CONTROL OF BOMBAY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19670, 12 December 1933, Page 16

CONTROL OF BOMBAY

CHANGE IN VICE-REGAL REPRESENTATIVES. CALCUTTA, December 10. Bombay has changed its Governor, Sir Frederick Sykes, handing over the Presidency to Lord Brabourne. Politics and soldiering have l ?n very much combin.*d in the life of Major-General Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes, who has retired L*om the post of Governor of Bombay. Sir Frederick was best known for a time as head of the Royal Air Force, a post to which he was raised in April. 1918, during the period when this branch of the service was being re-organised into a r.ore mobile and hence more usefully directed force. In the year 1911-12 the flying arm was born, but, in medical parlance, it did not look a very healthy child. The personnel of the force was a mere handful, and money could only be obtained for it in mere driblets, many of the greatest military . uthorities expressing the opinion that it could serve no useful purpose in future warfare. One man, however, believed in its future, and tills man was Major Sykes. He was largely responsible at the time for drawing up the basis of the scheme of organisation of the Air Force as it exist today. When the war broke out he went over to France as a staff officer under Lieutenant General Si: David Henderson. With only a f**w aeroplanes at his disposal he did great service to the cause of the Allies right from the days of the retreat from Mons, and it was quickly apparent that the Air Force had come to stay. Four years later, in 1918, he became Chief of the Air Force. He held this office only for a little over a year, but later hr.d a much wider scope for his energies and knowledge when appointed Controller of Civil Aviation, a position which he relinquished in 1922 in order to enter Parliament for the Hallain Division of Sheffield, which he held till 1922 In the Interests of the Conservative Party. He has received honours from many countries, including France, Belgium. Japan. Russia, and the United States. After entering Parliament Sir Frederick became Chairman of Die Government Committee on Broadcasting. as well as being chairman of sevrdirector of the Underground Electric, Ixmdon General Omnibus Company, and the Anglo-Argentine Tramway He left the House of Commons to take up the post of Governor of Bombay five years ago Sir Frederick is now 56 years old. and he was knighted in the first year after the - ar. Siuce then he has received the Order of the Indian Empi . the G B E.. and been made a Privy Councillor.