Keith Park

Infobox Military Person
name= Keith Rodney Park
lived= 15 June 1892 – 6 February 1975 (aged 82)
placeofbirth= Thames, New Zealand
placeofdeath=


caption=Sir Keith Park
nickname=
allegiance=British Commonwealth
serviceyears=1911 – 1946
rank= Air Chief Marshal
commands=No. 11 Group RAF
unit=
battles= First World War
*Gallipoli Campaign
*Battle of the Somme
Second World War
*Battle of Britain
*Battle of Malta
*Pacific Theatre of Operations
awards=Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Military Cross & Bar
Distinguished Flying Cross
Legion of Merit (USA)
laterwork= City Councillor, New Zealand

Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Rodney Park GCB, KBE, MC and Bar, DFC, RAF (15 June 1892 - 6 February 1975) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. Park was in tactical command during two of the most significant air battles in the European theatre in the Second World War, the Battle of Britain and the Battle of Malta.

Early life and army career

Park was born in Thames, New Zealand. He was the son of a Scottish geologist for a mining company. An undistinguished young man, but keen on guns and riding, Keith Park served in the cadets at school and joined the Army as a Territorial soldier in the New Zealand Field Artillery. In 1911, at age 19, he went to sea as a purser aboard collier and passenger steamships, earning the family nickname "skipper".

When the First World War broke out, Park left the ships and joined his artillery battery. As a non-commissioned officer he participated in the landings at Gallipoli in April 1915, going ashore at Anzac Cove. In the trench warfare that followed Park distinguished himself and in July 1915 gained a commission as second lieutenant. He commanded an artillery battery during the August 1915 attack on Suvla Bay and endured more months of squalor in the trenches. At this time he took the unusual decision to transfer from the New Zealand Army to the British Army, joining the Royal Horse and Field Artillery.

Park was evacuated from Gallipoli in January 1916. The battle had left its mark on him both physically and mentally, though, in later life, he would remember it with nostalgia. He particularly admired the ANZAC commander, Sir William Birdwood, whose leadership style and attention to detail would be a model for Park in his later career.

After the hardship at Gallipoli, Park's battery was shipped to France to take part in the Battle of the Somme. Here he learned the value of aerial reconnaissance, noting the manner in which German aircraft were able to spot Allied artillery for counterbattery fire and getting an early taste of flight by being taken aloft to check his battery's camouflage. On 21 October 1916 Park was blown off his horse by a German shell. Wounded, he was evacuated to England and graded "unfit for active service," which technically meant he was unfit to ride a horse. After a brief spell recuperating and doing training duties at Woolwich Depot, he joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in December 1916.

Flying career First World War

In the RFC Park first learned to instruct and then learned to fly. After a spell as an instructor (March 1917 to the end of June) he was posted to France and "managed" a posting to join 48 Squadron, at La Bellevue (near Arras), on 7 July 1917. Within a week the squadron moved to Frontier Aerodrome just east of Dunkirk. Park flew the new Bristol Fighter (a two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft) and soon achieved successes against German fighters, earning, on 17 August, the Military Cross for shooting down one, two "out of control" and damaging a fourth enemy during one sortie. He was promoted to temporary captain on 11 September.

After a break from flying he returned to France as a major to command 48 Squadron. Here he showed his ability as a tough but fair commander, showing discipline, leadership and an understanding of the technical aspects of air warfare.

By the end of the war the strain of command had all but exhausted Park, but he had achieved much as a pilot and commander. He had earned a bar to his Military Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the French Croix de Guerre. His final tally of aircraft claims was five destroyed and 14 (and one shared) "out of control". (His 13th "Credit"—of 5 September 1917—was Lieutenant Franz Pernet of "Jasta Boelcke" (a stepson of General Erich Ludendorff) killed.) [ [http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/people/32657-ludendorffs-son.html Ludendorff] ] He was also shot down twice during this period.

After the Armistice he married the beautiful London socialite Dorothy "Dol" Parish.

