City boss calls for statue of war hero – Telegraph
Sorry for light posting lately, I have been swamped by a project that needs to be completed by Friday. The article above caught my eye, however. I walk through Trafalgar Square most days on the way to the office. As many of you will know, aside from Nelson himself, whose statue is hard to admire because he’s nearly two hundred feet up, there are 4 plinths in the square one of which is unoccupied. My favourite of those which are occupied is definitely this one of Sir Charles Napier.
Napier was a famous multiculturalist who when faced with how to deal the practice of suttee (the burning alive of widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands) while serving in India is reputed to have said:
You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: When men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.
I like that. But what I really like is where it says on the statue ‘Erected by public subscription. The most numerous being private soldiers.’ It says something of a general if the private soldiers under his command pay to memorialize him. Actually, my favourite piece of military public art in London art is this monument to the Imperial Camel Corps which can be found in the Victoria Embankment gardens.
(Taken from Airminded; a cool site)
Anyway, I digress. The point of the Telegraph piece is a proposal to erect on the 4th plinth a statue to Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Parks:
Terry Smith, the chief executive of Tullett Prebon, a City trading house, has agreed to pay more than £100,000 for a permanent statue acceptable to “ordinary Londoners” of the neglected hero Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park.
It was only after the war that the RAF officer’s pivotal role in defending Britain against Luftwaffe attacks was recognised by Lord Tedder, the RAF chief.
“If any one man won the Battle of Britain, he did. I do not believe it is realised how much that one man, with his leadership, his calm judgment and his skill, did to save not only this country but the world,” he said in 1947.
I think it’s grand idea. I’d be happy to contribute to such a thing. Any other ideas on who should fill the 4th plinth?
Tuesday, 26, February, 2008 at 4:19 pm |
Oh go on…I couldn’t…all right…I accept.
Tuesday, 26, February, 2008 at 4:21 pm |
On the idea of subscriptions to pay for statues…
Having been on the ‘volunteered’ side of that equation on more than one occasion, it is not necessarily a spontaneous act, nor one that is generally well received by, let alone generated from within, the rank and file.
Tuesday, 26, February, 2008 at 4:28 pm |
It would just be nice if it was a statue that had some significance and possibility of engagement for, you know, ordinary people and not just fashionable lefty types.
My own inclination has been toward something of King George VI and the late Queen Mother.
Tuesday, 26, February, 2008 at 6:27 pm |
Oh come on FB are you still smarting at having been tithed for the Kofi Annan mausoleum? The man is a legend! Ingrate.
Tuesday, 26, February, 2008 at 7:48 pm |
“are you still smarting at having been tithed for the Kofi Annan mausoleum?”
I’d be more worried about getting walled up inside, the better to serve him in the afterlife…
Tuesday, 26, February, 2008 at 8:22 pm |
I think these two should have to be chained together in hell forever:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/21052
That’d be nice.
Tuesday, 26, February, 2008 at 9:20 pm |
John Bolton’s one of those blokes with whom I should nominally be in sympathy (as someone who used to put international community in scare quotes to hack off my Contemporary Security Issues seminar tutor), but he actually drives me up the wall. Possibly because if I think there’s a real problem I’d sooner not see it addressed on my side by someone who appears to be completely nuts and to confuse showboating with fixing stuff.
See also entry for Rumsfeld, Donald
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008 at 11:43 am |
Sir Keith Park, not Parks.
Napier wasn’t much; not compared to his plinthmate Henry Havelock, who did much more fighting (as opposed to hanging suspects in the rear). The accounts of his advance on Lucknow with about 1,500 men are incredible.
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008 at 11:58 am |
Thanks, Ranter.
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008 at 12:14 pm |
I pass by Napier and Havelock every Wednesday morning on the bus and was thus delighted to read your post today. I too have been struck by that inscription at the bottom of Napier’s statue.
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008 at 1:36 pm |
Hey AM how much do you think you would collect if you did a whip around amongst your Afg and Irq veteran friends for a Tommy Franks statue?
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008 at 1:39 pm |
I say we wait a little while and make it Tony Benn.
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008 at 1:55 pm |
“I say we wait a little while and make it Tony Benn.”
Why not just go ahead and make it a statue of Mao Zedong, whom Mr Benn, moral compass and supposed national treasure, considers to be the greatest man of the 20th century.
