An MP is supporting a campaign to honour Second World War photographic reconnaissance units.

Southampton Test MP Satvir Kaur has backed the initiative to commemorate the units, including Southampton-born John Merifield and Leonard Grieb, who died in service.

The campaign, led by the Spitfire AA810 Project, seeks to find living relatives of these local heroes and establish a memorial in central London.

The units, formed on September 24, 1939, conducted high-risk, secretive photographic reconnaissance operations, capturing more than 26 million images of enemy operations, aiding strategic planning for the Allies.

Flying Spitfires and Mosquitoes, the intelligence they gathered was crucial for all armed forces.

Mr Merifield, who lived on Hill Lane, was noted for discovering the German secret weapon plant at Peenemunde.

Flight Sergeant Grieb, born in 1922, lived on St James Road in Shirley, and joined the RAF in 1940 as a navigator.

The MP said: "I am delighted to support this fantastic campaign to commemorate those who served in the Photographic Reconnaissance Units. There is no national memorial to the PRU, and we want the integral work they did to be recognised at a national level.

"This includes Southampton’s Leonard Grieb and John Merifield, who served admirably under exceptionally difficult conditions, with both tragically losing their lives while serving their 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."

Despite their significant contributions, there's no national memorial for the reconnaissance units, which had a death rate of nearly 50 per cent due to the dangerous nature of their unarmed and unarmoured solo operations.

The Spitfire AA810 Project is urging any relatives or acquaintances of Mr Merifield or Mr Grieb, or any PRU veterans, to visit their website or contact Tony Hoskins at tony@spitfireaa810.co.uk