No. 657 Squadron AAC

No. 657 Squadron AAC was a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC), part of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing based at RAF Odiham.[2][3] The squadron disbanded in May 2018 after the retirement of the Westland Lynx.

No. 657 Squadron AAC
No. 657 Squadron RAF
Active31 January 1943 – 1 November 1955 (RAF)
1 January 1973 – May 2018
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
BranchUnited Kingdom British Army
TypeAviation
SizeSquadron
Part ofArmy Air Corps
Motto(s)Latin: Per terras perque caelum
(Translation: "By land and sky")[1]

It was formerly No. 657 Squadron RAF, 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.[4][5]

A postwar Auster Mk.V, restored in wartime colours.

History

Royal Air Force

No. 657 Squadron was formed at RAF Ouston on 31 January 1943. It went into action in August of that year, in North Africa. It later served in Italy, the Netherlands and Germany. In November 1945, the squadron returned to the UK and continued to support army units in the South of England until disbanded by being renumbered No. 651 Squadron RAF on 1 November 1955.

No. 1900 Independent Air Observation Post Flight was formed within 657 Squadron previously 'A' & 'B' Flights along with No. 1901 Air Observation Post Flight which was formed within 657 previously 'C' Flight.[6]

The squadron's motto was: Latin: Per terras perque caelum
(Translation: "By land and sky")[7] and their identification symbol was A hand couped at the wrist, holding a gun barrel.[7] It's identification symbols were VA 1944–45 (HQ Flight)[8] VB 1944–45 ('A' Flight)[9] VC 1944–45 ('B' Flight)[9] VD 1944–45 ('C' Flight)[9] TS (1945 – Jan 1947)[10][11]


A Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly at the Royal Air Force Museum London.
Aircraft operated by No. 657 Squadron RAF[7][12]
FromToAircraftVariant
Feb 1943May 1943AusterMk.I
May 1943Oct 1944AusterMk.III
Jun 1944Mar 1945AusterMk.IV
Dec 1944Mar 1945AusterMk.V
Apr 1945Nov 1952AusterMk.V
Mar 1946Dec 1952AusterAOP.4
Jun 1946Nov 1955AusterAOP.6
Apr 1947Apr 1951Sikorsky HoverflyMk.II
Sep 1951Nov 1955Bristol SycamoreHC.11
Bases and airfields used by No. 657 Squadron RAF[7][12][13]
FromToBase
31 Jan 19431 May 1943RAF Ouston, Northumberland
1 May 194326 Jun 1943RAF Westly
26 Jun 194315 Aug 1943RAF Clifton
15 Aug 194324 Aug 1943en route to North Africa
24 Aug 194322 Sep 1943Algiers, Algeria
22 Sep 194316 Oct 1943Bone, Algeria
16 Oct 19439 Jan 1944Philippeville, Algeria
9 Jan 194416 Jan 1944Châteaudun, Algeria
16 Jan 194428 Feb 1944en route to Italy
28 Feb 19448 Apr 1944Vasto, Italy
8 Apr 194411 May 1944Presenzano, Italy
11 May 19445 Jun 1944Campozilonne, Italy
5 Jun 19449 Jun 1944Anagni, Italy
9 Jun 194423 Jun 1944Civita Castellana, Italy
23 Jun 194429 Jun 1944Città della Pieve, Italy
29 Jun 19444 Jul 1944Ravigliano, Italy
4 Jul 194418 Jul 1944Creti/Foiano, Italy
18 Jul 194419 Aug 1944Carraia, Italy
FromToBase
19 Aug 19441 Sep 1944Iesi, Italy
1 Sep 19446 Oct 1944Landing ground on south bank of river Foglia, Italy
6 Oct 194421 Oct 1944Rimini, Italy
21 Oct 19444 Nov 1944Savignano, Italy
4 Nov 194429 Nov 1944Cesena, Italy
29 Nov 194415 Dec 1944Cervia, Italy
15 Dec 194421 Mar 1945San Pancrazio, Italy
21 Mar 194524 Mar 1945Ravenna, Italy
24 Mar 194530 Mar 1945Leghorn, Italy
30 Mar 194511 Apr 1945Via Marseille, France, to The Netherlands
11 Apr 194516 Apr 1945Gilze-Rijen, the Netherlands
16 Apr 194521 Apr 1945Doetinchem, the Netherlands
21 Apr 19454 May 1945Otterloo, the Netherlands
4 May 194516 May 1945Teuge. the Netherlands
16 May 194520 Jun 1945Hilversum, the Netherlands
20 Jun 194516 Nov 1945Goslar, British Zone of Occupation
16 Nov 194526 Jan 1946Wiltshire
26 Jan 194619 Jan 1948RAF Andover, Hampshire
19 Jan 19481 Nov 1955RAF Middle Wallop, Hampshire

