UK commemorates NZ Battle of Britain Commander 20 Oct 2009
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The statue, presented by the Sir Keith Park Memorial Campaign, will be in place for six months and a permanent memorial statue of Park will then be erected in Waterloo Place on the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain on 15 September 2010.
Sir Keith Park commanded Number 11 Group of Fighter Command – responsible for the defence of London and the South East. He therefore commanded the squadrons which bore the brunt of the Battle of Britain. The failure of Nazi Germany to defeat the RAF in 1940 is seen as Hitler’s first major setback in the Second World War – and forced Germany to call off the planned invasion of Britain. This statue is a fitting memorial to Park as it will be erected in London’s Trafalgar Square, in the heart of the United Kingdom’s capital City which he helped to defend in 1940 and beneath Nelson’s Column – a memorial to another commander (this time Naval) who likewise defended Britain from invasion 135 years earlier.
Park was a New Zealander, who had fought in the First World War in the field artillery first at Gallipoli, and then the Somme where he was wounded and evacuated to England. Medically graded unfit to continue service with the artillery, Park joined the Royal Flying Corps, remaining with the air arm when it was re-formed as the Royal Air Force.
Marshal of the RAF, Lord Tedder, said of Park: "If ever any one man won the Battle of Britain, he did. I don’t believe it is recognised how much this one man, with his leadership, his calm judgement and his skill, did to save not only this country, but the world."
London Mayor Boris Johnson says "London owes an enormous debt to Sir Keith Park for his courage and leadership, which helped with the Battle of Britain. Having a temporary memorial to this great hero in Trafalgar Square is our way of showing gratitude for the bravery and commitment he showed to London and the world."
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