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No. 653 Squadron AAC
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No. 653 Squadron AAC
653 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC). It traces much of its history to No. 653 Squadron Royal Air Force, an air observation post squadron active from 20 June 1942 to 15 September 1945, during and after the Second World War. These units spotted targets for the British Army and flew liaison tasks.
Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 653 Squadron RAF was formed at RAF Old Sarum, Wiltshire, the home of Army co-operation, on 20 June 1942 and moved to Farnborough the following month. Originally equipped with de Havilland Tiger Moths, the Squadron later re-armed with Taylorcraft Auster Mk Is. Training commenced with Eastern Command and exercises were carried out with 12 Corps and with 45, 46 and 53 Divisions. On 7 September 1942 the Squadron transferred to RAF Penshurst in Kent.
During March 1943 the unit took part, with other AOP Squadrons, in Exercise Spartan, and on 1 June 1943 was transferred from Army Co-operation Command to No. 11 Group of Fighter Command. From the middle of August a month was spent in Sissinghurst area in co-operation with 12 Corps on Exercise Peacock, on completion of which the Squadron returned to its station at Penhurst.
Training continued through the first half of 1944 under the control of No. 83 Group of 2nd TAF, until on 26 June 1944, the Squadron left England for France. The Squadron landed in Normandy at 0730 hours on 27 June 1944 and proceeded direct to its landing ground at Rucqueville. The first sorties carried out were against suspected mortar positions which were registered for attention by the artillery. One aircraft of "C" Flight succeeded in directing fire on to a vehicle column and inflicting damage which blocked the road. The flight areas were shelled by the enemy on a number of occasions during the period but little damage was suffered, except on one night when all "B" Flight aircraft were lost as the result of a low-level bombing and machine gun attack.
During August the Squadron flew information sorties over the enemy withdrawal from Noyers and Epenay and provided standing patrols of the 53 and 59 Division fronts. Sorties were flown over Falise in the latter half of the month and messages were dropped to British armour informing them of the positions of German Tiger tanks which were holding up the advance. The area Falaise-Trun-Chambois was thoroughly searched for targets and the accuracy of the AOP Squadrons direction later became apparent as the advance covered the ground over which the Austers had been operating.
The Squadron's moves were frequent in order to keep up with the forward troops and on more than one occasion the Squadron found itself sharing a new location with scattered units of German forces. At Frevest, in September "A" Flight was shelled by enemy artillery: on the same day men of "C" Flight engaged with a party of the enemy whom they attempted to ambush in a deserted house.
The Squadron moved into Belgium in September 1944, Squadron headquarters being established at Wintham, with a forward landing ground at Devberg. Later in the month a further move was made over the Dutch border to Eindhoven.
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No. 653 Squadron AAC
653 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC). It traces much of its history to No. 653 Squadron Royal Air Force, an air observation post squadron active from 20 June 1942 to 15 September 1945, during and after the Second World War. These units spotted targets for the British Army and flew liaison tasks.
Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 653 Squadron RAF was formed at RAF Old Sarum, Wiltshire, the home of Army co-operation, on 20 June 1942 and moved to Farnborough the following month. Originally equipped with de Havilland Tiger Moths, the Squadron later re-armed with Taylorcraft Auster Mk Is. Training commenced with Eastern Command and exercises were carried out with 12 Corps and with 45, 46 and 53 Divisions. On 7 September 1942 the Squadron transferred to RAF Penshurst in Kent.
During March 1943 the unit took part, with other AOP Squadrons, in Exercise Spartan, and on 1 June 1943 was transferred from Army Co-operation Command to No. 11 Group of Fighter Command. From the middle of August a month was spent in Sissinghurst area in co-operation with 12 Corps on Exercise Peacock, on completion of which the Squadron returned to its station at Penhurst.
Training continued through the first half of 1944 under the control of No. 83 Group of 2nd TAF, until on 26 June 1944, the Squadron left England for France. The Squadron landed in Normandy at 0730 hours on 27 June 1944 and proceeded direct to its landing ground at Rucqueville. The first sorties carried out were against suspected mortar positions which were registered for attention by the artillery. One aircraft of "C" Flight succeeded in directing fire on to a vehicle column and inflicting damage which blocked the road. The flight areas were shelled by the enemy on a number of occasions during the period but little damage was suffered, except on one night when all "B" Flight aircraft were lost as the result of a low-level bombing and machine gun attack.
During August the Squadron flew information sorties over the enemy withdrawal from Noyers and Epenay and provided standing patrols of the 53 and 59 Division fronts. Sorties were flown over Falise in the latter half of the month and messages were dropped to British armour informing them of the positions of German Tiger tanks which were holding up the advance. The area Falaise-Trun-Chambois was thoroughly searched for targets and the accuracy of the AOP Squadrons direction later became apparent as the advance covered the ground over which the Austers had been operating.
The Squadron's moves were frequent in order to keep up with the forward troops and on more than one occasion the Squadron found itself sharing a new location with scattered units of German forces. At Frevest, in September "A" Flight was shelled by enemy artillery: on the same day men of "C" Flight engaged with a party of the enemy whom they attempted to ambush in a deserted house.
The Squadron moved into Belgium in September 1944, Squadron headquarters being established at Wintham, with a forward landing ground at Devberg. Later in the month a further move was made over the Dutch border to Eindhoven.