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No. 661 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Air Observation Post squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. 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. 661 Squadron RAF
Active	31 Aug 1943 – 31 Oct 1945 1 May 1949 – 10 Mar 1957
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Air Observation Post squadron
Motto(s)	Latin: Designo oculis ad caedem ("With my eyes i designate for slaughter")
Insignia
Squadron Badge	A grenade enfiled by a compass ring[1]
Squadron Codes	OE (Aug 1944 – Oct 1945)[2][3] ROA (Feb 1949 – Apr 1951)[4][5]
Aircraft flown
Reconnaissance	Auster Single-engined Army liaison monoplane

History

Formation and World War II

No. 661 Squadron was formed at RAF Old Sarum on 31 August 1943 with the Auster III and in March 1944 the Auster IV. The squadron role was to support the Canadian 1st Army and in August 1944 it moved to France. Fighting in the break-out from Normandy it followed the Canadians across the low countries and into Germany. The squadron disbanded at Ghent, Belgium on 31 October 1945.[8]

Post-war

After the war the Air Observation Squadrons were reformed and No. 661 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force was as such formed at RAF Kenley on 1 May 1949, consisting of five flights -nos. 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1961 (Reserve) AOP Flights-,[9] to provide support to the Army in the south London and Surrey area until it was disbanded on 10 March 1957 at RAF Henlow.[8]

No. 1957 Air Observation Post Flight was formed within 662 Squadron along with No. 1958 Air Observation Post Flight, No. 1959 Air Observation Post Flight, No. 1960 Air Observation Post Flight & No. 1961 Air Observation Post Flight.[10]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 661 Squadron RAF, data from[1][8]

From	To	Aircraft	Variant
August 1943	April 1944	Auster	Mk.III
March 1944	October 1945	Auster	Mk.IV
November 1944	October 1945	Auster	Mk.V
May 1949	October 1951	Auster	AOP.5
May 1949	February 1957	Auster	AOP.6
Jul 1949	February 1950	Auster	AOP.4

Surviving aircraft

One known 661 Squadron aircraft survives in airworthy condition.

Serial	Geographic location	Institutional location	History	Photo
NJ695	Lee on the Solent, Hampshire, UK	The WW2 Hanger, "Hanger P", Solent Airport	Auster MkIV, built in 1943 and deployed to France in July 1944 where it was operated by 661 squadron until the squadron was disbanded. Demobbed and civilianised by Taylorcraft England, it was sold to a flying school in East Anglia in 1948, then to a French parachuting club in 1958, before returning to the UK in 1973. Currently in flyable condition, restoration to full airworthiness is planned to be completed in 2022.

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• Squadron history for nos. 651–670 sqn. at RAF Web
• 661 sqn. page of RAF website

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