Antony Higginbotham, MP for Burnley and Padiham, has joined the campaign to commemorate the brave pilots and navigators of the Photographic Reconnaissance Units (PRU), who served during the Second World War.
Photo Reconnaissance Units
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. They 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 with a death rate of nearly fifty percent. 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 in central London.
Local Heroes
Two of those who served in the PRU were Donald Marsden and John Wood.
Sergeant Donald Marsden
Born the son of Christopher and Janetta Marsden of Burnley, Donald Marsden trained as a wireless operator, and was assigned to 69 Reconnaissance squadron operating in the Mediterranean theatre.
On the 23rdMarch 1943 he took off as part of a Baltimore aircraft crew for a reconnaissance of Italian shipping when, during that mission, the aircraft was attacked by a pair of German Me109 fighter aircraft.
Donald suffered multiple bullet wounds to his bladder and abdomen during that attack, but the pilot of the damaged Baltimore limped the aircraft back to Malta before crash landing on the island.
Donald was taken to hospital in a state of uncontrollable shock but died from severe blood loss two hours after being admitted to hospital.
The 20-year-old is buried on Malta.
Flying Officer John Wood
John Kenneth Wood was also from Burnley. He is known to have served with the RAF unarmed Photographic Reconnaissance Squadrons.
While very little is currently known of his wartime service, it is understood that he survived the war, but otherwise little is known about their post-war lives as well.
The Spitfire AA810 Project would therefore be keen to hear from anyone who may have known him or his family.
Supporting the memorial campaign is local MP, Antony Higginbotham said:
I am delighted to support this fantastic campaign to commemorate those who served in the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit.
This includes Donald Marsden and John Wood, both of Burnley, who served admirably under exceptionally difficult conditions, while Marsden ultimately gave his life in service of our country.
I look forward to working with the Spitfire AA810 Project to establish this memorial and being able to pay my respects there once it is completed.
If there is anyone related to Donald Marsden or John Wood, or if anyone know 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, [email protected].
