SUGGESTION TO KING

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1935, Page 7

SUGGESTION TO KING

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNOR-GENERAL.

LORD TRENCHARD MENTIONED.

Sy Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright London, April 8.

When the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons, meets His Majesty at Windsor Castle to-night in reference to the appointment of a Governor-General, the Australian Press Association understands one of the names submitted will be that of Lord Trenchard, who will shortly retire from the commissionership of Scotland Yard. Lord Trenchard for some time has been regarded as likely to receive a high Dominion post and the present tendency of the defence policy may mean that the appointment of such an outstanding figure in the Royal Air Force would be regarded suitable for Australia.

Lord Trenchard was the first air marshal of the Royal Air Force, the post in which he was succeeded by his brother. Lord Trenchard has had an interesting career. He entered the Army almost by accident, because he failed to pass the necessary entrance examination for the Navy. When the Great War began he was a major in the Royal Scots Fusiliers attached to the Central Flying School, of which he was commandant. By 1916 he was a major-general instead of a major, and he was still only 43 years old. Earlier Lord Trenchard had served in South Africa and had been in West Africa for seven years. In 1912 he qualified as an air pilot and went to the Central Flying School at Upavon, where two years later'he was in command. Before the end of 1914 he was in France, and ho became head of the military wing of the Royal Flying Corps. The rapid expansion of the air service to dimensions undreamed of in the days of peace led to his rapid promotion, and in March, 1918, when the Royal Air Force was formed, an independent defence force, he became Chief of the Air Staff. A month later he resigned this appointment because of a difference of opinion with the First Air Minister, Lord Rothermere.

A few weeks later, however, he received command of the Independent Air Force, which was an organisation established for the special purpose of raiding Germany. This post he occupied with distinction. Eight times he was mentioned in dispatches, and he received the K.C.B. In 1930 he was made a baron. Since 1932 he has been Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Force at London —that is the head of the famous Scotland Yard. A few years ago it was reported that Lord Trenchard was likely to be the next Governor-General. of New Zealand, succeeding Sir Charles Fergusson. Later it was reported that he had been unwilling to take the post.