Sir Keith Park: A brilliant and unassuming leader - Yes to a Statue
From The Telegraph via Fleet of Worlds and Samizdata, a suggestion for a long overdue statue of Keith Park, one of (in my view) the two key figures in winning the Battle of Britain. The other was Hugh Dowding for fighting a political and bureaucratic battle to rebuild the RAF with modern equipment in the late 1930s, and for putting in place the best air control system in the world.
From the Telegraph:
A city philanthropist has called for the controversy over the fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square to be permanently resolved by offering to fund a statue in tribute to the man who played a key role in saving Britain from Nazi invasion.
on Keith Park’s role in the Battle:
It was only after the war that the RAF officer’s pivotal role in defending Britain against Luftwaffe attacks was recognised by Lord Tedder, the RAF chief.
“If any one man won the Battle of Britain, he did. I do not believe it is realised how much that one man, with his leadership, his calm judgment and his skill, did to save not only this country but the world,” he said in 1947.
It’s those Scots again:
The New Zealand-born son of a Scottish geologist, Sir Keith fought in the bloody battles of Gallipoli and the Somme before an injury forced him to join the Royal Flying Corps where he achieved at least 20 kills against the Germans.
It was the pilot’s astute tactical awareness of modern air warfare that saw him lead the defence of London and the south-east.
If Alex Salmond will put up a statue in Edinburgh, then I will think slightly less unkindly of him.
So…
- A statue: yes.
- In Trafalgar Square: yes
- On the Fourth Plinth: no. That has proved its value as a place for “guest statues” - both the inane and the fascinating. [Update: On reflection the appropriate place would be in The Strand outside St Clement Danes, the RAF Church.]
Tags: keith park, biggin hill, defender of london, ok1[tags]keith park, biggin hill, defender of london, ok1[/tags]
I agree: a much under-appreciated hero. He gave them a second panning at Malta, too.
I suggest any guest statues can go in front of Tate Modern
but Trafalgar Square is appropriate for Sir Keith Park
or Air Marshall Sir Arthur Harris.
Thanks for the comment Robin.
Bomber Harris already has a statue at St Clement Danes (next to Dowding’s) - which imho is a more important site for the RAF than Trafalgar Square.
The other figure that I think deserves a statue is Leonard Cheshire.
Matt
18th March 2008
How about a statue of Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC., OM and of his wife, Sue Ryder? This would combine memories of their distinguished war careers (Cheshire got his VC for 100 bomber sorties and Sue worked for SOE) with their peacetime vocations (Cheshire founded The Leonard Cheshire Foundation for disabled people and Sue founded The Sue Ryder Foundation for refugees and disabled people). When they married, they combined their interests and talents to support the needy, world-wide.
A statue to them would remind us of heroism in war, the importance of dedicated voluntary support of the needy and of the value of the institution of marriage.
Howard.
Agree entirely. Both inspirational figures.
If I’m being statue nerdy, the other one who should have one is Jean Vanier (L’Arche).
Matt