Wallace Kyle

Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Hart Kyle, (22 January 1910 – 31 January 1988) was an Australian who served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a senior commander and later as the 24th Governor of Western Australia. Born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Kyle was commissioned into the RAF in 1929, and, having seen service in the Second World War and the Malayan Emergency, held a number of senior positions, including Vice-Chief of the Air Staff and commander-in-chief of the RAF's Bomber Command and Strike Command. He was made Governor of Western Australia in 1975, a position in which he served until 1980, later returning to England, where he died in 1988. Early life Kyle was born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, on 22 January 1910 to Alfred Kyle, a builder, and Christina Ellen (née Beck). He was educated at Kalgoorlie State School and later Guildford Grammar School, where he was a boarder and proved a capable sportsman and athlete. RAF career Kyle entered the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in 1928 and was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in December 1929. While at Cranwell, he represented the college at cricket, squash and tennis and he attained the rank of flight cadet corporal. As a pilot officer, Kyle was posted to No 17 Squadron as a pilot and subsequently, on 2 July 1931, to No 442 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight Fleet Air Arm as a flying officer (promoted 14 June 1931) (until 1939, the Fleet Air Arm was controlled by the RAF). He spent time at the RAF Depot from 12 August 1932 until his next operational posting to No 820 Squadron Fleet Air Arm on 2 May 1933. From 23 July, Kyle attended the Flying Instructor's Course at the Central Flying School, returning to Cranwell as an instructor on 20 October 1934. His promotion to flight lieutenant came on 14 June 1935.