Matthew is backing the campaign to commemorate the brave pilots and navigators of the Photographic Reconnaissance Units (PRU) during the Second World War.
The PRU was formed on the 24th of September 1939 and throughout the Second World War it operated highly dangerous, clandestine photographic reconnaissance operations over all theatres of operation, and captured more than 26 million images of enemy operations and installations during the war.
The purpose of the PRU was to provide up-to-date intelligence to strategically plan the Allied actions in the war. Flying Spitfires and Mosquitos, the intelligence it gathered was used by all the armed forces, giving same day intelligence on enemy activity.
The intelligence provided by the PRU was used in the Cabinet War Rooms – now the ‘Churchill War Rooms’ located underneath the Treasury – and was instrumental in the planning of major operations; D-Day and the Dambusters Raid, the monitoring of major shipping movements such as the Bismarck and Tirpitz, and the locating of the site of the V1 and V2 rocket launching site at Peenemünde.
Due to the clandestine nature of their operations – they flew solo operations, unarmed and unarmoured – the death rate was nearly fifty percent. However, despite having one of the lowest survival rates of the war – life expectancy in the PRU was around two and a half months – there is no national memorial to the PRU.
The ‘Spitfire AA810 Project’ has therefore led the campaign to establish such a memorial to the PRU pilots and navigators.
Supporting the campaign, Matthew said:
“I am delighted to support the campaign to commemorate those who served in the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit.
"This includes Frederick Burley, Ronald Hadden, Frederick Simpson, Dennis Upstone, Edmund Warwick, and Hubert Powell, who served under exceptionally difficult conditions, and I would urge anyone who might have any more information on him to get in touch.
"I look forward to working with the Spitfire AA810 Project to establish this memorial and to being able to pay my respects there once it is completed.”
Local Heroes
Among those from Hendon who served in the PRU were six aircrew: Frederick Burley, Ronald Hadden, Frederick Simpson, Dennis Upstone, Edmund Warwick, and Hubert Powell.
Frederick Burley
Frederick Arthur Burley was born on the 25th August 1909 in Hendon, the son of Frederick and Maud Burley.
He joined the RAF in September 1939 initially carrying out his training at RAF Padgate. Little is known of his RAF career other than his name appears in the Operational books of a Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron.
He passed away in Eastbourne at the age of 71 in October 1980.
Ronald Hadden
Ronald Dudley Keith Hadden DFM was from Hendon. He trained as an RAF Photographer and was posted to No. 2 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit based in Malta.
In March 1943 he was awarded the DFM for 'coolness in the face of the enemy'.
In reality as a photographer on an unarmed aircraft he would give valuable assistance to his pilot advising enemy positions and movements whilst under attack in order to escape danger.
However, nothing else is known of Hadden's life post his DFM award.
Frederick Simpson
Frederick Donald Simpson DFM was born in Hendon on the 6th March 1904, the son of Fred and Elizabeth Simpson. He trained as a Mechanical Engineer, and joined the RAF in 1941.
He served with 683 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron and is noted as being with the unit in March 1944 when he was awarded the DFM.
It is not known if Fred survived the war nor what became of him in later life.
Dennis Upstone
Dennis Stanley Upstone BEM was born in Hendon and would be one of the founder members of the RAF Reconnaissance efforts in the Second World War.
From the early days under Sidney Cotton, through the whole war, Upstone was instrumental in the analysis side of the Reconnaissance operations.
The citation of his BEM issued in June 1945 reads as follows:
"Has been employed in the Photographic Reconnaissance Intelligence Section at Heston and at Benson for nearly five years.
He has a remarkable knowledge of the history of Photographic Reconnaissance which, combined with his pleasant personality and willingness to help others, has made him a valuable member not only of the Intelligence Section but of the Photographic Reconnaissance organization as a whole.
During the busy period around D Day this airman's capacity for hard work and his organizing ability was largely responsible for the smooth functioning of his section."
Edmund Warwick
Edmund Vernon Warwick was born the son of Horace and Florence Warwick and he joined the RAF straight from school.
Training to be a pilot he was selected for Reconnaissance training and after converting to fly the Mosquito aircraft he was posted to 544 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron based at RAF Benson.
In the last few weeks of the war in Europe, on the 12th April 1945 Warwick and his navigator P/o Harold Stapleton took off for a mission to photograph Swinemunde and surrounding airfields.
They never returned and no trace of the aircraft or the crew have ever been found.
Edmund Warwick, aged just 23, remains missing to this day.
Hubert Powell
Hubert Charles Sidney Powell was born on May 1st 1920.
Joining the RAF he learned to fly and receiving his commission in October 1942 he was posted to 540 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron.
Hubert was instrumental in finding the battleship Tirpitz in Tromso on the 18th October 1944 following its relocation by the Kriegsmarine. It was after his discovery that the battleship was sunk by Bomber Command a month later thus destroying the German's most powerful ship in its fleet. For this discovery Hubert was awarded the DFC.
He continued to attend reunions for the rest of his life and kept in touch with his wartime navigator throughout.
Hubert passed away on the 5th September 2010.
If there is anyone related to or who knew Frederick Burley, Ronald Hadden, Frederick Simpson, Dennis Upstone, Edmund Warwick, or Hubert Powell, or if anyone knows someone who served in the PRU during the war, please go the Spitfire AA810 Project website (www.spitfireaa810.co.uk), or get in touch with Tony Hoskins, Tony@spitfireaa810.co.uk.
Notes for Editor:
- More information on the ‘Spitfire AA810 Project’, the history, the plane and its pilots, and the Memorial campaign can be found on its website: www.spitfireaa810.co.uk.
- For a quote from a representative of the Spitfire AA810 Project, please contact Tony Hoskins on Tony@spitfireaa810.co.uk.