The 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square (Sir Keith Park)

[old fart]

Subject: UKNDA - The empty plinth in Trafalgar Square" - A memorial to our Armed Forces in Iraq & Afghanistan

Dear Patrons, President, Vice Presidents, Members and Registered Supporters of the UKNDA.

This is to advise you that our National Development Manager, Martin Cakebread, has come up with the innovative proposal that the 'empty plinth' in Trafalgar Square should be dedicated permanently as a commemorative memorial to the services and sacrifices of our brave Armed Forces in Iraq & Afghanistan. A petition to the Prime Minister is now on the Internet for your attention and, hopefully, signature.

The link to the site is: Petition to: to agree that the vacant plinth in Trafalgar Square should be allocated permanently and dedicated to a statue or other appropriate work of art to honour and commemorate the services given and sacrifices made by our brave Armed Forces in (http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/TributeToForces/)

Please not only visit this site and sign up - but forward this information on as quickly as possible to all of your family, friends and colleagues.

Thank you.

John Muxworthy

Cdr. RN CEO UKNDA


UKNDA Ltd, PO Box 819
Portsmouth, PO1 9FF
[email protected]
023 9283 1728

I,m not sure that this follows the spirit and guidelines of prune so fully understand if it is deleted...............
however ...........
It seems to me to be a great idea.
Cheers
OF

[PPRuNe Pop]

That initiative will have to wait I'm afraid. On 4th November there is a ceremony to erect the statue of Sir Keith Park on the plinth. I am fortunate enough to have an invitation to attend.

It will stay there for a period of some six months and then transferred to a permanent position in Waterloo Place off The Mall. This came after a hard fought campaign to have the great man recognized. Westminster Council, refused the plinth on a long term basis, but suggested the solution above.

It has taken a long time coming but with the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain only a year away, and there being fewer than a 100 BoB fighter pilots left, they can rest knowing their 11 Group Commander has at last got his place for the nation to pay their respects.

[tiredolddog]

This is a great result thanks to the efforts of the educated many. Please be there!

[Cornerstone958]

I think that it's invitation only
CS

[tiredolddog]

You're absolutely right, Trafalgar Square on 4 Nov is "invitation only" - about 1600!

[PFR]

Great result PPRuNe Pop. :ok:Thanks for all your efforts and the no doubt countless others who've campaigned for this great man to be recognised. It's a shame the media and the powers that be don't give more recognition to the true outstanding individuals of this country instead of the puffed up celebrities and primadonnays that are endlessly paraded before us - and I include some of our politicians in that! Rant over::ugh::*

[Chugalug2]

The pity of it is that Sir Keith Park is not set to occupy the fourth plinth permanently. The logic of two commanders separated by some 150 years, that ensured this nation remained uninvaded by the most powerful European country of their day, sharing Trafalgar Square is appealing. One of the objections raised is that the plinth is designed for an equestrian statue. Given that the call for such a statue is much reduced these days, I have an alternative solution. I suggest a statue of Alan Turing astride his bicycle, perhaps dangling the Gas Mask he wore when riding in summer to alleviate the symptoms of Hay Fever from which he suffered. The Great Leader has supposedly set out to make amends for how the country treated this modest and eccentric man. Without him we might have lost the Battle of the Atlantic and have to sue for peace, sparing the Germans the need to invade. At the very least Bletchley Park is credited for shortening the war by three years and sparing the loss of many more lives. We should restore Bletchley Park to commemorate our debt to the Geese who laid Churchill's Golden Eggs and never cackled and we should put Turing on the fourth plinth in London.

[ihoharv]

We'll never see him on the Fourth Plinthe, of course, but I appreciate Chugalug's thoughts, observations, & sentiments. Lord, the things we used to do to people....

[PPRuNe Pop]

Invitation only is for some who have given their support to the campaign in one way another over the past few years. I guess that there will be a small area for these folk but there is plenty of viewing space overlooking the plinth, and while I do not know the extent of it I am sure there would be a very good chance to see the proceedings.

I will be happy just to see the pride on the faces of the great man's relations from New zealand. And, of course, on the faces of the BoB pilots whose personal pride will surely show no bounds.

[Double Zero]

While I agree with commerorating Sir Keith Park, and Alan Turin ( did he get any recognition, i.e. medals ? Even a posthumous TOP medal would at least may be of help to his relatives, and he certainly deserved it to put it mildly ) A.T.s' vital work may well have tipped the balance for the Allies, may I suggest in the short term covering the B of B anniversary the statue of ' Park, then in the longer term something to remember all the UK services ( haven't got a clue how to combine a Spitfire - yes I know the Hurricane did the B of B work but the Spit' looks better and grabs public attention -, + say a Flower Class Corvette, and a lone ' Tommy ' soldier.

Any suggestions as to how to do this ? - I believe Pprune is the place to ask !

If the plinth can fit a Wellingtonian type on a horse, maybe a relatively smaller example of all 3 - and any German letters of objection will I'm afraid receive my Basil Fawlty impression - " you started it ! "

Alan Turin ( who of course according to Hollywood had his and the Royal Navy's work done by the U.S. ) deserves a seperate monument, maybe a part of keeping Bletchley Park preserved ?

Edited to add;

It was lift-out time at my sailing club yesterday - I happened to be introduced to a new member - he suffers quite bad back problems, as he explained it " I was on an American built tanker ( ship not KC-135 ) which had no derricks / cranes, as it was only designed to go one way - U.S.A. to U.K, any other trips were a bonus ( and Thanks ! DZ ) -Even the skippers would join in hoisting heavy sacks on their backs up steep gangplanks ..."

Just a tiny example.