No. 659 Squadron AAC
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= No. 659 Squadron AAC
{{resize|No. 659 Squadron RAF}}
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 30 April 1943 – 14 August 1947 (RAF)
1 November 1971 - present
|country= {{flagicon|UK}} United Kingdom
|allegiance=
|branch= {{flagicon|UK|army}} British Army
|type=
|role=
|size=
|command_structure=1 Regiment Army Air Corps
|current_commander=
|garrison=RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron)
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|colonel_of_the_regiment=
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|patron=
|motto= Latin: Quovis per ardua
(Translation: "Everywhere through difficulties"){{Harvnb|Halley|1988|p=448.}}
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|commander1=
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|identification_symbol= A hawk volant affrontée the head to the dexter
|identification_symbol_label= Squadron Badge heraldry
|identification_symbol_2=
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| aircraft_helicopter =AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1
}}
No. 659 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) based at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) flying AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1 helicopters as part of 1 Regiment Army Air Corps.{{cite web|url=https://www.army.mod.uk/news-and-events/news/2018/06/wildcat-helicopter-works-alongside-apache/|title=Wildcat helicopter works alongside Apache|publisher=British Army|accessdate=7 July 2020}} It was formerly No. 659 Squadron RAF, 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.{{Harvnb|Halley|1988|pp=444–451.}}{{Harvnb|Jefford|2001|pp=102–104.}}
History
=Royal Air Force=
No. 659 Squadron was formed at RAF Firbeck on 30 April 1943 with the Auster III and from March 1944 the Auster IV. The squadron role was to support the Army and in June 1944 it moved to France. Fighting in the break-out from Normandy it followed the army across the low countries and into Germany. In October 1945 the squadron left for India, where it was eventually disbanded at Lahore on 14 August 1947.{{Harvnb|Jefford|2001|p=104.}}
File:Auster.aop9.tw511.arp.jpg
| class="wikitable"
|+Aircraft operated by no. 659 Squadron RAF, data from ! From !! To !! Aircraft !! Variant | |||
| May 1943 | March 1944 | Auster | Mk.III |
| March 1944 | July 1945 | Auster | Mk.IV |
| July 1944 | August 1947 | Auster | Mk.V |
| May 1946 | August 1947 | Auster | AOP.6 |
=Army Air Corps=
On 1 November 1971 the squadron was reformed while in Germany.{{sfn|Farrar-Hockley|1994|p=239}}
See also
References
=Citations=
{{Reflist}}
=Bibliography=
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book |last1=Farrar-Hockley|first1=A|title=The Army In The Air |year=1994 |publisher= Alan Sutton Publishing Limited|location= UK|isbn=0-7509-0617-0 }}
- {{cite book |last=Halley |first=James J. |title=The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988 |year=1988 |location=Tonbridge, Kent, UK |publisher=Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.|isbn=0-85130-164-9 }}
- {{cite book |last= Jefford |first= C.G. |title= RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 |year=2001 |edition=2nd |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd. |location=Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK |isbn=1-85310-053-6 }}
{{refend}}
Further reading
- {{cite web |title=659 Squadron Army Air Corps |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/30335.aspx |website=British Army |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619062710/http://www.army.mod.uk:80/aviation/30335.aspx |archive-date=19 June 2013 |url-status=dead}}
- {{cite web |title=History of 659 Squadron |url=http://www2.army.mod.uk/aac/units/4_regiment_aac/659_squadron.htm |website=British Army |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108191704/http://www2.army.mod.uk/aac/units/4_regiment_aac/659_squadron.htm |archive-date=8 November 2008 |url-status=dead}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110519090621/http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn651-670.htm Squadron history for nos. 651–670 sqn. at RAF Web]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070713032021/http://www.raf.mod.uk/history_old/h659.html 659 sqn. page of RAF website]
{{Army Air Corps}}
{{RAF squadrons}}