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Review
Thoroughly researched, generously rich in references ... Park emereges as a man who never failed at any task given him, yet whose career has attracted almost no coverage. Professor Orange brings him out of the shadows and the result is most strongly recommended --Pennant Magazine
Grab anything by Vincent Orange for he chooses interesting subjects and writes about them superbly. His characteristic clarity of thought and expression and sense of occasion are evident in this study of Sir Keith Park. --Air Mail
Grab anything by Vincent Orange for he chooses interesting subjects and writes about them superbly. His characteristic clarity of thought and expression and sense of occasion are evident in this study of Sir Keith Park. --Air Mail
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If ever any one man won the Battle of Britain, he did. I don't believe it is realized how much that one man, with his leadership, his calm judgement and his skill, did to save not only this country, but the world. So wrote Marshal of the RAF Lord Tedder in 1947. As commander of No. 11 Group, Fighter Command and responsible for the air defence of London and South-East England, Keith Park took charge of the day-to-day direction of the battle. In spotlighting his thoughts and actions during the crisis, the author reveals a man whose unfailing energy, courage and cool resourcefulness won not only supreme praise from Churchill but the lasting respect and admiration of all who served under him. However, few officers in any of the services packed more action into their lives, and this book covers the whole of his career - youth in New Zealand, success as an ace fighter pilot in World War I, postings to South America and Egypt, Battle of Britain, Command of the RAF in Malta 1942/43, and finally Allied Air Commander-in-Chief of South East Asia under Mountbatten in 1945. His contribution to victory and peace was immense and this biography aims to shed light on the Big Wing controversy of 1940 and give insight into the war in Burma, 1945, and how the huge problems remaining after the war's sudden end were dealt with. Drawn largely from unpublished sources and interviews with people who knew Park, and illustrated with maps and photographs, this is an authoritative biography of one of the world's greatest unsung heroes.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A magnificent tribute,
By
This review is from: Park: The Biography of Air Chief Marshall Sir Keith Park, GCB, KBE, MC, DFC, DCL (Paperback)
This story of Keith Park's life is a truly remarkable journey through the 1930s to his death in the 1970s. His unfailing steadfastness, professionalism and expertise halted the Nazi rampage over Western Europe. His ability to "get it right first time" was uncanny, his sector felt the brunt of the German air assault in 1940 and together with Dowding he gave the Nazi war machine its first undeniable defeat. The book is extremely well written and the author seems to have gotten access to all the necessary facts to keep the reader keenly interested.
One shudders to think what would have happened had Park not been in charge of 11 Group this book explains clearly just how vital his sector was and how he managed his squadrons and personnel, he was clearly light years ahead of his contemporaries. The book also illustrates Parks further career and the politics that surrounded it. Other nations would have re-named their country after him had he done for them what he did for Great Britain in those dark dangerous days in the summer of 1940. If you want to know about how the Battle of Britain was fought and won this book will give you most of what you need.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A superb read and worthy of a 6 star rating,
By
This review is from: Park: The Biography of Air Chief Marshall Sir Keith Park, GCB, KBE, MC, DFC, DCL (Paperback)
After reading, and thoroughly enjoying, Vincent Orange's biography of Hugh "Stuffy" Dowding I set out to read this book and enjoyed the biography of Park even more than that of Dowding (which I reviewed and gave 5 stars to).
The biography charts the life of Air Chief Marshall Sir Keith Park, a man that did more than any other single individual to help us win the Battle of Britain. His calm, thorough and intelligent leadership and planning helped all those who fought in this battle to win and to diminish seriously the threat of invasion. Yet as you read this marvellous book you realise that he spent almost as much time having to battle the Air Ministry and people like Leigh-Mallory to get his plans put into action. I will not use this review to describe the events of Park's life, Vincent Orange has done a fantastic job of that, but I will say that I was very taken by Park's personality, a calm, patient, thorough and intelligent man who had the welfare of his troops at the very heart of his work. It is a crying shame that this man is not more widely recognised for the amazing work he did and to this end I would encourage everyone to read this book and rejoice that at our most desperate hour we had men like Park on our side.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The man who saved Britain,
By
This review is from: Park: The Biography of Air Chief Marshall Sir Keith Park, GCB, KBE, MC, DFC, DCL (Paperback)
If Keith Park had been an American a movie would have been made about him.
The British treated him as a Colonial. He was not one of the old school. His success created enormous jealousy amongst those that were. One example is Leigh-Mallory who did everything he could to undermine Park. His pedantic behaviour and lack of cooperation with Park during the battle of Britain could have resulted in the loss of the Battle. Britain should should count itself fortunate that a man of Parks skill and mana was the commander of Group 11 at that most important time in history.
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