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No. 656 Squadron AAC

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656 Squadron AAC
No. 656 Squadron RAF
Apache pilot of 656 Sqn (2009)
Active31 Dec 1942 – 15 Jan 1947 (RAF)
29 Jun 1948 – 1 Sep 1957 (RAF)
1 Sep 1957 – present
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeAviation
Part of4 Regiment Army Air Corps
Motto(s)Latin: Volans et videns
("Flying and seeing")
Aircraft flown
Attack helicopterBoeing AH64E Apache

656 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps. It was chosen as one of the AAC new AgustaWestland Apache squadrons and in April 2004 started its conversion to role. The first phase of this completed in October 2004. The squadron was the first operational Apache squadron in the Army Air Corps and was awarded fully operational status along with the remainder of 9 Regiment AAC in June 2005. It is under 4 Regiment AAC as of 2007.[1]

It was formerly No. 656 Squadron RAF, 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.

History

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Royal Air Force

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Formation and Second World War

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's motto was Latin: Volans et videns (Translation: "Flying and seeing")[6] and it's identification symbol was "In front of two gun barrels in saltire, a Chinthe head".[6]

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.

An Auster Mk.V, restored in wartime colours.
Date Location Notes Date Location Notes Date Location Notes
31 December 1942 RAF Westley formed 12 April 1944 Dimapur, India 24 September 1945 Kelanang
16 March 1943 RAF Stapleford Tawney 24 June 1944 Ranchi, India 14 November 1945 Kuala Lumpur (Noble Field), Malaysia RMAF Subang Air Base?
31 August 1943 to Far East 18 October 1944 Palel, India 15 January 1946 Kemajoran, Indonesia
15 September 1943 Worli, India 4 January 1945 Kalemyo, Myanmar 28 November 1946 Kuala Lumpur (Noble Field), Malaysia
21 September 1943 Juhu, India 14 February 1945 Monywa 15 January 1947 disbanded
1 October 1943 Deolali, India 26 April 1945 Meiktila
29 January 1944 Maunghnama, India 16 May 1945 Mingaladon
8 February 1944 Bawli, India 17 June 1945 Coimbatore, India
Reformation and Operation Firedog

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.[7]

Date Location Notes
29 June 1948 Sembawang reformed
17 August 1949 Changi
12 April 1950 Kuala Lumpur
1 September 1957 disbanded
An AOP.9 at Farnborough, September 1956.
Aircraft operated by No. 656 Squadron RAF, data from[8][9]
From To Aircraft Variant
January 1943 August 1943 de Havilland Tiger Moth MII
January 1943 March 1943 Taylorcraft Auster I
February 1943 August 1943 Auster III
November 1943 June 1945 Auster III
October 1944 June 1945 Auster IV
February 1945 January 1947 Auster V
June 1948 May 1951 Auster V
July 1950 April 1956 Auster AOP.6
September 1955 September 1957 Auster AOP.9

Army Air Corps

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The squadron then reformed as an AAC Squadron on 1 September 1957. 656 Light Aircraft Squadron's time in the Far East continued with tours in Singapore, Borneo and Hong Kong.

With the exception of 2 flights, the squadron was disbanded in 1977 and finally returned to the UK to be reformed in Farnborough, from where it participated in Operation Agila (Rhodesia) and Operation Corporate (The Falklands War) in 1982.

Falklands War

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Following the landings at San Carlos on 21 May 1982 and prior to the arrival of the 5th Infantry Brigade a week later, three Scouts from 656 Squadron were under the operational command of 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron alongside the six Scouts of B Flight.[10] When 5th Infantry Brigade landed, the Scouts reverted to Squadron command on 1 June and undertook casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), re-supply and Special Forces insertion tasks.

XT629 loss to Argentine Pucarás
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On 28 May 1982, two Scouts of B Flight, 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron, were engaged by two Pucarás of Grupo 3 north of Goose Green. XT629 was struck by cannon fire and crashed, killing the pilot and severing the leg of the crewman, who was thrown clear of the wreckage. The second Scout evaded the Pucarás and returned to CASEVAC the wounded crewman.

Loss of XR628
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On 8 June 1982, XR628 suffered a main-rotor gearbox failure and made a forced landing in four feet of water. The two-man crew and three passengers were rescued later that day. XR628 was air-lifted to Fitzroy by a Sea King but was written off on return to the UK.

SS.11 Missile Attack
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On 14 June 1982, during the final stages of the war, 656 Squadron attacked an 105 mm Pack Howitzer battery near Port Stanley that had been providing artillery support to Argentine forces.[11] Intelligence from forward elements identified the gun positions, and two Scouts approached at low level to launch SS.11 Anti-tank guided missiles against the battery.[12] Six missiles were fired, destroying at least three howitzers, ammunition stores and support vehicles.[13][14]

Gazelle Friendly-Fire Incident
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In the early hours of 6 June 1982, an Gazelle helicopter XX377 was shot down over Pleasant Peak in a friendly fire incident.[15] All four occupants, the pilot, crewman and two passengers from 205 Signal Squadron, were killed. Contributing factors included the lack of an Identification Friend or Foe transmitter on the Gazelle and poor communication between units.[16][17] The number “205” was later painted at the crash site as a memorial.

