of the family, Royal Navy representatives and various Naval historical societies are attending.

if we were able to have him pardoned it would be wonderful to his memory Robert Byng

Admiral Byng, 1704-57, is buried in the family vault at the church, which bears the inscription: "To the perpetual Disgrace of public Justice, the Honourable John Byng, Admiral of the Blue, Fell a Martyr to Political persecution on 14th March in the year 1757, when Bravery and Loyalty were insufficient Securities for the Life and Honour of a Naval Officer."

One of the descendants attending the service is Robert Byng, of Wrotham Park, Barnet, Hertfordshire, who said: "He should never have been shot - all the historians will tell you it was the biggest travesty of justice ever.

"It's not going to bring him back, but if we were able to have him pardoned it would be wonderful to his memory."

The church's priest, Mark-Aaron Tisdale, said the service would be a commemoration of Admiral Byng's life and muffled bells would be rung 52 times to mark his age when he died.

The possibility of a pardon for the admiral was strengthened last year when World War I soldiers shot for cowardice or desertion were posthumously pardoned.