The role of the RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit

Louisa Brooke-Holland; Timothy Robinson

RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit

Since 2018 there has been a campaign to recognise the actions of the RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit during the Second World War. This has included a campaign for a national monument.

Ministers have indicated that plans for a monument are underway; in May 2025 the Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns, said “I believe that the national monument is proceeding through the planning procedures as we speak”. Sir Chris Bryant, a Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has also indicated that officials from his department have been in discussion with the Royal Parks about the proposed site, which is under The Royal Parks’ management. Several Members, including Esther McVey, have indicated the memorial will be placed outside the Treasury, near to the entrance of the Churchill War Rooms, opposite St James’ Park.

The following explanation about the role of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit and the campaign for a memorial is taken from the Spitfire AA810 project. The website has not been updated to reflect Ministerial announcements, which can be found in the selection of Parliamentary material below.

Photographic Reconnaissance Unit from the Spitfire AA810 Project: National PRU monument (Updated July 2024)

When the Spitfire AA810 Project launched in November 2018, one of the missions we set out to achieve was recognition of the efforts and sacrifices made by the RAF unarmed Photo Reconnaissance Units during the Second World War. The sole purpose of Photographic Reconnaissance was to provide the most up-to-date critical intelligence to the Admiralty who used this information to strategically plan the Allied actions in the war. Alongside the information gathered by the Special Operations Executive on the ground, and the Bletchley Park Code-breakers through the airwaves, the Photo Reconnaissance Unit physically captured 20 million images of enemy operations and installations during six years of war. Without this vital information, the success of operations and ultimately the outcome of the Second World War could have been very different.

From its inception in 1939 through to the end of hostilities in the Far East in 1945, these highly effective units suffered horrendous losses, indeed records now show that the survival rate was proportionally the second lowest of any Allied aerial unit during the entire war. Yet these crews have never been officially recognised, their sacrifices largely unknown. Over 500 men would become casualties flying with the PRU, five of those men who died flew AA810. Due to the solitary nature of their work 144 of those lost have no known grave including two of our pilots of AA810.

In 2019 the Spitfire AA810 Project began to spearhead a national monument to the Photo Reconnaissance Units, to directly challenge the UK government to at last commemorate the role this unit played in securing an Allied victory. Meetings began in April of 2019 and by the end of June the question of a National monument was raised in the House of Commons where it was met with approval. In July the formal application for debate was submitted and accepted and Westminster Hall was set aside for the 12th September to hear the case and formalise a Government position on such a monument. Sadly changes in Government circumstances meant this hearing had to be postponed and with COVID 19 then halting non-pandemic related debates, through much of 2020 and 2021 we had to put plans on hold.

In late summer 2021, Andrew Bowie MP resubmitted our formal application for a debate and support was received from across the main political parties. On those grounds our application was accepted and we were subsequently allocated a Westminster Hall debate set for the 9th November 2021. Representatives of the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, SNP and DUP all made representations giving their full support and our motion passed unopposed.

In March of 2022 a small team from Project AA810 together with Andrew Bowie MP were hosted by Leo Docherty, Minister for Defence People and Veterans at the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall. The Minister reiterated the Government’s support for the project and we will now continue to further such meetings with appropriate Ministers, professionals, and representatives of local authority.

Since the start of 2022 the project has been engaging with MPs across all parties to brief them on the campaign to recognise those who served in unarmed RAF photographic reconnaissance in the Second World War. The results of these meetings produced just over 200 MPs who supported our endeavours.

During the course of our research for all those who served in the unarmed RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Squadrons, the project has identified a number of foreign nationals who flew operationally. We continue to develop this information and at this time the confirmed nationalities to date are as follows:

United Kingdom 798 419 of which were casualties
Australia 101 38 of which were casualties
Canada 84 43 of which were casualties
New Zealand 52 24 of which were casualties
South Africa 15 7 of which were casualties
USA 11 7 of which were casualties
Belgium 11 7 of which were casualties
Poland 9 4 of which were casualties
Ireland 7 1 of which was a casualty
Netherlands 5 2 of which were casualties
Czech Republic 4 all who survived
Argentina 4 all who survived
Zimbabwe 3 1 of which was a casualty
Trinidad & Tobago 3 2 of which was a casualty
Brazil 2 1 of which was a casualty
Barbados 1 who was a casualty
France 1 who survived
Malawi 1 who was a casualty
Ukraine 1 who survived
Sweden 1 who survived
Jamaica 1 who survived
Fiji 1 who was a casualty

The project team have subsequently met with Embassies and High Commissions of countries who provided personnel to the RAF unarmed reconnaissance squadrons and to date we have received international support from a number of international representatives with regards to the Westminster planning application, and discussions continue.

In the spring of 2024 the project met with both the Cabinet Office and the Planning Department of Westminster Council to discuss their respective positions on policies with regards to our plans. Considerable support was shown and a path forward has been suggested. The project is now in further discussions with the landowner of the identified Monument site.

The UK General Election reduced our number of supporting MPs to 104 and work is now ongoing to engage with the new incumbents of constituencies linked to individuals commemorated on the Monument.

A National Monument remains a major goal and on the 36-month anniversary of operations to the day, we gained Parliamentary support for one. The journey continues and the Spitfire AA810 project will lead this campaign forward until a design is accepted, funded, and built.

