Sir Frederick Sykes On Visit to N.Z.

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1948, Page 6

Sir Frederick Sykes On Visit to N.Z.

Presa Assodaiion)

(Per

AUCKLAND, March 31. , Founder and first Commander of the Eoyal Flying Corps, .originator of the Tank and Maehinegun Corps, firsu Controller-General - of British , Civil Aviation, former Governor of an Indian. Presidency and- with a record in public alfairs _ thaf ranges from. developing meteftrqiogy t.o aiding' the welfare -Ujt mihers and. sailors, Major-Genferal, the Rfc. Hon. Bir. Frederick' Sykes, arrived .in' Auckland by air. Oue of" Britain 's mbst versatile soldiers, he has a record of serving with distinction in all three ' of the -armed services. . Flying in luxury airliners aeross the world from Britain, Sir . Frederick was merely realisihg what he, had planned in face of disbelief 30 years before. Few of the spectators at Whenuapai who saw an inconspieuous 70-year-old. civilian step from the Skymaster from Sydney, recognised him as a inuchdecorated man who held one of the first 100 pilots' =licences to be issued in Britain ahd who led the first five squadrons of the Eoyal Flying Corps when they fought their primitive para chuteless aircraft over' France in 1914. Sir Frederick began -his soldiering career as a trooper in the Boer war aua after gaining.a commission in the 15tli. L-Iussars, served with his regiment in tndia and South Africa. He learned to fiy in 1910 and after two years of pleading with, the General Staff at the War 0ffi.ee, he was at last authorised to form and command the Eoyal Flying Corps. In August," 1914, he led Britain 's first five sqtiadrons into air reconuaissances and operations that helped to save the British Expeditionary Force during the retreat from Mons and at the Marne. The o.rganisation of the Eoyal Flying Corps as a mobile unit was Sir Frederick 's plan. He based it on an establishment of the flights, ' squadrons and wings system that became a model for foreign poWcrs and that is basically retained in modern air forces of the world. Later he took charge of the R.N.A.S. at the Dardanelles* and as Deputy-Director of Organisation at the War Office he planned the startling innovation of the Tank Corps and ostablishxd the Maehinegun- Corps. hinally he became Chief of Air Staff and as British representative at the Vrersaillcs Confereuce he played a prominent jiart in drafting intertiational rules of the air. They are still in force. Although generally regarded as the founcler of "the Eoyal Air Force, Sir Frederick . does' not over-emphasise the importance of the air ann -in dofence. The ship can never be -replaced. and there must be a modern navy to keep tlie sea ronles open, he remarked. An army carinot operate without its supplies being ensured by the Navy and the Navy can get no wliere without its bases guaranteed by the army. n , jPr,Qfli,!l92§.tq: 1933 Sir Frederick was Governor of Bombay. His comment'on the emergence of India and Pakistan as indepondent states, was crisp and unqualilied. "It is tragic, " he commenSed. "In one year they have undoiie all the good acliieved in unifying 400,000,000 r people unde"r British rule. ' 1 Sir Frecfcripk 's visit to New Zealand as. director ai}d honorary treasurer of the British Sailors' Society,- arises from a, convictiou gained as a iliember of thc Elouse of Commons. tliat Hritaiii^s three pivx)ts w;ere the miner, agrichltural worker and seafarqr. For 20 ypars Ae • has concentrated his work dn developing these industries. In 1934 he was chairman of a Government committee which investigated the miners' welfare and during the war lie played a conspicuous part in the alfairs of the Brrtish Sailors' Society. . . . Si*L' Frederick was met at Whenuapai by representatives of the society in 1 New Zealand and he intends Nto inspeet . the work being carried out in New Zealand. As vice-cliairman of the Eoyal Empire Society he will also nieot * the ■ Dominion representatives of * this or' . ganisationr '