BATTLE OF BRITAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23880, 3 February 1941, Page 9

BATTLE OF BRITAIN

FIRST PHASE VICTORY NEW ZEALAND AIRMAN COMMAND OF the fighters LONDON, Jan. 3 A New Zealander who has plaved an outstanding part in the winning of the first phase of the Battle of Britain , Alr Vice-Marsha! Keith Bodney lark, youngest son of Professor James lark, who was for many years dean of t the mining faculty at the University e? of Otago. s As Air Officer Commanding the 1 Fighter Group, which has been most I heavily engaged and which was imme--1 diately responsible for the protection of 5 London and the South-East, Air Yicef Marshal Park was mainly responsible 3 for repelling the attacks of the German . air force in the early days of the 1 Battle of Britain. His distinguished 1 services were recognised when the King 1 received him at Buckingham Palace i recently and conferred 011 liitu the j insignia' of a Companion of the Most ? Noble Order of the Bath. Air \ ice-Marshal Park's group took 1 the leading part in providing air pro--5 tection for the British Expeditionary - Force during its evacuation from Dun-J ; kirk. During these operations the New Zealander made several personal flights I in a Hurricane fighter over the Dunkirk area. When the Germans began their bomb--1 ing of Britain, Air Vice-Marshal Park was given the task of directing operations against the Luftwaffe. During the past seven and a-lialf months he , has frequently flown in his own aeroplane to find out for himself the. problems of his pilots. 011 one occasion he 1 was forced down by a British pilot who mistook him for a German. | During the evacuation from Dunkirk lie flew alone behind his squadron, and when the evacuation was completed and ' the last two ships were leaving lie Hew over the town and harbour, being the last British airman to leave.