Sir Miles Thomas This year's Chairman of the International Air Transport Association, which recently held its seventh annual meeting in London, was Sir Miles Thomas Kt, D.F.C., M.I.Mech.E., M.S.A.E., Chairman of British Overseas Airways Corporation since 1947. Fifty-four-year-old Sir Miles has had a long and varies experience, in transport both on land and in the air. Starting of as a private in Armoured Cars during the first World War he was commissioned in the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 and served in Mesopotamia, Persia and South Russia. In between the wars he joined Lord Nuffield's organisation and became President of Morris-Oxford Motors. October 11, 1951. (Photo by Camera Press Ltd.).