Subsequent history

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Photograph of an AgustaWestland Apache of 656 Squadron flying low over grassy land
An Apache helicopter from 4 Regiment, 656 Squadron Army Air Corps, during live firing training at Otterburn Ranges in Northumberland.

After a short stay at Netheravon as part of 7 Regt AAC, the squadron relocated to Dishforth as one of the Anti Tank Squadrons of 9 Regt AAC in 1993. The squadron was chosen as one of the AAC new Apache squadrons and in April 2004 started its conversion to role. The first phase of this completed in October 2004. The squadron was the first operational Apache squadron in the Army Air Corps and reached fully operational status along with the remainder of 9 Regt AAC in June 2005.

Since this the squadron has carried out, various exercises in support of Maritime the most notable being exercise "Pixus" in support of HMS Ocean in September – October 2005. The squadron was then moved back to a land role in preparation for deployment. 2006 saw the squadron act as lead aviation for the deployment to Afghanistan in May.

The squadron's deployments to Afghanistan in May 2006 and again in May 2007 have been documented and brought into the public eye by the books of former squadron weapons officer, WO1 Ed Macy, Apache and Hellfire. In 2007, it became part of 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps.[18]

In May 2011, several of its Apache helicopters are deployed on the Response Force Task Group COUGAR 11 deployment.[19] They are now re-deployed to Operation Unified Protector.[20] In October 2013, Apache Helicopters from 656 AAC launched from HMS Illustrious as part of the Response Force Task Group's COUGAR 13 deployment.[21]

The squadron has since converted to the new Boeing AH64E Apache.

  • Locations and notes:
    • Kluang (1962)[22]
      Kuching (1965)[23]
      Seremban (1968)[24]
      Farnborough (1980)[25]
    • Formerly No. 656 Light Aircraft Squadron AAC[26]
      Became HQ No. 4 Wing AAC on 1 Oct 1965 - acting as Aviation HQ Borneo[27]
      Formerly Hong Kong Aviation Squadron AAC (Feb - Dec 1969)[28]
      Sioux AH.1 & Scout AH.1 Flights (1970 - 75)[28]
      Sioux AH.1 & Gazelle AH.1 Flights (November 1975 - 77)[29][30]
      Renamed No. 11 Flight AAC (Jun 1977)[31]

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ "Army Air Corps".
  2. ^ Halley 1988, p. 444.
  3. ^ Jefford 2001, pp. 102–105.
  4. ^ Maslen-Jones 1997, pp. 4 and 172.
  5. ^ Michael Ashcroft (13 September 2012). Heroes of the Skies. Headline. ISBN 978-0-7553-6391-9.
  6. ^ a b Halley 1988, pp. 445–446.
  7. ^ Lake 1999, p. 100.
  8. ^ Halley 1988, p. 447.
  9. ^ Jefford 2001, pp. 103–104.
  10. ^ "Landings at San Carlos Water – Summary of Main Events and Main Units". Naval History Net. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  11. ^ Freedman, Lawrence. The Official History of the Falklands Campaign, Volume II: War and Diplomacy. Routledge, 2005. ISBN 978-0-7146-5207-1.
  12. ^ Hastings, Max; Jenkins, Simon. The Battle for the Falklands. Pan Books, 1983. ISBN 978-0-330-28075-7.
  13. ^ The National Archives (UK), Operation Corporate files, AIR 20/12117.
  14. ^ Griffin, David. Encyclopaedia of Modern British Army Regiments. Sutton Publishing, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7509-3925-2.
  15. ^ "Stanley, Mount Kent, Mount Longdon, Top Malo House in Falkland Area Operations – Falklands War 1982". Naval History Net. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  16. ^ Bolia 2004, pp. 66–72.
  17. ^ Masakowski 2007, p. 197.
  18. ^ "Army Air Corps".
  19. ^ "Cougar". Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  20. ^ "Apaches get ready to help protect Libyan civilians".
  21. ^ "Joint helicopter operations on Cougar 13 | Royal Navy". Archived from the original on 25 October 2013.
  22. ^ Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 42.
  23. ^ Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 69.
  24. ^ Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 71.
  25. ^ Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 144.
  26. ^ Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 40.
  27. ^ Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 104.
  28. ^ a b Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 129.
  29. ^ Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 131.
  30. ^ Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 135.
  31. ^ Greenacre & Peters 2024, p. 134.

Bibliography

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  • Bolia, Robert S. "The Falklands War: The Bluff Cove Disaster" Military Review November–December 2004.
  • 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.
  • Greenacre, John; Peters, Mike (2024). Ops Normal - The Authorised Operational History of the AAC 1957-2017. Vol. 1 (1957-79). Warwick, UK: Helion & Company. ISBN 978-1-804515-34-1.
  • 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.
  • Masakowski, Yvonne with Malcolm Cook and Jan Noyes. Decision-making in Complex Environments. Cardiff, UK: Ashgate Publishing, 2007. ISBN 0-7546-4950-4.
  • Maslen-Jones, E.W., MC, DFC. (1997). Fire by Order: Recollections of Service with 656 Air Observation Post Squadron in Burma. Barnsley, UK: Leo Cooper/Pen And Sword Books. ISBN 0-85052-557-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Warner, Guy (2013). From Auster to Apache: The history of 656 Squadron RAF/AAC 1942–2012. Barnsley, UK: Pen And Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-78159-098-0.
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