No. 656 Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 31 Dec 1942 – 15 Jan 1947 29 Jun 1948 – 1 Sep 1957 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Role | Air observation post squadron |
Motto(s) | Latin: Volans et videns (Translation: "Flying and seeing") [1] |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge heraldry | In front of two gun barrels in saltire, a Chinthe head [1] |
Aircraft flown | |
Reconnaissance | de Havilland Tiger Moth Auster Auster AOP.6 Auster AOP.9 |
No. 656 Squadron RAF was an air observation post unit of the Royal Air Force in India and Burma during the Second World War and afterwards in British Malaya. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadron of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957 [2] [3] With this it became 656 Light Aircraft Squadron Army Air Corps.
No. 656 Squadron was formed at RAF Westley on 31 December 1942. [4] It embarked for India in August 1943 and went into action during the Burma campaign with the Fourteenth Army. Several officers were decorated, among them Captain Edward Maslen-Jones who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Military Cross. [5]
The squadron was to take part in the Allied invasion of Malaya, but the Japanese surrendered before this took place and the squadron disbanded on 15 January 1947.
The squadron reformed from No. 1914 Flight RAF on 29 June 1948 at Sembawang in Malaya and served in British Malaya to support Army and Police against Communist guerillas before it went over to Army control in September 1957. 656 Squadron performed a total of 143,000 operations in Malaya during Operation Firedog.
No. 1914 Air Observation Post Flight was formed within 656 Squadron. [6]
From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
---|---|---|---|
January 1943 | August 1943 | de Havilland Tiger Moth | Mk.II |
January 1943 | March 1943 | Auster | Mk.I |
February 1943 | August 1943 | Auster | Mk.III |
November 1943 | June 1945 | Auster | Mk.III |
October 1944 | June 1945 | Auster | Mk.IV |
February 1945 | January 1947 | Auster | Mk.V |
June 1948 | May 1951 | Auster | AOP.5 |
July 1950 | April 1956 | Auster | AOP.6 |
September 1955 | September 1957 | Auster | AOP.9 |
667 Squadron AAC is a former squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).
No. 666 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air observation post (AOP) squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadron of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957
No. 684 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1946.
No. 358 Squadron RAF was a Bomber and Special duties squadron of the Royal Air Force flying with South East Asia Command from 1944 to 1945.
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No. 663 Squadron was an air observation post (AOP) unit, manned with Polish Army personnel, which was officially formed in Italy on 14 August 1944. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons were air observation post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 661 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 662 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957. It is now an Apache Helicopter Squadron.
No. 665 "Air Observation Post" Squadron, RCAF was formed in England during the Second World War. It was manned principally by Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) personnel, with select British artillery pilots briefly seconded to assist in squadron formation. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons – Nos. 664, 665 and 666 – were RCAF AOP squadrons manned by Canadian and British personnel.
No. 651 Squadron Army Air Corps, is an aircraft squadron of the British Army, originally formed as No. 651 Squadron Royal Air Force in Italy and North Africa during the Second World War, and afterwards in Egypt. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units which had both Army and RAF personnel. The pilots, drivers and signallers were in the Royal Artillery whilst the adjutants, technical staff and equipment officers came from the RAF. Air observation posts were used primarily for artillery spotting, but occasionally for liaison and other duties. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 664 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 654 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 655 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
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No. 657 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force in North Africa, Italy and the Netherlands during the Second World War and afterwards in Germany. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 658 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group during World War II. No.s 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, Nos. 664 to 666, were manned with Canadian personnel.
No. 659 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group during World War II. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 292 Squadron RAF was an air-sea rescue (ASR) squadron of the Royal Air Force operating in the Bay of Bengal during the Second World War.
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