James Grundy, MP for Leigh, has joined the campaign to commemorate the brave pilots and navigators of the Photographic Reconnaissance Units (PRU), who served 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 in central London.
Among those who served, and died, in the PRU was John Taylor. F/Sgt John Tildsley Taylor was born in Leigh, Lancashire to Jack and Hilda Taylor, he married Veronica Taylor of the same town. Joining up in the middle of the war he trained as a navigator before being posted to 140 Photo Reconnaissance Squadron flying Mosquitos.
Moving into Europe post D-Day he was operating with his pilot S/Ldr Charles Longley from Melsbroeck airfield when on the morning of the 2nd October 1944, the crew were tasked with a photo reconnaissance mission to Krefield and Duisberg.
Taking off at 0815 in the morning and climbing to altitude, they were mistaken for a German ME410 by an American P47 pilot of IX USAAF who shot the pair down in a friendly fire incident over Leuven, Belgium. Taylor died aged 23, and Longley aged 24, were both buried in Brussels.
Supporting the campaign for a national memorial, local MP James Grundy said:
“I am delighted to support this fantastic campaign to commemorate those who served in the Photographic Reconnaissance Units.
"This includes John Taylor, who served admirably under exceptionally difficult conditions, and who ultimately gave his life in service of our country.
"I look forward to working with the Spitfire AA810 Project to establish this memorial and I look forward to being able to pay my respects there once it is completed."]
If there is anyone related to John Taylor, 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, Tony@spitfireaa810.co.uk.