Thames Information Centre

Image Credits: (2,3) Derek Smith and Maclean Barker Photographers,Alison Kuiper.

Thames is the main shopping centre for the Coromandel Peninsula. It was built on the pioneering industries of gold and Kauri logging. Now it has a population of about 7,000 but near the end of the 19th Century it was the largest centre of population in New Zealand with 18,000 inhabitants, well over 100 hotels and three theatres.

The i-site is at 200 Mary street. Nearby is a statue of the towns most famous son, Keith Park honoured for his role as the defender of London in the Battle of Britain. Lord Tedder, head of the RAF said, "If ever any one man won the Battle of Britain, he did."

Keith Park was a World War I air ace having joined the Royal Flying Corps, forerunner of the RAF after serving as an artillery man and being wounded at Gallipoli . He was awarded the Military Cross after being credited with the shooting down of 20 German aircraft. He was shot down twice himself.

During World War II he controlled fighter patrols over France during Dunkirk and in the Battle of Britain his command took the brunt of the Luftwaffe's air attacks. Flying his personalised Hawker Hunter around his fighter airfields during the battle, 'Park gained a reputation as a shrewd tactician with an astute grasp of strategic issues and as a popular "hands-on" commander.'