Arthur Kellam Tylee
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore
Arthur Kellam Tylee OBE
(24 April 1887 - 13 April 1961) was Canadian officer who served in the Royal Flying Corps
during World War I
. After the War, Tylee was the first Air Officer Commanding
of the Canadian Air Force
.
Tylee was born on 24 April 1887 and he later studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
from around 1910 to 1913.
Tylee joined the Royal Flying Corps
in August 1915, being granted the probationary rank of second lieutenant
in December of that year; he had previously held the rank of lieutenant in the Canadian Militia
. At least some of his junior years in the RFC were spent flying the Martinsyde G.100
on No. 23 Squadron
on the Western Front
. Tylee was made a flight commander in February 1917 and in March he was made a squadron commander and given the temporary rank of major. It was also in 1917 that Tylee was sent back to Canada, to command Camp Borden in Ontario
before being posted to England to carry out advanced work. On 1 April 1918 Tylee was transferred from the Royal Flying Corps to the newly created Royal Air Force
in the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel
and returned to Canada to serve as the Inspector of Training for the Royal Air Force in Canada. He continued in this role until the end of World War I. In June 1918 Tylee was mentioned in dispatches
for valuable war service and he was also made an officer of the Order of the British Empire
.
After the War, Tylee returned to Canada. By 1920 Tylee was selected to be the first Air Officer Commanding
the Canadian Air Force and granted the rank of air commodore. Tylee established a small headquarters at Ottawa
under the oversight of the Air Board
on which Air Vice-Marshal
Sir Willoughby Gwatkin served. In October 1920 Tyle, accompanied by Flight Lieutenant
George Thompson, set out to complete the last leg of the first trans-Canadian flight (which had started in Halifax
in July), departing from Calgary
in a de Havilland DH-9A. They arrived in Vancouver
after 4 days of flying. In February 1921 Tylee turned his attention to the matter of what might make a suitable flag for the Canadian Air Force. In a note he wrote to Gwatkin, Tylee proposed that the RAF Ensign be adopted with a maple leaf at the centre of the roundel
. Gwatkin in turn applied to Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard
, the British Chief of the Air Staff, who rejected the proposal on the basis that "the sentiment of unity between the Air Services of the Empire" ought to be maintained. It was not until 1940 that Tylee's proposed design was adopted. Later in 1921 Tylee was replaced as commander of the Canadian Air Force by Wing Commander
Ronald Redpath
Tylee died on 13 April 1961 and was buried in the Compton Cemetery in Quebec.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Arthur Kellam Tylee OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(24 April 1887 - 13 April 1961) was Canadian officer who served in the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the War, Tylee was the first Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
of the Canadian Air Force
Canadian Air Force (1920–1924)
The Canadian Air Force which was formed in 1920, was one of Canada's early attempts at forming an air force. When the Air Board was formed in 1919 to manage Canadian aviation, one of its responsibilities was air defence; the CAF was formed to meet this responsibility...
.
Tylee was born on 24 April 1887 and he later studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
from around 1910 to 1913.
Tylee joined the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in August 1915, being granted the probationary rank of second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in December of that year; he had previously held the rank of lieutenant in the Canadian Militia
Canadian Militia
The Canadian Militia was the traditional title for the land forces of Canada from before Confederation in 1867 to 1940 when it was renamed the Canadian Army.The Militia consisted of:* Permanent Active Militia* Non-Permanent Active Militia...
. At least some of his junior years in the RFC were spent flying the Martinsyde G.100
Martinsyde G.100
-See also:-References:* Aircraft of World War I, Kenneth Munson, 1967 Ian Allan ISBN 0-7110-0356-4-External links:* http://www.theaerodrome.com/aircraft/gbritain/martinsyde_g100.php* http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=721...
on No. 23 Squadron
No. 23 Squadron RAF
No. 23 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. Until October 2009, it operated the Boeing Sentry AEW1 Airborne Warning And Control System aircraft from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.-First World War:...
on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. Tylee was made a flight commander in February 1917 and in March he was made a squadron commander and given the temporary rank of major. It was also in 1917 that Tylee was sent back to Canada, to command Camp Borden in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
before being posted to England to carry out advanced work. On 1 April 1918 Tylee was transferred from the Royal Flying Corps to the newly created Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and returned to Canada to serve as the Inspector of Training for the Royal Air Force in Canada. He continued in this role until the end of World War I. In June 1918 Tylee was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
for valuable war service and he was also made an officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
.
After the War, Tylee returned to Canada. By 1920 Tylee was selected to be the first Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
the Canadian Air Force and granted the rank of air commodore. Tylee established a small headquarters at Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
under the oversight of the Air Board
Air Board (Canada)
The Air Board was Canada's first governing body for aviation that existed from 1919 to 1923. The Canadian government established the Air Board by act of Parliament on June 6, 1919 with the purpose of controlling all flying within Canada...
on which Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Sir Willoughby Gwatkin served. In October 1920 Tyle, accompanied by Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
George Thompson, set out to complete the last leg of the first trans-Canadian flight (which had started in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
in July), departing from Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
in a de Havilland DH-9A. They arrived in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
after 4 days of flying. In February 1921 Tylee turned his attention to the matter of what might make a suitable flag for the Canadian Air Force. In a note he wrote to Gwatkin, Tylee proposed that the RAF Ensign be adopted with a maple leaf at the centre of the roundel
Roundel
A roundel in heraldry is a disc; the term is also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of different colours.-Heraldry:...
. Gwatkin in turn applied to Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard
Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard GCB OM GCVO DSO was a British officer who was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force...
, the British Chief of the Air Staff, who rejected the proposal on the basis that "the sentiment of unity between the Air Services of the Empire" ought to be maintained. It was not until 1940 that Tylee's proposed design was adopted. Later in 1921 Tylee was replaced as commander of the Canadian Air Force by Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Ronald Redpath
Tylee died on 13 April 1961 and was buried in the Compton Cemetery in Quebec.