Frederick Sykes
Encyclopedia
Air Vice-Marshal
The Right Honourable
Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes GCSI
, GCIE
, GBE
, KCB
, CMG
(23 July 1877 – 30 September 1954) was a military officer, British
statesman and politician.
Sykes was a junior officer in the 15th Hussars
before becoming interested in military aviation. He was the first Officer Commanding the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps
before World War I and later served as the Flying Corps' Chief of Staff in France during the 1914 and 1915. Later in the War, he served in the Royal Naval Air Service
in the Eastern Mediterranean before returning to Great Britain where he worked to organise the Machine Gun Corps
and manpower planning. In late 1917 and early 1918, Sykes was the deputy to General Wilson on the Supreme War Council
and from April 1918 to early 1919 he served as the second Chief of the Air Staff.
After the War, Sykes was appointed the Controller of Civil Aviation and he continued in this role until 1922 when he entered politics, becoming the Conservative MP for Sheffield Hallam, which he held until 1928 when he resigned. From 1928 to 1931 Sykes was Governor of Bombay, after which time he returned to Great Britain where he involved himself in business and public life. During World War II
, Sykes was an MP once more, this time for Central Nottingham
. He lost his seat in 1945 and he died nine years later.
Scouts regiment of the British Army
at the start of the Boer War
. Following capture, Sykes was forcibly marched across South Africa but was later abandoned and returned to the British forces. In 1900 he was commissioned into Lord Roberts'
Bodyguard but suffered a serious wound to the chest which resulted in his being invalided back to Great Britain. On 2 October 1901 he was granted a regular commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the 15th Hussars
. In the following years, Sykes served in India and, for a short time, in West Africa.
In 1904, Sykes's interest in aviation was first demonstrated when he obtained his ballooning certificate whilst being attached to the Balloon Section of the Royal Engineers
. In 1910 Sykes commenced flying lessons at Brooklands
which led to him being awarded Royal Aero Club
certificate No. 96 in June 1911.
In February 1911, Sykes was posted as a staff officer to the Directorate of Military Operations at the War Office
. As a firm believer in the importance of wartime aerial reconnaissance, he was chosen to join the sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence which was given the task of investigating the use of aircraft. Brigadier-General Henderson
and Major McInness also served on the same sub-committee and their recommendations (given in 1912) were accepted by the Committee of Imperial Defence and resulted in the formation of the Royal Flying Corps
.
On 13 May 1912 Sykes was appointed Officer Commanding the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps. His duties included the recruitment and training of pilots. Whilst in command, Sykes solicited suggestions for a new motto for the Corps. Sykes approved J S Yule's suggestion, Per Ardua ad Astra
, and it was this phrase which was subsequently adopted by the Royal Air Force
as its motto.
With the outbreak of World War I
, Royal Flying Corps squadrons were deployed to France in August 1914. Although the configuration and effectiveness of the deployed forces owed much to Sykes, as a middle-ranking officer he lacked the seniority thought necessary for command in the field. General Sir David Henderson
became the General Officer Commanding
the Royal Flying Corps in the Field and Sykes acted as his Chief of Staff.
On 22 November 1914, Henderson was appointed General Officer Commanding the 1st Infantry Division and Sykes took up command of the Royal Flying Corps in the Field. However, Sykes did not spend long in command. The decision to post Henderson and replace him with Sykes was not to Lord Kitchener's
liking and he ordered a reversal of the appointments. On 20 December 1914, Henderson resumed command of the Royal Flying Corps in the Field and Sykes was once again his Chief of Staff.
With the rapid expansion of the Corps, there was a growing debate between those who believed that the Corps should remain under central control and those who believed that its units should be placed under the control of the corps or divisional commanders. Unsurprisingly as Chief of Staff, Sykes took the former view and following increasing arguments, Sykes was posted on 26 May 1915 being placed at the disposal of the Admiralty
.
Sykes visited the Dardanelles
to investigate the confused air situation and after writing a report he was appointed as the Officer Commanding the Royal Naval Air Service
Eastern Mediterranean Station with the naval rank of captain, having briefly been appointed Colonel Commandant in the Royal Marines
. This made Sykes the air commander for the Dardanelles Campaign. During this time he acted on the recommendations of his report, building up his forces which sunk several Turkish ships.
In March 1916 Sykes he was made Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General of the 4th Mounted Division and in June 1916 he was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General at the War Office
with responsibility for organising the Machine Gun Corps
and manpower planning. In late 1917 he served on the British section of the Allied War Council
in Versailles
under General Wilson.
