Sir Keith Park OBITUARY Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, GCB, KBE, MC, DFC, who died yesterday in hospital in Auckland, New Zealand, at the age of 82, had a distinguished career- of nearly 36 years with the New Zealand and British: armed forces, and was in com-* mand of forces which greatly contributed to the defeat of the Axis countries in two principal war theatres. In 1940 he became AOC No 11 Group, Fighter Command, which bore the brunt of the fighting in the Battle of Britain ; later he suc- cessfully used his wide know- ledge of air defence in Malta. Keith Rodney Park was born at Thames, New Zealand, on June 15, 1892, the son of Pro- fessor J. Park, and was edu- cated at King's College, Auck- land, Selwyn Collegiate School. Dunedin, Otago Boys School and Otago University of Mines. In 1911-13 he served as a pri- vate in the New Zealand Field Artillery (Territorial Force) and in December, 1914, joined the NZ Expeditionary Force. He was commissioned in the Royal Field Artillery in 1915, and transferred to the RA (Reg- ular Army) in 1916, seeing service in Gallipoli and France. A year later he was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps and on the formation of the Royal Air Force in 1918 was promoted captain. Between 1917 and 1919 he served with Nos 8 and 38 (Reserve) Squadrons and No 48 Squadron, becoming com- manding officer of the last- named on April 10, 1918. He gained the MC and bar in 1917, the Croix de Guerre in 1918, and the DFC in 1919. In between the wars he com- manded RAF Northolt, and tVas chief instructor of the Oxford University Air Squadron. He took the Imperial Defence Col- lege course in 1937, became officer commanding RAF Tang- mere in January, 1938, and later that year, as air commodore. became senior air staff officer at HQ, RAF Fighter Command. In April, 1940, he was appoin- ted Air Officer Commanding, No 11 Group, being confirmed in the rank of air vice-marshal the following July. No 11 Group was responsible for the greater part of protective fighter patrKols, and after the German invasion of the Low Countries in May, 1940, Park on more than one occasion flew his own Hurricane over Dunldrk to gain first-hand intelligence of the progress of the evacuation. When the Battle of Britain began Park instructed his Hur- ricane and Spitfire pilots to split their attacks, half going for the bombers and the others attack- ing the escort, tactics which re- sulted in the German formations flying tighter and thus presen- ting better targets. Towards the end of the Battle, after heavy attacks on No 11 Group's stations, Park's handling of his fighters, and Dowding's overall strategy, were the subject of an informal inquiry, instigated pri- rarily by the AOC, No 12 Group (which covered the Mid- lands), Air Vice-Marshal T. Leigh-Mallory. Park,- with the greatest area to protect, stretch- ing from Southampton to Norwich, had intelligently used his squadrons, with the help of radar, to place them where the enemy raids vere expected, and successfully broke up the forma- tions, even though he had very little- warning of their approach. Leigh-Mallory, on the other hand, employed his fighters in larger "'wing" formations, con- centrating as many as five or even seven squadrons against the raiding bombers, having had tine to amass them and in any case having by that time a better idea of the enemy's targets. The differences between. the two commanders becanie so pro- nounced that eventually the Air Council had to intervene. As it happened, the " wing " tactics wvere officially more favoured, and Park, along with Dowvding, was moved to another post. But the fact remains that the Battle of Britain was won while Park commanded the largest of the fighter groups. While the battle was on he flew 100 hours, maijly in his own fighter. He had, at the end of Julv, 1940, in cooperation with the Vice-Admiral, Dover, acquired some Lysander aircraft to work in conjunction with launches la retrieve aircretv who had come down in the sea, which may be regarded as the begiinning of a comprehensive air/sea r escue organization. In December, 2940, Park he- carne AOC, No 23 Group, Training Command, where his hard-won experience could bc passed on to the noe, generation of pilots. He Was arpointed AOC, Egypt, in January, 1942. and in July, 1942, became AOC Malta, where his first-hand cx- perience of air defence was immediately put to good use. He introduced newv tactics, ir.struc- ting his pilots (then beginning to receive Spitfires in place of Hurricanes) to intercept enemv raids well out to sea and, be- sides attaining greater victories, reduced the possibility of bombs falling on the island itself. Bv the skilful use of his still-limited fighters and bombers he w%as able to restrict movements of en-emy convoys to North Africa. His aircraft supported Tedder's forces at El AIaiiieiil, the ad- vance to Tunisia, and the inva- sion of Sicily. When slpplies began to flow more readily into the Mediterrancan, Park, wiili typical energy, began intensive modernization of the M,1alta bases. He became AOC-in-C, RAF M\Iiddle East, in January, 1944. and-when the cmphasis of ttie var switched from Europe to the Far East-Allied Air- Com- mander, Air Command Soutlh- Last Asia, in February, 1945. Here he assumed the immense responsibility of providing a colossal airlift by RAF and American aircraft of materials to support the Allied troops in Burma, besides the overall coIn- trol of bombers and fighters, which contributed to the suc- cessful conclusion of the war in the Far East. Park retired from the Service in December, 1946. In 1947 Oxford University conferred an honorary DCL on him. He married Dorot'iv 'Mar- gerite, daughter of Lieutenant. Colonel Woodbine Parish, CMG, CB'E, in 1918. He had twvo sons. one of wrhom wvas killed on active service in 1951. His wvife died in 1971. SIR KEITH PARK A leading commander in the Battle of Britaiii