Malta pushes for statue of war hero at Trafalgar Square

The Malta High Commission in London has joined the campaign for a statue of Sir Keith Park, who was in charge of Malta's air defences during the war, to be sited on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, London.

New Zealander Sir Keith Park was Air Vice Marshal in 1940 in command of squadrons that defended London and the South East during the Battle of Britain. His inspirational leadership led Lord Tedder GCB, Marshal of the RAF, to say of Sir Keith: "If any one man won the Battle of Britain, he did."

After the Battle of Britain Sir Keith was put in charge of the air defence of Malta. The recent MTA re-enactment on the 66th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta featured Sir Keith Park's role in the event.

A scale model of the statue was unveiled at the RAF Club in Piccadilly. Maltese High Commissioner Michael Refalo said: "Malta was the most bombed area of land in the Second World War, with 3,343 air raids over the island. But all that changed when Sir Keith Park tool charge of air defence. Within a month daylight bombing had all but stopped and an offensive had begun.

"A suitable memorial statue to commemorate Sir Keith Park is long overdue and I am sure that the campaign begun by Terry Smith will be successful. I have faith that an appropriate site for the statue will be achieved. It will be a fitting commemoration of Sir Keith Park's role in these important campaigns and a tribute to all those who serve in the RAF," he said.

The Sir Keith Park Campaign is led and funded by Terry Smith, CEO of Tullett, Prebon and Co. and the Malta-based plc Collins Stewart.