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In 1939 Park joined the Tamworth-based Militia Unit 33rd Infantry battalion in which he served until the outbreak of World War II that year. He then joined the AIF and served with the 2/2 Australian Infantry Battalion in North Africa, Greece, Crete and New Guinea. Taken prisoner by German paratroopers in June 1941, he escaped and made his way to North Africa to rejoin his battalion. Park was wounded twice in New Guinea where he was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. After the war he took up land and over the next 35 years owned several grazing properties around Tamworth. From 1948 he served in the 12/16 Hunter River Lancers, CMF, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and commanding the unit for three years. He was awarded the Efficiency Decoration and was honorary colonel of the unit from 1973 to 1979. In 1953 Park travelled to England as a member of Australia's Coronation contingent and on Queen Elizabeth II's coronation day he commanded the light horse escort for prime minister Robert Menzies. Park was elected to the NSW Parliament in 1973 as the member for Tamworth and held the seat until he retired in 1991. In July 1991 Park and his wife, June, were made freemen of the City of Tamworth in recognition of his service to the community. Park was survived by his wife and six daughters. [Brief Biography compiled by Robin Hammond, January/February 2004]
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