No. 661 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.661 Squadron was an Air Observation Post squadron that served in north-western Europe from August 1944 until the end of the Second World 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.

The squadron was formed at Old Sarum on 31 August 1943. It spent the next year in the UK, and had to wait for two months after D-Day before finally moving to Normandy on 7 August 1944. After that the squadron supported the Allied armies as they advanced across France and into the Low Countries and Germany. The squadron remained in Europe until being disbanded on 31 October 1945.

Aircraft
August 1943-April 1944: British Taylorcraft Auster III
March 1944-October 1945: British Taylorcraft Auster IV
November 1944-October 1945: British Taylorcraft Auster V

Location
August-November 1943: Old Sarum
November 1943-February 1944: Andover
February-June 1944: Biggin Hill/ Fairchildes
June 1944: Kenley
June-August 1944: Penshurst
August 1944-June 1945: Dispersed bases in Normandy and northern Europe
June-July 1945: Apeldoorn
July-September 1945: Rostrup
September-October 1945: Ghent

Squadron Codes: -

Duty
August 1943-August 1944: Air Observation Post home based
August 1944-October 1945: Air Observation Post, north-western Europe

Books

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