No. 656 Squadron AAC

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656 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 continues to go from strength to strength being awarded the fully operational status along with the remainder of 9 Regt AAC in June 2005.

[edit] History

After their formation as an RAF AOP Squadron on the 31 December 1942 at Westerly, the Squadron deployed to the Far East in support of the 14th Army. 656 Squadron operated from 1943 - 1946 in India, Burma and the Dutch East Indies.

During the War the Squadron were to fly more operational hours than their counterparts in Europe. The Squadron were then reduced in size and reformed into 1914 flt in Malaya during the internal conflict there. During this time 656 provided support to both the AOP and Air liaison role, this they continued to do throughout the emergency.

The Squadron then reformed as an AAC Squadron on the 1st September 1957. 656 Squadron AAC 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 they participated in Op Agrila (Rhodesia) and Op Corporate (The Falklands War) in 1982. In the early hours of 6 June 1982, a Gazelle helicopter (no. XX377) was shot down over Pleasant Peak by HMS Cardiff in a friendly fire incident.^[1] All four occupants were killed, the pilot Staff Sergeant Christopher Griffin, his crewman Lance Corporal Simon Cockton and two passengers from 205 Signal Squadron of the Royal Corps of Signals, Major Michael Forge and Staff Sergeant John Baker. The contributing factors were a lack of an "Identification Friend or Foe" transmitter on the helicopter and poor communication between the army and navy.^[2][3] The number "205" was later painted at the crash site (51°47′01″S 58°28′04″W / -51.783600, -58.467786) as a memorial.

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 continues to go from strength to strength being awarded the 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 will see the Squadron act as lead aviation for the deployment to Afghanistan in May.

MOTTO: VOLANS ET VDENS (Flying and Seeing)