Appeal to find Yorkshire photo Reconnaissance aircrew launched

Today the Spitfire AA810 Project launched an appeal to find the families of those aircrew from Yorkshire who flew unarmed Photographic Reconnaissance missions in the RAF during the Second World War. Announced in the Yorkshire post article here, the current list of those from Yorkshire the project is seeking to find is as follows:

• Sgt James Arkle of Ripon, Yorkshire - Killed 20th May 1943 in a Mosquito.

• F/Sgt Arnold Ashton of Dormanstown, Yorkshire - Killed 19th March 1945 in a Mosquito.

• F/Lt John Kenneth Astin of North Brierley, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/o Anthony Perrinott Lysberg Barber of Hessle, Yorkshire - became a POW flying a Spitfire.

• P/o Charles Bertram Barber of Armthorpe, Yorkshire - posted Missing in Action on the 24th April 1942 flying a Spitfire.

• Aircraftsman Arnold Burton of Harrogate, Yorkshire. Killed 11th February 1945 in circumstances unknown.

• F/o Charles Donald Burton DFC of Halifax, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• LAC John Leonard Clark from Scarborough, Yorkshire who was killed in a ground accident with a USAAF Mustang on the 15th February 1945.

• F/o George Stanley Cowley DFC from Ilkey, West Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/o Maurice George Crotty DFC from Hemsworth, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/o Stanley George Dale DFC of Stokesley, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/Lt Thomas John Davies from Leeds, Yorkshire who was killed in a ground accident on the 15th February 1945.

• W/Cdr Edward Armytage Fairhurst DFC CdeG of Mirfield, Dewsbury, Yorkshire

• F/o Charles William Goddard of Industry Road, Sheffield, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/Lt Wilfred Groome from Doncaster, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/o Maurice Norman Hesketh of Thonthwaite, Yorkshire who was posted missing in action on the 17th October 1940 flying a Spitfire.

• Sgt Frank Johnson of Leeds, Yorkshire who was killed on the 23rd December 1943 in a Mosquito.

• F/Lt Douglas Stewart Park of Huddersfield, Yorkshire who was killed on the 29th August 1945 in a Spitfire.

• F/Lt Alexander Gemmell Paus of Bradford, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• Acting F/Lt Robert Withington Pearson DFC from Helmsley, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/Lt Paul Douglas Petrie DFC of Wharfedale, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/Lt George Platts DFC from Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire who was posted missing in action on the 9th March 1945 in a Spitfire.

• F/Lt Allan Fawcett Pudsey of Bridlington, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• Leading Aircraftman Ernest Reid of Sheffield, Yorkshire who was killed in an air raid on the 21st November 1942.

• P/o Frederic Nigel Smallpage from York who survived the war.

• F/o Thomas Pierre Turnbull DFC of Whitby, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• W/Cdr Donald Cecil Broadbent Walker of Woodlands, Malton, Yorkshire who was killed on the 11th November 1943 in a Mosquito.

• F/Lt Albert Edward Wall of Wadsley, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/Lt Neil Walmsley from Leeds, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

• F/Lt Leslie Lawrence Whitaker DFC from Keighley, Yorkshire who was killed on the 5th April 1944 in a Lysander.

• S/Ldr Reginald William Witherick from Leeds, Yorkshire - who survived the war.

If anybody can help put the project in contact with relatives of any of the above men, or know of any individuals we may have not included in the above list, please get in touch with the project this our website or social media.