18 Facts About Wallace Kyle

Wallace Kyle 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.

Wallace Kyle was born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, on 22 January 1910 to Alfred Wallace Kyle, a builder, and Christina Ellen.

Wallace Kyle entered the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in 1928 and was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in December 1929.

Wallace Kyle 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, Wallace Kyle attended the Flying Instructor's Course at the Central Flying School, returning to Cranwell as an instructor on 20 October 1934.

Wallace Kyle went to Australia on an exchange posting with the Royal Australian Air Force in April 1936, returning to Britain in 1938.

Wallace Kyle was appointed as Squadron Commander at No 3 Flying Training School at RAF South Cerney on 25 June 1938.

Wallace Kyle served in the Second World War and in 1940, after various posts in Bomber Command, he was appointed Officer Commanding No 139 Squadron and received the temporary rank of wing commander on 1 December 1940.

Wallace Kyle was appointed as Station Commander at RAF Marham in 1942 and another temporary promotion, to group captain, on 1 July 1943.

Wallace Kyle 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.

Wallace Kyle was appointed Assistant Commandant at Cranwell in 1951 and Director of Operational Requirements at the Air Ministry on 30 June 1952, with promotion to air commodore on 1 July.

Wallace Kyle became a temporary air vice-marshal and Air Officer Commanding at Air Headquarters Malaya on 14 January 1955 during the Malayan Emergency, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff on 1 September 1957 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Technical Training Command on 29 September 1959.

Wallace Kyle became Vice-Chief of the Air Staff on 2 March 1962 and Air Officer Commander-in-Chief Bomber Command on 19 February 1965; he had been promoted to air chief marshal on 1 January 1964.

Bomber Command merged with Fighter Command to form Strike Command, and Wallace Kyle became Strike Command's first Air Officer Commander-in-Chief on 30 April 1968.

On 12 August 1966, Wallace 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.

Wallace 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.

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.