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008 at 3:28 pm |
‘I say we wait a little while and make it Tony Benn.’
Whoa! I think I had a little heart attack there for a sec.
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008 at 6:35 pm |
Why not a statue of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, accompanied by one – or preferably all – of these men?
R. J. Mitchell, designer of the Spitfire
Sydney Camm, designer of the Hurricane
Sir Robert Watson-Watt, inventor of RADAR
Wednesday, 27, February, 2008 at 9:06 pm |
I don’t see why one can’t have a little imagination and fun with this. I think having a monarchy (even in the form it takes in the UK) is a bit absurd though I understand I’m in the minority on this. So you can see why I’d prefer to see Tony Benn, a kind old socialist who served in the RAF and was one of longest serving MPs, get a statue before Anthony’s suggestion of King George VI, who already has a statue in London.
For more realistic choices, I agree with Matt’s picks. But if anyone wants to take this slightly less than serious….may I suggest John Cleese.
Anyone catch his recent Letter to America?
http://starrgazr.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/john-cleeses-letter-to-america/
Thursday, 28, February, 2008 at 12:05 am |
Take that back, was just informed Cleese was not the author of Letter to America.
Thursday, 28, February, 2008 at 8:46 am |
Tony Benn?!? Think big: George Galloway.
Thursday, 28, February, 2008 at 11:16 am |
If you want to have a say on the fourth plinth, you can vote for one of six shortlisted proposals in the National Gallery. There are minatures of each in the Gallery.
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/fourthplinth/default.htm
These include Shornibare’s gianatic Nelson’s flagship, Victory…in a bottle. And my favourite, Anthony Gormley’s. Which is to invite the public to take turns standing on it, for one hour. Presumedly so we can pelt them with rotten fruit ‘n veg. Promises to be highly amusing.
Thursday, 28, February, 2008 at 12:29 pm |
Having been awarded, or even having been shortlisted for, the Turner Prize should be grounds for automatic disqualification (among other things to rude to mention here).
Friday, 29, February, 2008 at 12:18 pm |
How about a full size Hurricane, or Spitfire?
Actually how about a life size bronze of 7 Second World War Bomber Command aircrew kitted out as though setting off for a mission? Bomber Command lost more personnel than any other group, command or regiment with over 50 000 personnel being lost. 101 Squadron (a Wellington and Lancaster squadron) alone lost more than 1 000 personnel during the war, I believe the largest loss of any RAF unit.
Regardless of the rights or wrongs of the campaign their sacrifice should be recognised by this nation.
Alternatively, how about a life size bronze of a number of infantry soldiers kitted out as though for current operations to remember the most recent losses?
TFB – with you on that last comment!!
Friday, 29, February, 2008 at 12:53 pm |
“Regardless of the rights or wrongs of the campaign their sacrifice should be recognised by this nation.”
Seconded. More recognition for merchant seamen too (although no moral ambiguity there obviously!). Funnily enough I did think of Leonard Cheshire as a possible candidate.
Wingco, I think the “problem” with your bomber command idea and, I’m very, very sorry to say, the modern day soldiery idea is that there are probably serious worries that they would simply be vandalised by anti-war types.
Friday, 29, February, 2008 at 1:08 pm |
“that they would simply be vandalised by anti-war types”
Anthony – I don’t deny that. But proper bronzes are difficult to vandalise and have you seen the security in Traf Sq. They are pretty quick to hold people who have attempted other stunts with the 4th plinth.
Anyway, anyone who vandalised a statue to Bomber Command crews or to current soldiery, would just show themselves up as the moral vacuums that they are. The statue to ‘Bomber’ Harris, near KCL, gets an occasional bit of attention but he is soon cleaned up.
Friday, 29, February, 2008 at 1:22 pm |
Fair points. On that basis, either of those would be smashing.
Saturday, 1, March, 2008 at 1:06 pm |
The war in the air was very important indeed, but what about the battle of the North Atlantic ? The unknown merchant seaman would be good.
However my favourite would be Captain F.J. Walker, RN whose successes in Anti Sub Warfare ought be mentioned more often IMO.
And as a seaman Walker was in the thick of it most of the time and took his share of the danger and strain inherent in the patrols.
I also find his leadership example interesting:
“(His) secrets were his methodical training of his group and a personal committment which kept him on the bridge for days at a time without respite and which contributed before the end of the war to his early death from cerebral thrombosis.” (Peter Padfield)
Just my 2cents worth (and from a foreigner at that). Good luck with the choice.
