The unveiling of the statue is to take place 11am 27 April 2019 (full details below).
Background: The following article appeared in the book "From Gold Mine to Firing Line."
WWI:
Thames’ Special Soldier
There
are many men and women from the wider Thames area who deserve a special mention
for the services they rendered during World War One. The names of some will be
found in the awards section, indicating they received official recognition.
Many more will have gone unrecorded and their deeds never officially
acknowledged. There is however one soldier who first made a mark in World War
One and subsequently went onto to serve at the highest level in World War Two.
His name was Keith Rodney Park, Serial Number 2/1254.
On 15 June 1892, at Thames, Keith Rodney
Park was born. He was the son of Frances and James Park. James Park was from
Scotland and had attended the Royal School of Mines in London. In New Zealand
he married Frances Olive Rogers in 1880, they had seven daughters and three
sons. In 1889, James Park was appointed director of the Thames School of Mines
and was responsible for many innovations and developments at the school.
The Park family lived out at Totara just
south of Thames, locals recalled in 1946 that the house was a two-storied
building on the Thames side of the cemetery – looking over the lower Kauaeranga
Valley. The house was known as the Park house and later occupied by the Northcroft
family.
More details on the young Keith Park’s time
at Thames can be found in the school records of his siblings. They attended
various schools in the town including: Kauaeranga Boys and Girls, Parawai,
Thames High and Tararu Schools. From 1889 to 1900 the family’s address varied
from: Mt Pleasant, Moanataiari Battery, Queen St, Tararu and Totara. This was
not uncommon in the lives of many Thamesites who travelled around the township
and the schools at somewhat regular intervals.
In early 1899 [1], Keith’s father James
worked for the Moanataiari Goldmining Company and the family address was care
of the Moanataiari Battery. Several of the Park children started school at the
nearby Tararu School, just north of the Thames township. One of these children
was Keith Rodney Park. On 10 April 1899, he was enrolled at Tararu School,
register number 1260. Guardian was Jas Park, address Moanataiari Battery. His previous
school was given as ‘Private School’ – no details given as to where this was
located. Ironically the birthdate given is incorrect, but this was not an
uncommon event in early school registers. Although later reports state that
Park was six years old when he left Thames, these school records show that he
was six years old when he started at Tararu School, where he stayed until
leaving on 17 July 1900 aged eight years of age. Leaving destination was given
as Nelson. His father James didn’t officially leave Thames until March 1901
when he was appointed Professor of Mining at the University of Otago School of
Mines in 1901.[i]
The last record for the Park family at the
Thames, is in the Thames Electoral roll of 1900. Frances and James Park’s
residence was given as Tararu Foreshore, Thames.
Keith Park received his later education at
King’s College in Auckland and the Otago Boys’ High school in Dunedin. Like
many young boys he served in the cadets and then was a territorial soldier in
the Army. In 1911 he worked at sea as a purser. At the start of the war he
enlisted and commenced duty 14 December 1914. Park’s enlistment address was 77
Saint David Street in Dunedin and his father was named as next-of-kin. Serial
Number 2/1254, he was a member of the Field Artillery, promoted to Corporal on
1 February 1915 and he embarked from New Zealand on 14 February 1915 from
Wellington. Park was aboard Transport ship No 17, the HMNZT Maunganui, which arrived at Suez 26
March 1915.
Little information is contained in the New
Zealand war file, the next entry states that 2nd Lieutenant Park was transferred
to the Royal Field Artillery on 3 September 1915. He was at this stage
discharged from the New Zealand Army – a total service of 264 days.
What happened next is featured in a
multitude of sources and summarised on the Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph
database.[ii] During WWI he served with
the British Army, Royal Artillery 1915-January 1916; Royal Flying Corps 1916;
48 Squadron July 1917,1918.
“At the outbreak of the First World War he became a
gunner in the New Zealand Artillery. Park's commission was granted in Gallipoli
in August 1915 for services in the field and was transferred to the 29th
Division. He stayed in Gallipoli until the evacuation and, as Lieutenant, went
to the Western Front. He was wounded at the Somme and relegated to home service
as an Artillery Officer Instructor at Woolwich.
He applied to the Royal Flying Corps and was accepted in
December 1916, completed training and became an instructor. In July 1917 he
joined 48 Squadron to fly Bristol Fighters. He became flight commander in
September 1917, receiving the Military Cross and Bar. He also received a French
Croix de Guerre.” Auckland
War Memorial Cenotaph
After the war, Major Keith Park received his
awards and decorations from the King at Buckingham Palace in May 1920. He had
been awarded the Military Cross, Military Cross and Bar, Distinguished Flying
Cross and the French Croix de Guerre,[iii]
What happened next is beyond the scope of
this book, but needless to say, the ‘boy from Thames’ went on to be remembered
forever for the part he played in World War Two and key events such as the
Battle of Britain.
After WWII, the then Sir Keith Park
returned to Thames for the first time in nearly 40 years. Sir Keith and Lady
Park were treated like royalty in the town. They were driven around to places
that he would have known as a child – visiting homes in the Moanataiari,
Sandes Street and Totara where he lived. He was then given a civic luncheon
at the Hotel Imperial and in the afternoon addressed the pupils at Thames
High School. During the information speech he mentioned Churchill, Eisenhower
and Montgomery – who had all been great scholars. “Speaking of Mr Churchill,
whom he had known personally, Sir Keith described him as a ‘ball of fire.’”
Sir Keith had these comments to make about
the town. “It is a great honour to come back to receive a welcome like this
from Thames.” He remarked the town had
changed little. “My recollections of the town are that it was full of bustle
and noise…It seemed very busy and prosperous.” Remarking that this was 46
years ago during the gold period.[iv]
|
 |
Sir
Keith Park died in Auckland on 6 February 1975. He is remembered at the Thames
airfield which in 2010 was renamed the ‘Sir Keith Park Memorial Thames
Airfield’. This was at the same time as the unveiling of Sir Keith Park’s
statue in London to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. A
Thames boy who left his mark on history.
Endnotes:
[1] In 1896 James Park had been employed by the Anglo-Continental Goldmining Syndicate.
[i] http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3p8/park-james & Thames Star, 4 March 1901, pg 2.
[ii] http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/18405.detail?
[iii] Otago Daily Times, Issue 17988, 15 July 1920, page 7.
[iv] Thames Star 5-19 June 1946, at The Thames Library