Parliamentary questions

Engagements

07 May 2025 | 766 c676

Asked by: Tessa Munt

Ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE Day, may I thank the Prime Minister for his Government’s recognition of the highly dangerous and clandestine work of the 1,746 pilots and navigators who formed the RAF’s photographic reconnaissance squadrons, and the 635 Buckinghamshire-based photographic interpreters—often forgotten—whose service will be marked with a national memorial near the Churchill war rooms? They had a death rate of nearly 50% and a life expectancy of only two and a half months, but they nevertheless captured 26 million images of enemy operations, providing daily, up-to-date intelligence, via the interpreters’ analysis, to the strategists in the Cabinet war rooms, for all our armed forces.

May I ask the Prime Minister to join me when that national memorial is unveiled so that we can pay our respects to the likes of the late Captain Wilfred Bruce Tilley DFC, of Axbridge in my constituency, and the other amazing young men and women whose work was so critical to the safety of millions of people in this country and elsewhere?

Answered by: Sir Kier Starmer | Prime Minister

I thank the hon. Lady for raising that very important issue. I am sure that Members on both sides of the House would support a memorial to the service and sacrifice of those veterans. The bravery and service of individuals such as Captain Tilley, and others in the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit and the photographic interpretation units, saved the lives of many servicemen and servicewomen and, of course, civilians, and—as the hon. Lady rightly pointed out—the cost was the many casualties in those units. As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we will remember those who helped to secure our greatest victory.

Photographic Reconnaissance Unit: War Memorials

06 May 2025 | 48591

Asked by: Max Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussion she has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) Royal Parks on allocating land for a Spitfire AA810 Project memorial.

Answering member: Sir Chris Bryant | Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has not had any discussions with Cabinet colleagues regarding the allocation of land for a Spitfire AA810 Project memorial.

DCMS officials are in discussion with The Royal Parks regarding the proposed land for the memorial, which is managed by The Royal Parks.

Photographic Reconnaissance Unit: War Memorials

01 May 2025 | 48697

Asked by: Nesil Caliskan

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made on confirming the site for the planned Photographic Reconnaissance Unit Memorial.

Answering member: Sir Chris Bryant | Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The Royal Parks wrote to DCMS on 11 April 2025 regarding the site for the planned Photographic Reconnaissance Unit memorial. Officials from DCMS have since been in discussion with The Royal Parks regarding the proposed site, which is under The Royal Parks’ management.

Business of the House

30 Jan 2025 | 761 c422

Asked by: Ms Julie Minns

Four Carlisle men, Rae Daly Armstrong, Ivan Cooke, William Lewis Johnston and Charles Ross, were among almost 500 casualties from the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit who served in the second world war. The casualty rate for that very small unit was the second highest in the war. When planning the debates and events in this House that will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war, will the Leader of the House give particular consideration to that small unit, which suffered such great losses during the war?

Answered by: Lucy Powell | Leader of the House

I am sure the whole House will join my hon. Friend in putting on record our thanks for those involved with the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit and its important work. As she will be aware, we have funding for a huge number of activities to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war. The Minister responsible will make a statement shortly about how that funding will be allocated and what activities will be involved. I will ensure that the Minister hears my hon. Friend’s pleas for commemoration of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit to be part of those activities.

Debates

Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary (Extract)

6 May 2025 | 766 cc602-652

Asked by: Alison Bennett

[…]

I recently met a wonderful charity working hard to highlight the work of a specific group during the war: the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, who were an essential part of the war effort. Among those who served and died in the PRU was William Comber, a constituent of Mid Sussex at that time. Flight Lieutenant William Edward Comber, the son of William and Emma Comber, was born in Cuckfield. On joining the RAF, he was posted to 680 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, operating in the Mediterranean. He was taken ill on 5 December 1943 and was taken to the No. 63 general hospital in Salonika, Greece, where, despite the use of an iron lung, he died of polio on 10 December. We thank him, and I ask the Minister to support a national memorial to the Photo Reconnaissance Unit. We also thank the countless others who served and gave everything for their country.

[…]

Answering member: Al Carns | Ministry of Defence

[…]

I thank the hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Alison Bennett), who paid tribute to the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit. I believe that the national monument is proceeding through the planning procedures as we speak. We are also almost there with the monument to Dame Vera Lynn, and Members have my full support with that as we move forward.

[…]

Photographic Reconnaissance Unit: National Memorial

9 November 2021 | 703 cc49-61WH

Motion that this House has considered a national memorial to the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit. Agreed to on question.

Early Day Motion

AA810 Spitfire monument project

EDM: 697 (session 2023-24)

Christine Jardine

29 April 2024

That this House welcomes the campaign to create a monument for the unarmed Photograph Reconnaissance Unit for their work on behalf of the armed forces during the Second World War; notes that the unit captured around 20 million images throughout the conflict; regrets that there is no full record of their service to our country; commends the efforts of the AA810 project to both document the names of all who served in the unit and secure a national memorial to the unit in Westminster; encourages all Rt. hon and hon. members to support the campaign; and wishes the AA810 project every success in establishing this much needed monument.

The role of the RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit

RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit

Parliamentary questions

Debates

Early Day Motion

Further reading

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