Sykes's military career culminated in his appointment as Chief of the Air Staff from 13 April 1918 to 1 January 1919 when he retired with the rank of Major General
. He was granted the equivalent rank of Air Vice Marshal when the RAF introduced its own rank structure in August 1919.
In February 1919, Sykes led the British Air Section at the Paris Peace Conference
in Versailles.
From 1919 to 1922, Sykes was the Controller of Civil Aviation. He retired from the RAF on 1 April 1919 some months after becoming the Controller-General of Civil Aviation. In 1922 he published Aviation in War and Peace, a history of aviation in three chapters which covered pre-War flight, aviation during World War I and both military and civil aviation in peace time.
In 1922, Sykes entered public political life and at the 1922 general election
in November he was elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Sheffield Hallam from 1922, representing the Conservative Party
. Sykes retained the seat at the 1924 election
. He resigned
the seat on 26 June 1928 to take up an appointment as Governor of Bombay on 8 December 1928, serving in this post until 25 April 1931.
Sykes returned to Great Britain in 1933 and for the next six years he held various directorships and official committees posts. With the outbreak of War in 1939 Sykes offered his services to the British Government but he was not required and so he stood for Parliament once more. Ater the death in May 1940 of Terence O'Connor
, the Solicitor General
and MP for Nottingham Central
, Sykes was returned unopposed in the resulting by-election
. He served as Nottingham Central MP until the 1945 general election
, when the seat was won for Labour
by Geoffrey de Freitas
.
, Surrey
and he was a nephew of Godfrey Sykes
. Frederick Sykes was born in Addiscombe
and married Isabel H. Law, the daughter of Conservative Prime Minister Andrew Bonar Law in 1920. Their son Bonar Sykes (1922–1998) was an officer in the Royal Navy
during World War II
who was present at the D-Day
landings, and subsequently a member of the diplomatic corps, a farmer and High Sheriff of Wiltshire
who married Mary, daughter of ambassador Sir Eric Phipps
; they had four sons: Hugh Sykes, David Sykes, James Sykes and Alan Sykes. Hugh went on to have one son Nicholas Sykes (17/11/84). James had one son, William Mostyn Bonar Sykes (11/07/88) and one daughter, Catherine Elizabeth Mary Sykes (17/08/90). Alan had one son, Samuel Sykes (04/05/92).
– 1928
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India
– 1934
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
– 3 November 1928
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
– 1919
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
– 1 January 1919
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
– 14 March 1916
Mentioned in Despatches – 19 October 1914, 14 March 1916
Knight of Justice of the Order of St John – 1936
Order of St Vladimir, 4th Class (Russia
) – 12 April 1916
Order of Leopold, Commander (Belgium) – 15 July 1919
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
– 15 July 1919
Legion of Honour, Croix de Commandeur (France) – 18 November 1919
Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class
(Japan) – 4 January 1921
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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...
The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes GCSI
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
, GCIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, GBE
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...
, KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(23 July 1877 – 30 September 1954) was a military officer, British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
statesman and politician.
Sykes was a junior officer in the 15th Hussars
15th The King's Hussars
The 15th The King's Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. First raised in 1759, it saw service over two centuries, before being amalgamated into the 15th/19th Hussars in 1922.-Formation:...
before becoming interested in military aviation. He was the first Officer Commanding the Military Wing of 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...
before World War I and later served as the Flying Corps' Chief of Staff in France during the 1914 and 1915. Later in the War, he served in the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
in the Eastern Mediterranean before returning to Great Britain where he worked to organise the Machine Gun Corps
Machine Gun Corps
The Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank...
and manpower planning. In late 1917 and early 1918, Sykes was the deputy to General Wilson on the Supreme War Council
Supreme War Council
The Supreme War Council was a central command created by British Prime Minister David Lloyd George to coordinate Allied military strategy during World War I. It was founded in 1917, and was based in Versailles...
and from April 1918 to early 1919 he served as the second Chief of the Air Staff.
After the War, Sykes was appointed the Controller of Civil Aviation and he continued in this role until 1922 when he entered politics, becoming the Conservative MP for Sheffield Hallam, which he held until 1928 when he resigned. From 1928 to 1931 Sykes was Governor of Bombay, after which time he returned to Great Britain where he involved himself in business and public life. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Sykes was an MP once more, this time for Central Nottingham
Nottingham Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottingham Central was a borough constituency in the city of Nottingham. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. He lost his seat in 1945 and he died nine years later.
