No. 652 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.652 Squadron was an Air Observation Post that landed in Normandy on the day after D-Day and supported the Second Army in Europe for the rest of the war.

Air Observation Post squadrons were created to provide airborne observers for the artillery (see No.651 Squadron for more details). Most of their aircrews came from the army, and they used light aircraft (most Austers) which flew above their own guns using the altitude to spot targets over the horizon.

No.652 Squadron was formed on 1 May 1942. It spent just over two years preparing for combat, and moved to Normandy on 7 June 1944, D+1. The squadron supported the Second Army and followed it as it advanced across north-western Europe and into Germany. After the war the squadron became part of the occupation forces, and was still in Germany when it became part of the Army Air Corps in September 1957.

Aircraft
May-November 1942: de Havilland Tiger Moth II
October 1942-March 1943: British Taylorcraft Auster I
March 1943-March 1944: British Taylorcraft Auster III
February 1944-August 1946: British Taylorcraft Auster IV
December 1944-September 1946: British Taylorcraft Auster V

Location
May-June 1942: Old Sarum
June-August 1942: Bottisham
August-December 1942: Westley
December 1942-February 1943: Dumfries
February-March 1943: Sawbridgeworth
March-July 1943: Perth/ Almond Bank
July-November 1943: Ayr
November 1943-March 1944: Ipswich
March-April 1944: Denham
April-June 1944: Cobham
June 1944-May 1945: Dispersed with Army on Continent
May-June 1945: Rhede

Squadron Codes: -

Duty
1942-June 1944: Air Observation Post, Home Based
June 1944 onwards: Air Observation Post, north-western Europe

Books

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