SIR KEITH PARK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 39, 14 January 1944, Page 5

SIR KEITH PARK

NEW APPOINTMENT. RUGBY, Jan. 12

The new Air Chief of the Middle East is Air Vice-Marshal Sir Keith Park, who succeeds Air Chief-Mar-shal Sir Sholto Douglas, who has been appointed Chief of the R.A.F. Coastal Command.

Sir Keith Rodney Park in the last few years has becomo one of the most famous of New Zcalanders. He played a decisive part in the Battle of Britain, in which he commanded the No. 11 Fighter Group in the south of Kngland, and he was Air Officer Commanding in Malta in"tho likewise vital and ferocious air battle which was fought for that island and control of the central Mediterranean. Over Dunkirk ho commanded fightprs from his own Hurricane. Other high posts held have been commander of the R.A.F. in Egypt, Chiof of Staff of tho Fighter Command (to which he was appointed in 1938), and Air Officer Commanding the R.A.F. in the Mediterranean (1942). He is the youngest son of Professor James Park, who was for many years doan of the mining faculty at the University of Otago. In a recent wartimo description of Sir Keith tho special correspondent of the Now Zealand Press Association, who toured tho Mediterranean theatre with a party of Empire journalists, said: "Air Vice-Marshal Park, tall, lean, and spare, has a magnetic personality and delightful charm of manner. To him the war would appear to ' resemblo a game in which he does everything to carry thefight to the enemy and out-think _ him. He is in .his element when handling a small force against superior numbers, regarding it as 'extremely interesting.' This mentality undoubtedly helps to account for his success at Dunkirk and the Battles of Britain and Malta. Ho is the acme of thoroughness. Generous in praise for good work, he is of strong and independent mind and states his opinions clearly and forcibly regardless of tho rank of tho others."