No. 679 (The Duke of Connaught's) Squadron AAC

655 Squadron

655 (The Scottish Horse) 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 it remained supporting various formations until its disbandment on 31 August 1945.

655 Sqn AAC reformed as an Army Air Corps Light Aircraft Squadron in Germany in April 1962 and was 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 it carried out anti-terrorist duties in support of 3 Brigade. At that time, part of the squadron was detached to RAF Aldergrove, where it assisted the forming of the Northern Ireland Regiment AAC.

In the summer of 1982, the Squadron moved to Shackleton Barracks at RAF Ballykelly, County Londonderry. The well-loved, robust Scout aircraft were replaced by the more modern Lynx AH Mk1, which were faster and had greater endurance.

The Squadron then moved to RAF Aldergrove in the summer of 1991, to collocate with the rest of Northern Ireland Regiment AAC (later renamed 5 Regiment AAC). The Squadron standardised on the newly introduced Lynx AH Mk7, with the advantages over the AH Mk1 being improved avionics, reduced noise, better hover capability and more advanced composite rotor blades.

Between 2009 and 2014, the Squadron became part of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteers) (formed at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on 2 July 2006) and was therefore retitled 655 Sqn AAC (V)^[1]. This involved a change of role as the Regiment provides groundcrew individual reinforcements to Army Aviation units for exercises and operational deployment. The Squadron was based at the Army Aviation Centre, Middle Wallop during this time.

In 2014, 655 Sqn AAC reformed as part of the Regular Army, again as part of 5 Regiment AAC, operating Britten-Norman BN-2T aircraft. However, it was subsequently disbanded once more in 2017.

679 Squadron

679 (The Duke of Connaught's) Squadron Army Air Corps (Volunteers) (655 Sqn AAC (V)) was formed on 1st April 2014 when the Reserve personnel of 655 Squadron were amalgamated with the re-roled D Company 3rd Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. SHQ and A Flight are based in the Duke of Connaught's Barracks, Peronne Close, Portsmouth and B Flight is based in Middle Wallop.

The squadron is a sub unit of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps covering the south and south west area, located at Middle Wallop, Hampshire. The Squadron is paired with the Army Aviation Centre at Middle Wallop, where it provides ground support to the Apache.^[2] The squadron is 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 Army Reserve only recruits groundcrew and support elements.

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