Army Air Corps

No. 657 Squadron traces it lineage to the Royal Air Force No. 657 Squadron formed in January 1943 and disbanded in November 1955.[14]

No. 657 Squadron AAC was formed on 1 January 1973 as part of 1 Regiment AAC.[1] The squadron served in Northern Ireland based at Shackleton Barracks.[1][15] On 1 March 1978, No. 665 Squadron AAC was re-designated as 657 Squadron based at Kirkee Barracks in Colchester.[1] In July 1990, the squadron relinquished its independent status by becoming part of 9 Regiment AAC and moved to Oakington in Cambridgeshire and then in February 1991 to Dishforth Airfield in North Yorkshire.[1][16]

In June 2000, the squadron once again became independent when it moved to RAF Odiham in Hampshire.[1] In September 2000, two Westland Lynx helicopters took part in Operation Barras in Sierra Leone.[17] In April 2001, the squadron became part of the newly formed Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing.[2]

Afghanistan incident

On 26 April 2014, a Lynx crashed in Takhta Pul district of Kandahar Province, killing all five British personnel on board. They were Captain Thomas Clarke, Warrant Officer 2 Spencer Faulkner and Corporal James Walters of the Army Air Corps, Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan of the Royal Air Force and Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas of the Intelligence Corps. As at 28 April 2014, the cause was described as an "accident", despite Taliban claims that they had caused the crash. The purpose of the mission has speculated upon, but has been described as a "routine training mission".[18] The site, variously described as "close to Kandahar base" and "30 miles from the Pakistani border", had been "secured" for recovery of the bodies and aircraft.[19]

A full report into the accident was published in July 2015, by the Ministry of Defence and the Military Aviation Authority.[20]

Disbandment

With the Lynx reaching the end of its operational life in January 2018, the squadron disbanded in May 2018.[21]

Plans to purchase modified AgustaWestland Wildcat helicopters to replace the Lynx in the special forces role were dropped due to budget constraints. The squadron's special forces role has therefore been taken over by a flight of special forces-trained personnel within the existing Wildcat fleet.[22]

See also
  • List of Army Air Corps aircraft units
  • List of former Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Citations
  1. "657 Squadron Army Air Corps". British Army. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008.
  2. "JSFAW - Responsibilities and Composition". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014.
  3. "RAF ODIHAM - Who is Based Here". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  4. Halley 1988, pp. 444–451.
  5. Jefford 2001, pp. 102–104.
  6. Lake 1999, p. 101.
  7. Halley 1988, p. 447.
  8. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 114.
  9. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 115.
  10. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 99.
  11. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 157.
  12. Jefford 2001, p. 104.
  13. Jefford 2001, pp. 246–247.
  14. "657 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  15. "657 Squadron". British Army units from 1945 on. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  16. "9 Regiment Army Air Corps". British Army. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  17. Fowler, William (2010). Certain Death in Sierra Leone – The SAS and Operation Barras 2000. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781846038501.
  18. "Army's most skilled pilots among five killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash". London: Daily Telegraph. 28 April 2014. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  19. "Afghanistan helicopter crash personnel named by MoD". London: BBC. 27 April 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  20. "Service Inquiry: accident involving Lynx Mk 9 ZF540 on 26 April 2014 - Publications". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  21. Banner, David (17 January 2018). "Pride and sadness as Lynx bows out at RAF Shawbury". Shropshire Star. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  22. Ripley, Tim (12 September 2017). "UK reorganises special forces aviation". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 4 November 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.

Bibliography
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Lake, Alan (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.