Sydney Carline was born in 1888. He studied at the Slade School of Art and in Paris. His brother, Richard Carline (1896-1980) also studied at the Slade.

On the outbreak of the First World War Sydney and Richard both joined the Royal Flying Corps. They served together on the Western Front and in the Middle East. While in Palestine Sydney produced his most important war painting, The Destruction of the Turkish Transport.

In March 1920 Sydney and Richard held an exhibition of their war paintings. Later, Sydney went on to illustrate T. E. Lawrence's Revolt in the Desert.

Sydney Carline died in 1929.