View source for Wallace Kyle

{{Short description|Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal (1910-1988)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[Air Chief Marshal]]
| name                = Sir Wallace Kyle
| honorific-suffix    = {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|GCB|KCVO|CBE|DSO|DFC|KStJ}}
| image               = Wallace Kyle.jpg
| order               = 24th
| office              = Governor of Western Australia
| term_start          = 24 November 1975
| term_end            = 30 September 1980
| monarch             = [[Elizabeth II]]
| premier             = [[Charles Court|Sir Charles Court]]
| predecessor         = [[Hughie Edwards|Sir Hughie Edwards]]
| successor           = [[Richard Trowbridge|Sir Richard Trowbridge]]
| birth_date          = 22 January 1910
| birth_place         = [[Kalgoorlie]], Western Australia
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|1988|1|31|1910|1|22|df=yes}}
| death_place         = [[Lymington]], Hampshire
<!-- Military service -->| nickname            = "Digger"<ref name="ADB"/>
| allegiance          = United Kingdom
| branch              = [[Royal Air Force]]
| serviceyears        = 1928–1968
| rank                = [[Air Chief Marshal]]
| commands            = [[RAF Strike Command]] (1968)<br/>[[RAF Bomber Command]] (1965–68)<br/>[[RAF Technical Training Command]] (1959–62)<br/>Air Headquarters Malaya (1955–57)<br/>[[RAF Downham Market]] (1944)<br/>[[RAF Marham]] (1942–44)<br/>[[No. 139 Squadron RAF|No. 139 Squadron]] (1940–42)
| battles             = [[Second World War]]<br/>[[Malayan Emergency]]
| mawards             = [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]]<br/>[[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Distinguished Service Order]]<br/>[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]<br/>[[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|Knight of the Venerable Order of Saint John]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]] (4)
}}
[[Air Chief Marshal]] '''Sir Wallace Hart Kyle''', {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|GCB|KCVO|CBE|DSO|DFC|KStJ}} (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 (United Kingdom)|Vice-Chief of the Air Staff]] and commander-in-chief of the RAF's [[RAF Bomber Command|Bomber Command]] and [[RAF Strike Command|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.<ref name="ADB">{{cite AuDB|first=Chris|last=Clark|title=Kyle, Sir Wallace Hart (1910–1988)|volume=17|year=2007|id2=kyle-sir-wallace-hart-12761|accessdate=3 August 2016}}</ref>

==RAF career==
Kyle entered the [[Royal Air Force College Cranwell]] in 1928 and was [[Commissioned officer|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]].<ref name=air>{{cite web | title=Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Kyle | url=http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Kyle_WH.htm | access-date=12 April 2015}}</ref>

As a [[pilot officer]], Kyle was posted to [[No. 17 Squadron RAF|No 17 Squadron]] as a pilot and subsequently, on 2 July 1931, to [[822 Naval Air Squadron|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 [[820 Naval Air Squadron|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.<ref name=air />

Kyle went to Australia on an exchange posting with the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] in April 1936, returning to Britain in 1938. He was appointed as Squadron Commander at No 3 Flying Training School at [[RAF South Cerney]] on 25 June 1938 (he was promoted to [[squadron leader]] for this appointment). From 17 July 1939, he was appointed to the Air Staff, HQ Training Command and HQ Flying Training Command.<ref name=air />

Kyle served in the [[Second World War]] and in 1940, after various posts in [[RAF Bomber Command|Bomber Command]], he was appointed [[Officer Commanding]] [[No. 139 Squadron RAF|No. 139 Squadron]] and received the temporary rank of [[Wing commander (rank)|wing commander]] on 1 December 1940. Kyle was appointed as Station Commander at [[RAF Marham]] in 1942 and another temporary promotion, to [[group captain]], on 1 July 1943. He was appointed as Station Commander at [[RAF Downham Market]] on 7 March 1944 and then transferred to the Air Staff, HQ Bomber Command on 9 October 1944.<ref name=air />

After the war, in 1945, Kyle joined the Directing Staff at the [[RAF Staff College, Bracknell]]. The temporary promotions received during the war were subsequently made [[substantive]] with permanent promotions to wing commander on 1 October 1946 and to group captain on 1 July 1947. Kyle joined the Air Plans team at Headquarters RAF Mediterranean & Middle East in October 1948. On 26 April 1949, he was appointed [[Aide-de-camp|Air Aide de Camp to the King]] and continued as Air Aide de Camp to the Queen until 31 July 1956.<ref name=air/>

