James Byng was born in Portsea, Hampshire, on 5 February 1878 and joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker Second Class on 5 January 1898.
Advanced Acting Mechanician on 1 January 1912, he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 17 February 1913, and was confirmed in that rate that same year.
He joined H.M.S. Hampshire on 27 January 1914, and was killed in action when the Hampshire, conveying Field Marshal Lord Kitchener on a diplomatic mission to Russia, struck a German-mine off Orkney on 5 June 1916 and sank within 15 minutes with the loss of 737 lives. There were only 12 survivors.
Byng is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
1914-15 Star (286748 J. Byng, Mech., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (286748 J. Byng. Mech. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (286748. James Byng, Actg. Mechn. H.M.S. Monarch.).
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