Military career
Following civilian employment as a clerk and after working on a tea plantation in Ceylon, Sykes enlisted as a trooper in the Imperial YeomanryImperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
Scouts regiment of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
at the start of the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. Following capture, Sykes was forcibly marched across South Africa but was later abandoned and returned to the British forces. In 1900 he was commissioned into Lord Roberts'
Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts
Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, Bt, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, KStJ, PC was a distinguished Indian born British soldier who regarded himself as Anglo-Irish and one of the most successful British commanders of the 19th century.-Early life:Born at Cawnpore, India, on...
Bodyguard but suffered a serious wound to the chest which resulted in his being invalided back to Great Britain. On 2 October 1901 he was granted a regular commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the 15th Hussars
15th The King's Hussars
The 15th The King's Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. First raised in 1759, it saw service over two centuries, before being amalgamated into the 15th/19th Hussars in 1922.-Formation:...
. In the following years, Sykes served in India and, for a short time, in West Africa.
In 1904, Sykes's interest in aviation was first demonstrated when he obtained his ballooning certificate whilst being attached to the Balloon Section of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
. In 1910 Sykes commenced flying lessons at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
which led to him being awarded Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
certificate No. 96 in June 1911.
In February 1911, Sykes was posted as a staff officer to the Directorate of Military Operations at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
. As a firm believer in the importance of wartime aerial reconnaissance, he was chosen to join the sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence which was given the task of investigating the use of aircraft. Brigadier-General Henderson
David Henderson (general)
Lieutenant General Sir David Henderson KCB, KCVO, DSO, LLD was an officer in the British Army who came to be considered as the leading authority on tactical intelligence during the early years of the 20th century...
and Major McInness also served on the same sub-committee and their recommendations (given in 1912) were accepted by the Committee of Imperial Defence and resulted in the formation of 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...
.
On 13 May 1912 Sykes was appointed Officer Commanding the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps. His duties included the recruitment and training of pilots. Whilst in command, Sykes solicited suggestions for a new motto for the Corps. Sykes approved J S Yule's suggestion, Per Ardua ad Astra
Per ardua ad astra
Per ardua ad astra is the motto of the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces such as the RAAF, RCAF, and RNZAF. It dates from 1912 and was used by the newly formed Royal Flying Corps.-Origin:The first Commanding Officer of the Royal Flying Corps was Colonel Frederick Sykes...
, and it was this phrase which was subsequently adopted by the 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...
as its motto.
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...
, Royal Flying Corps squadrons were deployed to France in August 1914. Although the configuration and effectiveness of the deployed forces owed much to Sykes, as a middle-ranking officer he lacked the seniority thought necessary for command in the field. General Sir David Henderson
David Henderson (general)
Lieutenant General Sir David Henderson KCB, KCVO, DSO, LLD was an officer in the British Army who came to be considered as the leading authority on tactical intelligence during the early years of the 20th century...
became the General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
the Royal Flying Corps in the Field and Sykes acted as his Chief of Staff.
On 22 November 1914, Henderson was appointed General Officer Commanding the 1st Infantry Division and Sykes took up command of the Royal Flying Corps in the Field. However, Sykes did not spend long in command. The decision to post Henderson and replace him with Sykes was not to Lord Kitchener's
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...
liking and he ordered a reversal of the appointments. On 20 December 1914, Henderson resumed command of the Royal Flying Corps in the Field and Sykes was once again his Chief of Staff.
With the rapid expansion of the Corps, there was a growing debate between those who believed that the Corps should remain under central control and those who believed that its units should be placed under the control of the corps or divisional commanders. Unsurprisingly as Chief of Staff, Sykes took the former view and following increasing arguments, Sykes was posted on 26 May 1915 being placed at the disposal of the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
.
Sykes visited the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
to investigate the confused air situation and after writing a report he was appointed as the Officer Commanding the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
Eastern Mediterranean Station with the naval rank of captain, having briefly been appointed Colonel Commandant in the Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
. This made Sykes the air commander for the Dardanelles Campaign. During this time he acted on the recommendations of his report, building up his forces which sunk several Turkish ships.
