Dr Megan Wang (née Kelleher)

In keeping with the theme of recent blogs, I wanted to upload a review of a book I read recently. In all honesty; it came as a bit of a surprise read, as I only learned about it when I started my role at the RAF Museum.

Missing Believed Killed: The RAF and the Search for Missing Aircrew, 1939-1952 by Stuart Hadaway considers the role of the Missing Research and Enquiry Service (MRES) during the Second World War and the challenges it faced globally. The MRES undertook a phenomenal task during the conflict, as it created a global database to help find the missing and provide them with an appropriate commemoration. The MRES, an organisation I was unfamiliar with prior to reading the book, highlights its humble beginnings into its expansion as a vital part of war commemoration using examples from Western Europe to Asia in this excellent study of the organisation.

This book is an essential read to anyone who hopes to understand Second World War commemoration, as it connects to the wider legacy of war dead and their memorialisation; the discussions that Hadaway undertakes are incredibly important, and place the work of the MRES within the broader context from the Homeric era to the present day. This type of research is vital for understanding the Classical connections that, at least in terms of British commemoration, are present in more modern war memorials.

Hadaway uses excellent examples to support his research, including reports and case studies. The realities of war are not shied away from, and this enables the reader to understand what may be found during recovery within the context of air crews killed in action during the Second World War. I found it particularly surprising that the primary role of the maintenance units had been to repair the aircraft to be reused; therefore, wreck recovery was not a priority. I was fascinated by this thought, as it raised questions for me surrounding precisely who is recovery for.

The appendix of the book is a vital resource in and of itself, as it provides practical advice about how to research items relating to the MRES, which I found incredibly useful and will certainly use in the future. In summary, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in recovery of war dead, commemoration and wider conflict memories.

Hadaway, Stuart, Missing Believed Killed: The RAF and the Search for Missing Aircrew, 1939-1952 (Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books, 2008) is available to purchase from a number of retailers, as well as the publisher.