655 Squadron (V) The Scottish Horse

No. 655 Squadron (The Scottish Horse) AAC
Official crest of No. 655 Squadron (The Scottish Horse) AAC
Active	-to present.
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	Queen Elizabeth II
Branch	British Army
Role	Helicopter Support Unit (Volunteer)
Size	Squadron
Part of	6 Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteer), Territorial Army
Base	Bury St Edmunds
Motto	ANZIO
March	The Scottish Horse The Garb of Old Gaul
Engagements	"Anzio"
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	The Squadron badge is the cross of St Andrew between two wreaths ensigned 'Scottish Horse' - an honour they received in 1971 which originated through their links with the Royal Artillery; within an Army Air Corps Squadron Badge.

No. 655 Squadron AAC is a Helicopter Support squadron made up of the Volunteer Groundcrew of the Army Air Corps.

History

655 Squadron Army Air Corps (655 Sqn AAC) was formed as a Royal Air Force Air Observation Post unit on 30 November 1942 at Old Sarum Airfield, Wiltshire. The Squadron immediately deployed in support of the 8th Army to North Africa and subsequently moved to Italy, where they remained supporting various formations until their disbandment on 31 August 1945.

655 Sqn AAC reformed as an Army Air Corps Light Aircraft Squadron in Germany in April 1962 and were employed by 4 Division Aviation Headquarters from 1964 -1969. The Squadron then relocated to Topcliffe, Yorkshire in 1978. In 1979 the Squadron moved to Omagh in Northern Ireland where they carried out anti-terrorist duties in support of 3 Brigade.

In the summer of 1982 the Squadron moved to Shackleton Barracks at Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry. The well-loved Scout aircraft were replaced by Lynx AH. The Scout was robust, however the Lynx was modern, faster and with greater endurance.

The Squadron then moved to Aldergrove in the summer of 1991, where they became part of 5 Regiment Army Air Corps, co-located with the rest of the Northern Ireland Regiment AAC. The Squadron standardised on the newly introduced Lynx, with the advantages over the AH being improved avionics, reduced noise, better hover capability and more advanced composite rotor blades.

On 2 July 2006, 6 Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteers) was formed at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The Regiment's role is to provide groundcrew individual reinforcements to army aviation units for exercises and operational deployment.

In 2009 655 Sqn AAC joined 6 Regt AAC (V) and became 655 Sqn AAC (V). The Squadron is based at the Army Aviation Centre, Middle Wallop. ^[1]

Role

655 (Scottish Horse) Squadron Army Air Corps (Volunteers) is a sub unit of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps covering the south and south west area, located at Middle Wallop, Hampshire. The role of 655 Sqn AAC (V)is to deliver Attack Helicopter (Apache) and Light Utility Helicopter (Lynx) trained groundcrew for individual reinforcements who are able to deploy on operations and in support of exercises in order to meet designated military tasks. These are trained in the loading of missiles, rockets and the refuelling of the aircraft in various locations around the world as part of the Forward Arming and Refuelling Point. The Territorial Army only recruits groundcrew and support elements.

Squadron bases

Battle honours

The battle honours were displayed on the guidons of the Scottish Horse, which are now laid up in Dunkeld Cathedral.

Boer War

• South Africa 1900-02

The Great War

• Beaurevoir
• Selle
• Sambre
• France and Flanders 1918
• Macedonia 1916-18
• Gallipoli 1915
• Rumani
• Egypt 1915-16

The Second World War

• Badge of the Royal Regiment of Artillery badge with year-dates "1943-45"
• North-West Europe
• Sicily
• Italy

See also

• The Scottish Horse
• Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse
• List of Army Air Corps aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

Bibliography