In March 1916 Sykes he was made Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General of the 4th Mounted Division and in June 1916 he was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
with responsibility for organising the Machine Gun Corps
Machine Gun Corps
The Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank...
and manpower planning. In late 1917 he served on the British section of the Allied War Council
Supreme War Council
The Supreme War Council was a central command created by British Prime Minister David Lloyd George to coordinate Allied military strategy during World War I. It was founded in 1917, and was based in Versailles...
in Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
under General Wilson.
Sykes's military career culminated in his appointment as Chief of the Air Staff from 13 April 1918 to 1 January 1919 when he retired with the rank of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. He was granted the equivalent rank of Air Vice Marshal when the RAF introduced its own rank structure in August 1919.
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
in Versailles.
From 1919 to 1922, Sykes was the Controller of Civil Aviation. He retired from the RAF on 1 April 1919 some months after becoming the Controller-General of Civil Aviation. In 1922 he published Aviation in War and Peace, a history of aviation in three chapters which covered pre-War flight, aviation during World War I and both military and civil aviation in peace time.
Political career
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
in November he was elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Sheffield Hallam from 1922, representing the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. Sykes retained the seat at the 1924 election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
. He resigned
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
the seat on 26 June 1928 to take up an appointment as Governor of Bombay on 8 December 1928, serving in this post until 25 April 1931.
Sykes returned to Great Britain in 1933 and for the next six years he held various directorships and official committees posts. With the outbreak of War in 1939 Sykes offered his services to the British Government but he was not required and so he stood for Parliament once more. Ater the death in May 1940 of Terence O'Connor
Terence O'Connor
Sir Terence James O'Connor was a Conservative Party politician in the United KingdomHe was elected to the House of Commons at the 1924 general election, as Member of Parliament for Luton, but lost his seat at the October 1929 general election to the Liberal candidate, Leslie Burgin.O'Connor...
, the Solicitor General
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
and MP for Nottingham Central
Nottingham Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottingham Central was a borough constituency in the city of Nottingham. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, Sykes was returned unopposed in the resulting by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. He served as Nottingham Central MP until the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, when the seat was won for Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
by Geoffrey de Freitas
Geoffrey de Freitas
Sir Geoffrey Stanley de Freitas was a British politician and diplomat. For many years a Labour Member of Parliament, he also served as British High Commissioner in Accra and Nairobi, and later as President of the Council of Europe....
.
Family life
Frederick Sykes's father was Henry Sykes of AddiscombeAddiscombe
Addiscombe is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south of Charing Cross.It is situated just to the northeast of central Croydon, and is home to a high proportion of people who commute to Central London, owing to its proximity to the busy...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and he was a nephew of Godfrey Sykes
Godfrey Sykes
Godfrey Sykes was an English designer and painter.After an apprenticeship to the Sheffield engraver James Bell, he trained at the Sheffield School of Art from 1843 and taught there from 1857...
. Frederick Sykes was born in Addiscombe
Addiscombe
Addiscombe is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south of Charing Cross.It is situated just to the northeast of central Croydon, and is home to a high proportion of people who commute to Central London, owing to its proximity to the busy...
and married Isabel H. Law, the daughter of Conservative Prime Minister Andrew Bonar Law in 1920. Their son Bonar Sykes (1922–1998) was an officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who was present at the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings, and subsequently a member of the diplomatic corps, a farmer and High Sheriff of Wiltshire
High Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
who married Mary, daughter of ambassador Sir Eric Phipps
Eric Phipps
Sir Eric Clare Edmund Phipps, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, PC was a British diplomat.-Family and early life:Phipps was the son of Sir Constantine Phipps, later British Ambassador to Belgium, and his wife Maria Jane...
; they had four sons: Hugh Sykes, David Sykes, James Sykes and Alan Sykes. Hugh went on to have one son Nicholas Sykes (17/11/84). James had one son, William Mostyn Bonar Sykes (11/07/88) and one daughter, Catherine Elizabeth Mary Sykes (17/08/90). Alan had one son, Samuel Sykes (04/05/92).
Honours and awards
Privy CouncillorPrivy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
– 1928
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
– 1934
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
– 3 November 1928
Knight Grand Cross 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...
– 1919
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
– 1 January 1919
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
– 14 March 1916
Mentioned in Despatches – 19 October 1914, 14 March 1916
Knight of Justice of the Order of St John – 1936
Order of St Vladimir, 4th Class (Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
) – 12 April 1916
Order of Leopold, Commander (Belgium) – 15 July 1919
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
– 15 July 1919
Legion of Honour, Croix de Commandeur (France) – 18 November 1919
Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
(Japan) – 4 January 1921
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