Battle of Britain Hero to be Remembered in Trafalgar Square - Tuesday 3 November 2009

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A statue of World War Two hero Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park will be unveiled on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday 4 November 2009.

Sir Keith commanded Number 11 Group of Fighter Command which had responsibility for the defence of London and the South East during the Battle of Britain and his inspirational leadership and tactical brilliance was central to Britain winning the battle, which in turn helped determine the outcome of the entire Second World War. His statue will be on the Fourth Plinth for six months and then 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.

The Trafalgar Square event will commence at 4pm with weather permitting, a Royal Air Force flypast of a Spitfire and Typhoon from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, following which, supported by the Central Band of the RAF and the Queen’s Colour Squadron, the statue will be unveiled by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, Terry Smith, Chairman of the Sir Keith Park Memorial Campaign and Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, Chief of the Air Staff.

Commenting on the pending unveiling, Air Vice-Marshal Greg Bagwell, the modern day equivalent of Sir Keith Park, who currently commands the Air Defence fighter squadrons that protect UK airspace today, commented:

“One of the Royal Air Force’s key roles, on its formation in 1918, was and remains the control of the airspace above the UK, to ensure that the country is safe from air attack. Today, as they were during the Battle of Britain, a force of fighter aircraft are held on ‘quick reaction alert’ all year round, day and night, with a remit to ‘scramble’ within a few minutes to intercept any aircraft that enters the UK’s airspace without proper authorisation. Sir Keith Park’s legacy endures today through the unwavering courage, professionalism and dedication of the men and women who serve in the Royal Air Force.

For further information about Sir Keith Park please go to

http://www.sirkeithpark.com/biography.aspx

Homepage Image: Battle of Britain veterans with the final representation statue of Sir Keith Park; BoB veterans pictured: Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC AFC AE RAF Ret'd, Flt. Lt. Owen Burns RAF Ret'd, Flt. Lt. Keith Lawrence DFC RAF Ret'd, Flt. Lt. William Walker RAF Ret'd, Lt. John Keatings RAF Ret'd, Sqn Ldr Tony Iveson AFC AE RAF Ret'd

Image 1: Sir Keith Park

Image 2: Final Representation Maquette of Sir Keith Park showing Tower Bridge in the Background

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