Kyle was appointed Assistant Commandant at Cranwell in 1951 and Director of Operational Requirements (Air) at the [[Air Ministry]] on 30 June 1952, with promotion to [[air commodore]] on 1 July. He became a temporary [[air vice-marshal]] and Air Officer Commanding at Air Headquarters [[RAF Kuala Lumpur|Malaya]] on 14 January 1955 during the [[Malayan Emergency]] (the promotion was made permanent on 1 July 1955), Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operational Requirements) on 1 September 1957 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[RAF Technical Training Command|Technical Training Command]] on 29 September 1959. The last appointment came with a temporary promotion to [[air marshal]] which was made permanent on 1 January 1961. He became [[Vice-Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)|Vice-Chief of the Air Staff]] on 2 March 1962 and Air Officer Commander-in-Chief [[RAF Bomber Command|Bomber Command]] on 19 February 1965; he had been promoted to [[air chief marshal]] on 1 January 1964. Bomber Command merged with [[RAF Fighter Command|Fighter Command]] to form [[RAF Strike Command|Strike Command]], and Kyle became Strike Command's first Air Officer Commander-in-Chief on 30 April 1968.<ref name=air/>

On 12 August 1966, Kyle was again appointed to be Air Aide-de-camp to The Queen, which he remained until his retirement from the RAF on 9 November 1968.<ref name=air/>

==Governorship and retirement==
Kyle served as [[Governor of Western Australia]] from 1975 until 1980 and briefly caused excitement when he spoke out in favour of developing a [[uranium]] processing plant at [[Kalgoorlie]] in 1978.<ref name="ADB"/>

Kyle died on 31 January 1988 at Lymington.

In 1995, Lady Kyle renamed the South Wing of the [[RAF Benevolent Fund]]'s [[Princess Marina House]] in Sussex, the "Kyle Wing" in Sir Wallace's honour. Sir Wallace Kyle had been the first chairman of the home.

==Honours and awards==
* [[Order of the Bath|Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]] – 1 Jan 1966 (KCB – 1 January 1960, CB – 1 January 1953)<ref name=air/>
* [[Royal Victorian Order|Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]] – 5 August 1977 [26 March 1977]<ref name=air/>
* [[Order of the British Empire|Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] – 1 January 1946<ref name=air/>
* [[Distinguished Service Order]] – 26 October 1945<ref name=air/>
* [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] – 2 May 1941<ref name=air/>
<blockquote>Citation for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross:
"Wing Commander Wallace Hart KYLE (26141), No.139 Squadron.
In April, 1941, this officer led an attack against Ijmuiden Iron and Steel Works. In spite of intense anti-aircraft fire and interference from a patrol of Messerschmitt 109's, he dropped his bombs on the target from a height of 50 feet. The enemy fighters followed Wing Commander Kyle out to sea, but, by his skilful flying, he forced them to break off the attack. The operation was an outstanding success. He has now completed a number of successful operational missions and his resolute determination and leadership have been largely responsible for the high standard of efficiency in his squadron".</blockquote>
* [[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|Knight of the Venerable Order of Saint John]] – 26 February 1976<ref name=air/>
* [[Aide-de-camp|Air Aide de Camp to the King]] – 26 April 1949
* [[Aide-de-camp|Air Aide de Camp to the Queen]] – 10 June 1952 to 31 July 1956<ref name=air/>
* [[Mentioned in Despatches]] four times – 11 June 1942, 14 January 1944, 1 January 1945, 4 June 1945<ref name=air/>
* [[Honorary degree|Hon]] [[Doctor of Technology]] ([[Western Australian Institute of Technology]]) – 1979<ref name=air/>
* Hon [[Doctor of Law]] ([[University of Western Australia]]) – 1980<ref name=air/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Arthur McDonald|Sir Arthur McDonald]]}} 
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[RAF Technical Training Command|Technical Training Command]]|years=1959–1962}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alfred Earle|Sir Alfred Earle]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Edmund Hudleston|Sir Edmund Hudleston]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Vice Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)|Vice-Chief of the Air Staff]]|years=1962–1965}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Brian Burnett|Sir Brian Burnett]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[John Grandy|Sir John Grandy]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander-in-Chief [[RAF Bomber Command|Bomber Command]]|years=1965–1968}}
{{s-non|reason=Merged with [[RAF Fighter Command|Fighter Command]] to form [[RAF Strike Command|Strike Command]]}}
|-
{{s-new}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander-in-Chief [[RAF Strike Command|Strike Command]]|years=April – November 1968}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Denis Spotswood|Sir Denis Spotswood]]}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Hughie Edwards|Sir Hughie Edwards]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Governor of Western Australia]]|years=1975–1980}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Richard Trowbridge|Sir Richard Trowbridge]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Governors of Western Australia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kyle, Wallace}}
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Western Australia]]
[[Category:People from Kalgoorlie]]
[[Category:People educated at Guildford Grammar School]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell]]
[[Category:Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Australian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]
[[Category:Australian Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]]
[[Category:Australian Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Knights of the Order of St John]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Governors of Western Australia]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force air marshals]]