Arthur Byng facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name |
Arthur Maitland Byng
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| Born | 26 October 1872 Southsea, Hampshire, England |
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| Died | 14 September 1914 (aged 41) Vailly, Aube, France |
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| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Frederick Stephens (uncle) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1905 | Hampshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1896/1897 | Jamaica | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 10 December 2009
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Captain Arthur Maitland Byng (born October 26, 1872 – died September 14, 1914) was an English army officer and a talented cricket player. He was a right-handed batsman. Sadly, he lost his life early in World War I.
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Arthur Byng's Cricket Career
Arthur Byng was a skilled cricketer who played for different teams.
Playing for Jamaica
Byng played for the Jamaica in five important matches called first-class games. This was during the 1896/97 cricket season in Jamaica. His very first game for Jamaica was against the British Guiana team. His last game for Jamaica was against a team known as AA Priestley's XI.
Playing for Hampshire
After returning to England, Byng joined the Hampshire team. He played in three first-class matches for them. His first game with Hampshire was against the Kent team. He then played two more games for Hampshire, one against Warwickshire and another against Northamptonshire.
Club Cricket Success
Besides playing in first-class matches, Byng was also very well-known in club cricket. In 1905, while playing for the Hampshire Hogs club against the Royal Navy, Byng scored an amazing 204 runs. He made these runs in a partnership with another player named D. A. Steele. Together, they scored 335 runs for the first wicket, which is a huge achievement! He was also a famous batsman for the Army cricket team.
Arthur Byng's Military Service
Arthur Byng had a distinguished career in the British Army.
Early Army Ranks
Byng began his army career on September 28, 1895, when he became a second lieutenant in the West Indies Regiment. He quickly moved up in rank. On October 14, 1897, he was promoted to lieutenant. Then, on June 27, 1900, he became a captain. In March 1901, he moved to a different regiment called the Royal Fusiliers.
Service in the Boer War
In 1902, Captain Byng served in the Second Boer War in South Africa. He was part of the Mounted Infantry, which meant he fought on horseback. He took part in military operations in areas like Transvaal, Orange River Colony, and Cape Colony from January to May 1902. After the war ended in May, he sailed back to the United Kingdom in early September. For his brave service, he received the King's medal with four clasps, which are special awards.
Later Military Roles and World War I
Byng also worked with the Egyptian Army for several years, from November 1903 to August 1905, and again from November 20, 1908, to May 19, 1912. After that, he became an Adjutant for the Special Reserve.
When First World War began, he served as a captain in the Royal Fusiliers. His unit was stationed on the Western Front, which was a major battle area in France and Belgium.
His Final Moments
On September 14, 1914, Captain Byng was killed in action. This happened near a French village called Vailly during the First Battle of the Aisne. He was using his field glasses to look at the German army's positions when he was shot in the throat and died instantly.
