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No. 657 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force in North Africa, Italy and the Netherlands during the Second World War and afterwards in Germany. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons 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.[6][7]

No. 657 Squadron RAF
Active	31 Jan 1943 – 1 Nov 1955
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Air Observation Post Squadron
Motto(s)	Latin: Per terras perque caelum (Translation: "By land and sky")[1]
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldry	A hand couped at the wrist, holding a gun barrel[1]
Squadron codes	VA 1944–45 (HQ Flight)[2] VB 1944–45 ('A' Flight)[3] VC 1944–45 ('B' Flight)[3] VD 1944–45 ('C' Flight)[3] TS (1945 – Jan 1947)[4][5]

History

No. 657 Squadron was formed at RAF Ouston on 31 January 1943. It went into action in August of that year, in North Africa. It later served in Italy, the Netherlands and Germany. In November 1945, the squadron returned to the UK and continued to support army units in the South of England until disbanded by being renumbered No. 651 Squadron RAF on 1 November 1955.

No. 1900 Independent Air Observation Post Flight was formed within 657 Squadron previously 'A' & 'B' Flights along with No. 1901 Air Observation Post Flight which was formed within 657 previously 'C' Flight.[8]

The original squadron's heritage is being taken forward today by No. 657 Squadron AAC of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 657 Squadron RAF[1][9]

From	To	Aircraft	Variant
Feb 1943	May 1943	Auster	Mk.I
May 1943	Oct 1944	Auster	Mk.III
Jun 1944	Mar 1945	Auster	Mk.IV
Dec 1944	Mar 1945	Auster	Mk.V
Apr 1945	Nov 1952	Auster	Mk.V
Mar 1946	Dec 1952	Auster	AOP.4
Jun 1946	Nov 1955	Auster	AOP.6
Apr 1947	Apr 1951	Sikorsky Hoverfly	Mk.II
Sep 1951	Nov 1955	Bristol Sycamore	HC.11

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by No. 657 squadron RAF[1][9][10]

From To Base 31 Jan 1943 1 May 1943 RAF Ouston, Northumberland 1 May 1943 26 Jun 1943 RAF Westly 26 Jun 1943 15 Aug 1943 RAF Clifton 15 Aug 1943 24 Aug 1943 en route to North Africa 24 Aug 1943 22 Sep 1943 Algiers, Algeria 22 Sep 1943 16 Oct 1943 Bone, Algeria 16 Oct 1943 9 Jan 1944 Philippeville, Algeria 9 Jan 1944 16 Jan 1944 Châteaudun, Algeria 16 Jan 1944 28 Feb 1944 en route to Italy 28 Feb 1944 8 Apr 1944 Vasto, Italy 8 Apr 1944 11 May 1944 Presenzano, Italy 11 May 1944 5 Jun 1944 Campozilonne, Italy 5 Jun 1944 9 Jun 1944 Anagni, Italy 9 Jun 1944 23 Jun 1944 Civita Castellana, Italy 23 Jun 1944 29 Jun 1944 Città della Pieve, Italy 29 Jun 1944 4 Jul 1944 Ravigliano, Italy 4 Jul 1944 18 Jul 1944 Creti/Foiano, Italy 18 Jul 1944 19 Aug 1944 Carraia, Italy

From To Base 19 Aug 1944 1 Sep 1944 Iesi, Italy 1 Sep 1944 6 Oct 1944 Landing ground on south bank of river Foglia, Italy 6 Oct 1944 21 Oct 1944 Rimini, Italy 21 Oct 1944 4 Nov 1944 Savignano, Italy 4 Nov 1944 29 Nov 1944 Cesena, Italy 29 Nov 1944 15 Dec 1944 Cervia, Italy 15 Dec 1944 21 Mar 1945 San Pancrazio, Italy 21 Mar 1945 24 Mar 1945 Ravenna, Italy 24 Mar 1945 30 Mar 1945 Leghorn, Italy 30 Mar 1945 11 Apr 1945 Via Marseille, France, to The Netherlands 11 Apr 1945 16 Apr 1945 Gilze-Rijen, the Netherlands 16 Apr 1945 21 Apr 1945 Doetinchem, the Netherlands 21 Apr 1945 4 May 1945 Otterloo, the Netherlands 4 May 1945 16 May 1945 Teuge. the Netherlands 16 May 1945 20 Jun 1945 Hilversum, the Netherlands 20 Jun 1945 16 Nov 1945 Goslar, British Zone of Occupation 16 Nov 1945 26 Jan 1946 Wiltshire 26 Jan 1946 19 Jan 1948 RAF Andover, Hampshire 19 Jan 1948 1 Nov 1955 RAF Middle Wallop, Hampshire

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• History of No.'s 651–670 Squadrons at RAF Web
• 657 Squadron Army Air Corps at Elite UK Forces

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