652 Sqn

652 Air Observation Post Squadron, RAF, was formed at RAF Old Sarum on 1 May 1942. It initially comprised 18 Royal Artillery officers, 2 RAF officers and 130 other ranks from both services and was equipped with 6 Tiger Moths - which were shortly replaced by Austers.

The squadron spent almost two years, in a number of RAF station in England and Scotland, training to direct artillery. They also learnt how to "shoot" the guns of the Royal Navy, and carried out deck landing trials during late 1942 and 1943, when stationed in Scotland.

The advance party, A Flight, landed in the Normandy bridgehead at 0800 hrs on 'D' Day - 6 June 1944 - at Beny-sur-Mer. Another landing strip was established the following day at nearby Plumetot and the other flights of the squadron, B, C & D, were in place by the 10th. The squadron acted in support of the artillery of 1 Corps, which comprised of :

• 3rd Canadian Division
• 3rd British Division
• 51st Highland Division
• 4th Armoured Group Royal Artillery

Artillery direction against opposing batteries and tanks was carried out as well as photographic sorties. The guns of HM Ships Belfast Diadem, Dragon, Lord Roberts, Mauritius, Ramilles and Rodney were also directed by 652 Sqn at Normandy. July was spent operating around the Caen area, prior to the advance towards the Netherlands. At this stage, the squadron had carried out 856 sorties, which included 458 shoots. The aircraft had flown 420 hours and been attacked 12 times by fighters - three of which had resulted in aircraft losses and the deaths of two pilots and one rear-observer.

Accompanying the Allied advance, the squadron had reached as far as northern Germany when the war ended (see map below). Major Ralph Richard Cobley DFC, Royal Artillery, who was the unit's Commanding Officer at its formation was still the CO.