# No. 651 Squadron AAC

No. 651 Squadron Army Air Corps, is an aircraft squadron of the British Army, originally formed as No. 651 Squadron Royal Air Force in Italy and North Africa during the Second World War, and afterwards in Egypt. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units which had both Army and RAF personnel. The pilots, drivers and signallers were in the Royal Artillery whilst the adjutants, technical staff and equipment officers came from the RAF. Air observation posts were used primarily for artillery spotting, but occasionally for liaison and other duties. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.

## History

No 651 Squadron was formed at RAF Old Sarum, Wiltshire, on 1 August 1941. It went into action in November 1942, during Operation Torch in North Africa. It later served in North Africa, Italy and finally Egypt from 1945 where it remained until 1 November 1955. On that same day, No. 657 Squadron RAF was re-numbered to 651 Squadron at RAF Middle Wallop, it now flew Sycamore helicopters as well as Austers.
No. 1908 Independent Air Observation Post Flight was formed within 651 Squadron previously 'A' Flight along with No. 1909 Air Observation Post Flight which was formed within 651 Squadron previously 'B' Flight.
On 1 September 1957, the squadron was transferred to the Army Air Corps and became No. 651 Squadron AAC.
On 1 April 2019, 651 Squadron and its aircraft, the Britten-Norman Defender and Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, were transferred to the Royal Air Force as part of ISTAR Force in No. 1 Group based at RAF Waddington. 651 Squadron continued to operate the aircraft until they were retired from service on 30 June 2021. On 1 August 2021, 651 Squadron transferred back to the Army as part of 1 Regiment AAC.

## Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 651 Squadron RAF, data from :
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
| August 1941 | July 1942 | Taylorcraft | Plus C |
| September 1941 | October 1941 | Taylorcraft | Plus D |
| October 1941 | December 1941 | Stinson Vigilant | Mk.I |
| February 1942 | September 1942 | Taylorcraft | Plus C.2 |
| July 1942 | October 1943 | Auster | Mk.I |
| August 1943 | December 1944 | Auster | Mk.III |
| May 1944 | October 1945 | Auster | Mk.IV |
| December 1944 | June 1947 | Auster | Mk.V |
| November 1949 | February 1952 | Auster | Mk.V |
| March 1947 | October 1955 | Auster | AOP.6 |
| November 1949 | March 1952 | Auster | AOP.5 |
| November 1955 | September 1957 | Bristol Sycamore | HC.11 |
| November 1955 | September 1957 | Auster | AOP.6 |

## Airfields used

UK :
| Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes |
| RAF Old Sarum | 1 August 1941 | Formed | RAF Dumfries | 31 July 1942 | | RAF Kidsdale | 11 August 1942 | | Gourock | 30 October 1942 | En route to North Africa |
North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia and Libya) :
| Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes |
| Algiers | 13 November 1942 | Algeria | RAF Bone | 17 November 1942 | Algeria | Béja | 11 December 1942 | Tunisia | Souk el Arba | 12 January 1943 | Tunisia |
| Medjez el Bab | 19 April 1943 | Tunisia | La Marsa | 14 May 1943 | Tunisia | Sfax | 22 May 1943 | Tunisia | Sousse | 25 May 1943 | Tunisia |
| RAF Castel Benito | 4 June 1943 | Libya | Sousse | 9 June 1943 | Tunisia |
Italy and Austria :
| Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes |
| Syracuse | 19 July 1943 | Sicily | Lentinti | 14 August 1943 | Italy | 3727N 1500E | 5 August 1943 | Italy | Lentinti | 14 August 1943 | Italy |
| Scordia | 1 September 1943 | Sicily | Vibo Valentine | 17 September 1943 | Italy | Firmo | 21 September 1943 | Italy | Gioia del Colle | 24 September 1943 | Italy |
| Altamura | 27 September 1943 | Italy | Canosa | 30 September 1943 | Italy | San Severo | 2 October 1943 | Italy | Torremaggiore | 10 October 1943 | Italy |
| Serracapriola | 1 November 1943 | Italy | Vastro | 8 November 1943 | Italy | Bari | 7 March 1944 | Italy | Paglieta | 6 April 1944 | Italy |
| San Vito | 9 June 1944 | Italy | Roseto degli Abruzzi | 20 June 1944 | Italy | Torre de Palme | 23 June 1944 | Italy | Fermo | 29 June 1944 | Italy |
| Recanati | 3 July 1944 | Italy | San Bernadino | 21 July 1944 | Italy | Monte Marciano | 29 July 1944 | Italy | Fabriano | 19 August 1944 | Italy |
| Pergola | 25 August 1944 | Italy | Fossombrone | 29 August 1944 | Italy | Morciano | 5 September 1944 | Italy | Serravalle | 25 September 1944 | Italy |
| 4402N 1230E | 4 October 1944 | Italy | Santa Arcangelo | 15 October 1944 | Italy | Cesena | 29 October 1944 | Italy | Forlì | 16 November 1944 | Italy |
| Porto San Elpidio | 24 January 1945 | Italy | Forlì | 28 February 1945 | Italy | Villa Broochi | 6 March 1945 | Italy | 4428N 1214E | 31 March 1945 | Italy |
| 4424N 1202E | 12 April 1945 | Italy | 4431N 1204E | 15 April 1945 | Italy | Montesanto | 24 April 1945 | Italy | Ferrara | 27 April 1945 | Italy |
| Padua | 1 May 1945 | Italy | Udine | 4 May 1945 | Italy | Klagenfurt | 10 May 1945 | Austria |
Middle East :
| Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes |
| Gorizia | 7 October 1945 | Italy | RAF Aboukir | 9 November 1945 | Egypt | RAF Ismailia | 10 November 1945 | Egypt | RAF Ramleh | 2 February 1946 | Mandatory Palestine |
| RAF Petah Tikva | 10 July 1946 | Mandatory Palestine | RAF Qastina | 1 June 1947 | Mandatory Palestine | RAF Petah Tikva | 11 February 1948 | Mandatory Palestine | Sarafand | 28 April 1948 | Mandatory Palestine |
| RAF Fayid | 12 May 1948 | Egypt | RAF Castel Benito | 26 August 1948 | Libya | RAF Ismailia | 15 November 1951 | Egypt | | Disbanded | 1 November 1955 |
Back in the UK :
| Base | Arrival | Notes | Next Base | Arrival | Notes |
| RAF Middle Wallop | 1 November 1955 | Reformed | RAF Feltwell | 4 April 1957 | Disbanded - 1 September 1957. |

## Army Air Corps

* Locations and notes: Formerly No. 651 Light Aircraft Squadron AAC
* RAF Feltwell (1958) RAF Debden (- 1 Mar 1961) Middle Wallop (1960 - 64) RAF Nicosia (1964) Middle Wallop (1964 - 66