Interwar years

Between the wars Park commanded RAF stations and was an instructor before becoming a staff officer to Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding in 1938.

econd World War

The Battle of Britain

With the rank of air vice marshal, Park took command of No. 11 Group RAF, responsible for the fighter defence of London and southeast England, in April 1940. He organized fighter patrols over France during the Dunkirk evacuation and in the Battle of Britain his command took the brunt of the Luftwaffe's air attacks. Flying his personalised Hawker Hurricane around his fighter airfields during the battle, Park gained a reputation as a shrewd tactician with an astute grasp of strategic issues and as a popular "hands-on" commander. However, he became embroiled in an acrimonious dispute with Air Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory, commander of 12 Group. Leigh Mallory, already envious of Park for leading the key 11 Group while 12 Group was left to defend airfields, repeatedly failed to support Park. Park's subsequent prickliness of character during the Big Wing controversy contributed to his and Dowding's removal from command at the end of the battle. Park was to be bitter on this matter for the rest of his life. He was sent to Training Command.

Later career

. From there his squadrons participated in the North African and Sicilian campaigns. In February 1945 he was appointed Allied Air Commander, South-East Asia, where he served until the end of the war.

On leaving the Royal Air Force he personally selected a Supermarine Spitfire to be donated to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. This aircraft is still on display today along with his service decorations and uniform.

The above photograph depicts a Hawker Hurricane Mk I painted as Park's personnel mount during the Battle of Britain.

He retired and was promoted to air chief marshal on 20 December 1946 and returned to New Zealand, where he took up a number of civic roles and was elected to the Auckland City Council. He lived in New Zealand until his death on 6 February 1975 aged 82 years.

Tributes and honours

Although he has not received widespread public recognition, either in Britain or his native New Zealand, Park has a claim to be one of the greatest commanders in the history of aerial warfare. The decisive tactical victories he achieved in the Battle of Britain and again at the Battle of Malta not only demonstrated his leadership qualities and deep understanding of air operations, but were both strategically significant in determining the course of World War II.

Park was made a Commander of the American Legion of Merit in 1947. [LondonGazette |issue=37998 |date=24 June 1947 |startpage=2940 |supp=x |accessdate=2008-09-21]

Keith Park Crescent, a residential road near the former RAF Biggin Hill, is named after Park.

A Southern Railway (Great Britain) West Country Class/Battle of Britain Class locomotive, no. 21C153 / 34053 was named after him in 1948. This locomotive carried Park's name and coat of arms on its side. The locomotive has survived into preservation, although it has not yet been restored to working order.

In the film "Battle of Britain" (1969), Park was portrayed by Trevor Howard.

Sir Keith Park is commemorated by the Sir Keith Park Memorial Airfield, the aviation section of the Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, New Zealand, the gate guardian of which is a replica of Park's Hawker Hurricane, OK1.

In 2008, London financier Terry Smith and others initiated an international campaign to erect a permanent statue of Park on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, in recognition of his work as commander of No. 11 Group during the Battle of Britain. [ [http://www.sirkeithpark.com. The Sir Keith Park Memorial Campaign site] ] Harding, Thomas. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/25/nhero125.xml "City boss calls for statue of war hero".] "The Daily Telegraph" 26 February 2008. Retrieved: 16 August 2008.] London Mayor Boris Johnson is on record as saying that devoting the plinth permanently to Park, while certainly worthy, might not be easy to facilitate. [Kay, Martin. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4566463a11.html "Kiwi war hero in battle of the plinth."] "The Dominion Post" 31 May 2008. Retrieved: 16 August 2008.]

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Deighton, Len. "Fighter: The True Story of the Battle of Britain". London: Jonathan Cape, 1977 (Originally published: London: Pimlico, 1996). ISBN 0-71267-423-3.
* Hough, Richard. "The Battle of Britain: The Greatest Air Battle of World War II". New York: W.W. Norton, 1989 (hardcover, ISBN 0-393-02766-X); 2005 (paperback, ISBN 0-393-30734-4).
* Orange, Vincent. "Park: The Biography of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, GCB, KBE, MC, DFC, DCL". London: Grub Street, 2000. ISBN 1-90230-461-6.

External links

* [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/nzealand/park.php Keith Park at The Aerodrome]
* [http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/default.asp?Find_Quick.asp?PersonEssay=1B39 Dict of NZ Biog]
* [http://nzedge.com/heroes/park.html Opinion of "The New Zealand Edge"]
* [http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Park.htm Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Chf Mshl Park]
* [http://www.spitfiresite.com/1942-defence-of-malta.htm Combat History of the Supermarine Spitfire - The Defence of Malta (1942)]
* [http://www.southern-locomotives.co.uk/keithpark.php Southern Locomotives Ltd page on Sir Keith Park]