CENTRAL Devon MP, Mel Stride is backing a campaign to create a “long-overdue” memorial to one of the most heroic yet unrecognised groups from the Second World War - the RAF’s Photographic Reconnaissance Units (PRU).

Mel is urging the public to get behind the memorial to honour the pilots and navigators, whose dangerous and vital work provided crucial intelligence during the war, including two local Devon men - Flight Officer Peter Hugo and Flight Lieutenant John Leach - who served in the unit.

As the UK gets set to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Mel said: “To fly alone and unarmed into enemy skies, knowing the odds of returning were less than half, speaks to a level of bravery and commitment that must never be forgotten.

“The courage of the PRU pilots and navigators is almost beyond comprehension. Peter Hugo and John Leach, two sons of Crediton, flew those terrifying missions with dignity and determination. This memorial is long-overdue and will ensure that their legacy - and that of all PRU airmen - is properly honoured.”

Formed in September 1939, the PRU undertook some of the war’s most dangerous missions, flying unarmed and unarmoured Spitfires and Mosquitos deep into enemy territory to gather vital photographic intelligence.

These solo operations, often conducted at extreme altitudes and speeds, produced over 26 million images of enemy positions - intelligence that proved crucial to operations such as D-Day, the Dambusters Raid, and the tracking of German battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz.

Despite their extraordinary contribution, there is currently no national memorial to the PRU.

With a staggering mortality rate of nearly 50 per cent, and an average operational life expectancy of just two and a half months, these brave airmen paid an incredibly high price for their service.

The Spitfire AA810 Project is leading the call for a permanent national tribute to these silent warriors.