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,A bronze statue of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, commander of No. 11 Group, Fighter
Command, and the man responsible for the protection of London and the South East of
England throughout the Battle of Britain, has been unveiled in Waterloo Place, London.
The unveiling follows the temporary display of a statue of the same design on the Fourth
Plinth in Trafalgar Square for six months from 4 November 2009, and marks
the culmination of a campaign set in motion three years ago, on Battle of Britain Day 2007.
As a Spitfire from the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire flew over the 1000 invited guests, including Battle of Britain veterans and members of Sir Keith Park’s family, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton said; “This statue is a fitting
permanent memorial, in our capital city, to a man without whom
the history of the Battle of Britain could have been so disastrously
different.” He added; “Today’s Royal Air Force honours and
salutes Sir Keith Park, and celebrates our continuing close
relationship with New Zealand whose airmen continue to fly with us
on operations.” His sentiments were echoed by battle veteran Flight
Lieutenant William Walker who flew Spitfires with 616 Squadron;”
Keith Park was a man we all admired. There is no question about it,
he was responsible for winning the Battle of Britain.”
Sir Keith Park, a New Zealander, 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.
Command, and the man responsible for the protection of London and the South East of
England throughout the Battle of Britain, has been unveiled in Waterloo Place, London.
The unveiling follows the temporary display of a statue of the same design on the Fourth
Plinth in Trafalgar Square for six months from 4 November 2009, and marks
the culmination of a campaign set in motion three years ago, on Battle of Britain Day 2007.
As a Spitfire from the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire flew over the 1000 invited guests, including Battle of Britain veterans and members of Sir Keith Park’s family, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton said; “This statue is a fitting
permanent memorial, in our capital city, to a man without whom
the history of the Battle of Britain could have been so disastrously
different.” He added; “Today’s Royal Air Force honours and
salutes Sir Keith Park, and celebrates our continuing close
relationship with New Zealand whose airmen continue to fly with us
on operations.” His sentiments were echoed by battle veteran Flight
Lieutenant William Walker who flew Spitfires with 616 Squadron;”
Keith Park was a man we all admired. There is no question about it,
he was responsible for winning the Battle of Britain.”
Sir Keith Park, a New Zealander, 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.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park
70 years to the day the RAF saw victory in the skies of Britain against the Luftwaffe
The Right Honourable Dr Liam Fox, Secretary of State for Defence, and The Mayor of London Boris Johnson veteran Wing Commander Bob Foster now aged 90 joined Park’s great-great niece Leigh to unveil the permanent memorial.
