Not forgetting his sterling service in Malta or the CBI either. An inspirational leader. On top of that, he was an ace in WWI! Explore MOTAT, Auckland's Museum of Transport and Technology
Statue to Keith Park in Trafalgar Square?? There's a campaign to get a statue of Sir Keith Park on the vacant plinth of Trafalgar Square City boss calls for statue of war hero - Telegraph Let's hope so! But I fear this would be a bit too patriotic for Ken Livingstone.
Livingstone supports statue but not in Trafalgar: BBC NEWS | England | London | Call for tribute to war commander
I am sorry to say, that Sir Keith Park, went don in my estimation because of the speech he made to the munitineers of Seltar and his subseqent handling of the situation.
The vast majority of people at Seletar and other stations in the Far East were "hostilities only". Now that the war was ended, naturally, their thought turned to getting discharged and home. However, Operation Zipper, the plan for the repatriation of the men, was changed from 10,000 men a month down to five. In addition, there was no real work for the thousands of men because flying had be drastically curtailed. It meant that men had to report for working parade at 0800, told to stand down and come back for a working parade at 1700. So time lay heavy in their hands anf the cnditions that they had to live was still basically field conditions with not real facilities. Eventually, talk of taking strike action went round the camp and a committe was formed to list their demands and to talk to the "bosses". Which in this case was in the form of Sir keith Park, he basically told the strikers that they were a bunch of wasterals and skivers who should stop their whining and get on with the jobs that they were supposed be doing! And, if he had anything too do with it, he would jail every last one of them. The discount actually took place in up to 60 RAF and RIAF camps. The Times, actually claimed that the agaitation was passed by Wireless OPs who were in league with the Strikers!
An interesting and understandable state of affairs. Thanks, Morseman. Almost sounds as though Park was not aware of their lack of "employment".
London mayor supports Sir Keith Park statue New Zealand, world, sport, business & entertainment news on Stuff.co.nz
Would be great to see his achievement recognised. There may be some education forthcoming when the younger generation ask: Who is he? What did he do? Where is New Zealand?