FMC
Tuesday, 18, March, 2008 at 2:54 pm |
18th March 2008
Wingco/Anthony
How about a statue of Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC., OM and of his wife, Sue Ryder? This would combine memories of their distinguished war careers (Cheshire got his VC for 100 bomber sorties and Sue worked for SOE) with their peacetime vocations (Cheshire founded The Leonard Cheshire Foundation for disabled people and Sue founded The Sue Ryder Foundation for refugees and disabled people). When they married, they combined their interests and talents to support the needy, world-wide.
A statue to them would remind us of heroism in war, the importance of dedicated voluntary support of the needy and of the value of the institution of marriage.
Saturday, 26, April, 2008 at 9:32 pm |
AVM Keith Park. He is the man who saved England in the Blitz. He was played by Trevor Howard in the film Battle of Britain. He said “get them up”, when referring to the spits and hurricanes.
Saturday, 3, May, 2008 at 7:28 pm |
3rd May 2008
It was Winston Churchill who told his Cabinet in September 1940:
“The Fighters are our Salvation but the Bombers alone provide the means of Victory”
Group Captain Leonard Cheshire V.C. (who formerly commanded 617 Squadron – “The Dambusters”) opened Chipstead Lake Cheshire Home, near Sevenoaks, where I live, in July 1977. It provides a home for over twenty Residents who have various severe disabilities, as well as providing an Activity Centre for a similar number of Day Clients
with disabilities.
One of the Residents and a good friend, is a retired Flight Lieutenant (Bomber Navigator),who has flown everything from Vulcans to Tornadoes.
This is only one of many “Cheshire Homes” located both in the UK and overseas. The first was established in 1948. Cheshire’s wife, Sue Ryder, founded a similar charity after the Second World War and it was their mutual interest in caring for those in need that brought them together.
Various proposals are being discussed to use the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square as some form of memorial to the role of the RAF in the Second World War. I have submitted a private petition to the Prime Minister to use this plinth as a permanent memorial to Group Captain Leonard Cheshire V.C. and to his wife, Sue Ryder.
My detailed petition can be found on:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Cheshire-Ryder/
In her 1992 Christmas message, Her Majesty the Queen said the following of Leonard Cheshire:
“Curiously enough, it was a sad event which did as much as anything in
1992 to help me put my own worries into perspective. Just before he
died, Leonard Cheshire came to see us with his fellow members of the
Order of Merit. By then, he was suffering from a drawn-out and terminal
illness. He bore this with all the fortitude and cheerfulness to be
expected of a holder of the Victoria Cross. However, what struck me
more forcibly than his physical courage was the fact that he made no
reference to his own illness but only to his hopes and plans to make
life better for others. He embodied the message in those well-known
lines: “Kindness in another’s trouble; courage in one’s own”.
I would welcome the support of everyone who is interested by signing my petition, for which many thanks.
Sunday, 18, May, 2008 at 1:56 pm |
I very much support the Group Captain Leonard Cheshire V.C. and Lady Ryder petition
Wednesday, 21, May, 2008 at 1:59 pm |
I am grateful to John Tabernacle for his kind support and look forward to seeing his name (and those of his friends) on the petition at :
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Cheshire-Ryder/
They will be in good company!
Monday, 26, May, 2008 at 8:04 am |
personaly i think it shoud be Keith Park.theres a comment i read(forgot who from) saying if anyone won the battle of britain it was him talking about Park.Is there anything in memory of Charles Upham.he was cool
Monday, 26, May, 2008 at 8:07 am |
also Britain owes New-Zealand and Australia so much.remember the anzacs people
Monday, 26, May, 2008 at 9:07 am |
Sir Keith Park deserves credit for the Battle of Britain, but many military leaders have won battles.
“The Fighters are our Salvation but the Bombers alone provide the means of Victory” (Winston Churchill September 1940).
However what I propose is not just any old War Memorial – that’s so old hat! A Cheshire/Ryder memorial on the 4th plinth would recognise not only this remarkable couple’s invaluable war service but, more importantly, their dedication to the care for disabled people and those in need after the War. What did Park do after the War – look at his memorial petition website to find out.
Please sign my petition on:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Cheshire-Ryder/
Thanks