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Battle of Britain hero finally given a place on plinth ... but only for six months
Peter Dominiczak8 May 2009
A Battle of Britain war hero is to be honoured with a temporary statue on the fourth plinth after a dispute over the commitment to contemporary art in Trafalgar Square.
The memorial to Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park will be placed on Trafalgar Square's empty plinth for six months before a permanent statue is installed nearby.
Sir Keith was known as the Defender of London for his heroics against Nazi planes during the Battle of Britain.
The approval of the Trafalgar Square statue comes after a protracted planning row among Westminster councillors, who said the fourth plinth should only be reserved for contemporary art.
Campaigners and supporters of the figurative sculpture of the war hero said no public space should be reserved for just one type of art.
More than 2,500 people had written to the council demanding the statue, by sculptor Les Johnson, be allowed in the square in advance of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain next year.
Planners had recommended that the statue be rejected because it was "too traditional" and clashed with the commitment to keep modern art on the fourth plinth.
The original planning report said the statue would have an "adverse impact" on its surroundings.
But in an unexpected development last night, councillors decided to give the go-ahead to the monument.
Alastair Moss, chairman of the planning and city development committee, said: "I feel it is important that we recognise the huge contribution Sir Keith made in helping to defend Britain, and in particular the capital, from the Nazis during our darkest hour."
Speaking at the meeting Cllr Lee Rowley disagreed with fellow Cllr Margaret Doyle that the plinth should be kept exclusively for contemporary art and supported the statue. He said: "There is arrogance in the notion that a public area could be reserved in perpetuity for a certain type of art."
The campaign had been backed by novelist Frederick Forsyth, General Sir Michael Rose, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day and MPs including Nicholas Soames and Tony Benn. In the autumn, a permanent bronze statue of Sir Keith will be placed in nearby Waterloo Place.
The New Zealander will be portrayed looking up towards the east, the direction from which the enemy aircraft emerged.
A spokesman for Mayor Boris Johnson said: "We are very pleased. We'll be interrupting the Fourth Plinth programme of contemporary art but we feel this is warranted given the exceptional circumstances."
Terry Smith, chairman of the Sir Keith Park memorial campaign, said: "We are delighted. The idea that such an important space is used exclusively for modern art is preposterous."
Reader views (15)
A statue of Sir Keith Park would be most appropriate.
- Samuel Parkinson, Sheffield UK, 21/05/2009 07:13
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This is welcome news from this part of the world where Sir Keith as Air Marshal steered the Royal Air Force to victory against the Axis over the skies of Malta in what was in 1941/42 the most bombed place on earth. I Salute the memory of Sir Keith Park, a great tribute to a great man.
- Stephen Evans, Malta, G.C., 21/05/2009 06:13
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I applaud Jeremy E's wish for all B of B heroes to be represented but there is no room.
Also what about Pat Pattle or Johnnie Johnson et al.
Thank you to those Westminster councillers who supported this but I have little but contempt for the small minded like Madge Doyle who really ought to join her friends Blears, Jowett and Smith when they retire.
Remember Doyle, that it is arrogance to ignore the wishes of those who put you on the Council and I will not be voting for you next time around.
- Minnie Ovens, London, UK, 21/05/2009 06:13
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It's good to have the statue of Sir Keith Park on the fourth plinth in the run-up to the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain - but I'd suggest a better candidate for a permanent memorial would be engineering genius Barnes Wallis.
- K John, London, UK, 21/05/2009 06:13
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Ralph,you are spot on!
- Nack Nack Paddy Mac, kilburn, London UK, 21/05/2009 06:13
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I would like to see a statue of Boris here as he is a great leader.
- Theo, Wesminster, 21/05/2009 06:13
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AVM Park a great New Zealander. One of our saviours in 1940 and to Malta. A victim of spin doctors (Leigh Trafford Mallory and Bader) who got Churchill to sack him and ACM Dowding.
- Richard Alley, Trowbridge, 21/05/2009 06:13
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Park should be joined, not only by Barnes Wallis, but also RJ Mitchell (designes of the Spitfire), Douglas Bader, Sailor Milan, Bob Stanford-Tuck (Battle of Britian Aces) and Guy Gibson (to represent Bomber Command).
- Jeremy E, Home Counties, 21/05/2009 06:13
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Good result! Following on from the Barnes Wallis suggestion here, how's about one of Guy Gibson VC...??
"As great a warrior as this island ever produced"
Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet
- Will, London, 21/05/2009 06:13
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@ Jeremy E, Home Counties: I think cramming 7 figures on one small plinth would look a bit crowded!
How about a change from all the predictable celebration of war and death - let's permanently celebrate instead a true humanitarian and a great example to all Britons: MARY SEACOLE
- Marianne, Sw France/London, SW France/London, 21/05/2009 06:13
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Temporary or not, I will be in London in August and will definatly be taking time to visit this marvellous memorial. What a terrific chap and i think it is a marvellous statue worthy of the man.
- Damien Crossling, Naracoorte, South Australia, 21/05/2009 06:13
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I think the figure of Sir Keith should be shown weeping, as he looks down from heaven and contemplates that all he and the thousands of other heroes did was to save this city for the hatchet faced politically correct creeps and bureaucrats who have now infested and almost destroyed it.
- Steve, London, UK, 21/05/2009 06:13
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Our liberal left wing culture is anti our history, culture and heritage, and they are doing everything to omit the likes of Nelson and Wellington from the history books in our schools. Forget the real heroes who saved this country from tyranny and instead pursue their agenda which is eroding everything which made this country Great!
- Ralph, London, England, 21/05/2009 06:13
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Leave him there. If it had not been for Dowding, Park and their men and women, Hermann Goering would be up there.
- Peter Haldane, London, 21/05/2009 06:13
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6 months? The PC bandits have struck again! One can only imagine what they want to replace it with, probably something nothing to do with the UK.
- Brandon Thomas, SW7 London, UK, 21/05/2009 06:13
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