HoS highlights Sir Keith Park campaign
Good to see Herald on Sunday highlighting the campaign for a memorial in London to Sir Keith Park.
I blogged on the campaign a few weeks ago.
You can help the campaign, through their campaign site.
Sir Keith helped make the world a better place, leading the defence of London during the Battle of Britain. If they had failed, well we might all have even funnier accents than we currently do 
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Tags: Herald on Sunday, Keith Park
February 16th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
I will repeat again what I said a few weeks ago; it is only a year or two ago that our great leader Helen Clark unveiled an ANZAC memorial in London’s Hyde Park; and the RAF arranged a fly-past of a flight of Tornado Fighter Jets, all piloted by EX Royal New Zealand Air Force pilots……
Some of us actually get the symbolism, and we find it gut-wrenching, to say the least.
Presumably our dear leader Helen Clark either missed such symbolism completely, or finds it distasteful, or even amusing. Not to mention hordes of Kiwis still under her unilateral disarmament benign strategic environment thrall.
February 16th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
“…Sir Keith helped make the world a better place…..”
How easily the younger generations have been allowed to overlook that, or worse, adopt a cringeing, revisionist, Chomsky-ite view of history where we are to blame for all evil in the world.
February 16th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
He helped make the world a better place for me and many others when he owned and operated a Dairy in Wakefield Street opposite O’Rorke Hall.
When the food for lunch was inedible or I was too late I would pop across the road and get one of his rolls or pies.
I suppose now he would be banned from selling junk food to students – but as I remember his rolls they were really good.
He was always genial and good for a chat.
February 17th, 2009 at 7:08 am
I’m torn in two directions on this. Yes – Park should have his memorial in the city he contributed so much to save – why not? But here we are in 2009 and the reality is that the Battle of Britain is [sadly/inevitably] now becoming very blurred and hazy in the popular memory. [FAIK the Battle of Britain probably doesn't feature in any UK - or NZ - school history syllabus?]
I would guess that awareness, insight and respect for this battle amongst the broad swathe of the UK’s [and NZ's] under-40′s ranges from some nominal mental cartoon images to the non-existent – pretty much in the same why that the average person today almost certainly cannot outline the sketchiest particulars of two equally significant battles to the English-speaking peoples: Trafalgar and Waterloo.
February 17th, 2009 at 11:01 am
You have presented MORE reason for a memorial not less Flashman.
We only forget when we choose to.
February 17th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Two bits of trivia (apologies if i’m just repeating the obvious):
1. The film Battle of Britain portrayed Sir Keith. He was the officer in the white flying suit who turned up unannounced in his Hurricane.
2. After the Battle Sir Keith was appointed to head up the air defence of Malta, and resisted the Germans for the entire war, despite being hopelessly out-gunned and with antiquated aircraft.
Surely one of our greatest New Zealanders, who never got the recognition of, say, Charles Upham – but who’s achievements rank alongside.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Park was recognized by his white flying helmet and suit. He frequently appeared at forward fields during the hardest times to help bolster moral. Al Deeres autobiography details Parks ability tojudge when a unit needed to be stood down and when it was ready to go back into action.
This skill at defence was key to the defence of Malta where he had a reputation of detailing to a number of people what their shortcommings were getting them back into the fight. Within some groups Parks reputation is well known.
He lost the post BOB political fight to Trafford Leigh-Mallory and his golden boy Douglas Barder which is why he was punted to Malta fortunately enough. Barder was a supporter of the “big wing” theory rather than the piecemeal attacks used by Park.
As Deere noted in his book when the Germans were on the defensive and had much more time to set their defensive strategy they elected to use the same tactic. Menawhile in 10 of Barder big wing scrambles he was able to contact the enemy only twice (when the German planes had already dropped their bombs) with only one kill.
All credit to Bader for his personal skill and courage – he was not a great air war tactician. Park was.
February 17th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Desive battles that kept England free
Agincourt; Henry 5th
Spainish Armada: sir francis Drake or the dragon as the spainish called him. QE1′s pirate captain.
Waterloo: Duke of Wellington.
Trafalgar: Admiral Lord Nelson
Battle of Britain: Sir keith Park.
Sir keith’s name is synonymous with all the above names and condoned with special mention by Churchill. If the Queen mother had of joined in Churchill’s support, his name would have been lionised.
This is where Montgomery had it over Sir keith; being British.
March 19th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
To find out more about Keith Park, and the importance of his role in the Battle of Britain, check out this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwDkoYw8YJQ