Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park

Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, a New Zealander by birth, had been a First World War fighter and squadron commander. Between the wars, Park was station commander of various airfields. Before 1940 he was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer of Fighter Command under Sir Hugh (later Lord) Dowding. The Battle of Britain was the first major campaign to be fought entirely by air forces and it is said that, while Dowding controlled the Battle of Britain from day to day, it was Keith Park who controlled it hour by hour. He was in personal command on some key dates: 13 August- Adler Tag (Eagle Day), 18 August - the Hardest Day and 15 September - Battle of Britain Day. On the latter, the Prime Minister was present at No. 11 Group’s bunker when almost all the RAF’s fighters were committed to the fighting except three squadrons. Park had asked whether he could send the final three in to fight. Churchill enquired: ‘How many more have you got?’ ‘None’, Park replied — ‘I am putting in my last’. Nevertheless, the day was won and the over 200 enemy aircraft were unable to crack Britain’s fighter force. Hitler decided to postpone the invasion of Britain indefinitely. Park's leadership, and his men's bravery, denied the Luftwaffe air superiority. After the war when the Nazi's most senior commander, Field Marshal von Rundstedt, was asked which battle he regarded as most decisive, he replied: ’The Battle of Britain’.