659 Sqn

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, to support the frontier forces in Waziristan, Pakistan. It was disbanded at Lahore on 14 August 1947.

In 14 October 1969, it was reformed at Quebec Barracks, Osnabruck as 659 Aviation Squadron with 6 Sioux and 4 Scout (part of 2 Div Aviation Regt). Moving to Detmold, two years later, it became part of 9 Reg and, on 1 January 1973, it was renamed 659 Squadron AAC. On 1 Apr 1978, after the "Wide Horizon Study", it was retitled 669 Squadron. Simultaneously, 655 Sqn became the new 659 Sqn. Why? Just another mystery, and not at all uncommon for the Army Air Corps.

659 became part of 4 Reg in 1983 (still at Detmold) and moved back to Wattisham in 1995 (still part of 4 Reg). In 2007, it joined 9 Reg again and moved to Dishforth, where it still operates Lynx.

Sources

• "No. 659 Squadron RAF" by Wikipedia{Start*} (20 Dec 2013 ; accessed: 22 Dec 2014)
• "659 Squadron" by British Army units (accessed: 22 Dec 2014)
• "659 Squadron Army Air Corps" by UK MoD/Army (accessed: 22 Dec 2014)

*Wikipedia article ratings, in order of quality: Stub, Start, C, B, GA