657 Sqn

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
January
February
March
April
The Squadron ORB does not show any entries for the first four months of 1943
May
Lt	Barrass	1 May 1943	Promoted to Act Capt
Capt	Huxtable	4 May 1943	Struck off the strength of No 657 Sqn
Capt	Farrer	9 May 1943	Proceeded on embarkation leave
Capt	Thompson	9 May 1943	Proceeded on embarkation leave
Fg Off	Hastings	10 May 1943	Attached to RAF Firbeck on temporary duty
June
Capt	Walker	1 Jun 1943	Ceased to be attached to Army Gas School, Glenridding and attached to No 656 Sqn
Capt	Radcliffe	6 Jun 1943	Arrived on posting
Capt	F M Jones	6 Jun 1943	Arrived on posting
Capt	J T Cooper	12 Jun 1943	Suspended from duty by acting CO
Capt	J T Cooper	13 Jun 1943	Suspension confirmed by CO
July
Capt	Cavendish	2 Jul 1943	Arrived on posting
Capt	Handoll	5 Jul 1943	Arrived on posting
Capt	Kelly	5 Jul 1943	Arrived on posting
Capt	Springfield?	14 Jul; 1943	'Y' Listed
Capt	Durrant	30 Jul 1943	Arrived on posting
August
No personnel movements were recorded this month as the squadron was in transit to the Middle East
September
No personnel movements were recorded this month's ORB
October
No personnel movements were recorded this month's ORB
November
Capt	Handoll	25 Nov 1943	Transferred from 'A' Flight to HQ Flight
Lt	Bamford	25 Nov 1943	Transferred from HQ Flight to 'A' Flight and promoted to Capt, wef 20 Sep 1943
December
Flt Lt	A Cash	12 Dec 1943	Adjutant, struck off squadron strength on medical grounds
Gnr	Sadler	12 Dec 1943	Accidentally shot by another soldier
Capt	Riley	16 Dec 1943	Attached to No 651 Sqn for temporary duty
Capt	Barrass	16 Dec 1943	Attached to 12th RHA with his Section
Capt	Handoll	31 Dec 1943	Posted to RATD

Source - No 657 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/2180)

Organisational Movements: Jan - Dec 1943

Date	Notes
January
31 Jan 1943	No 657 Sqn was formed at RAF Ouston
February
March
April
The Squadron ORB does not show any entries for the first four months of 1943
May
1 May 1943	The squadron was now located at RAF Westley
6 May 1943	1 x Auster III was received

7 May 1943	1 x Auster I was transferred to Canadian Army at Dunsfold

June
16 Jun 1943	Large quantity of MT arrived having been collected from Leicester and Catterick
20 Jun 1943	Advance party departed RAF Westley for RAF Clifton, York
26 Jun 1943	Main party moved from RAF Westley to RAF Clifton by road and air
July
6 Jul 1943	Rear party arrived at RAF Clifton
22 Jul 1943	Squadron received warning that it was to move overseas
24 Jul 1943	First half of the squadron personnel proceeded on embarkation leave
29 Jul 1943	First half of squadron returned from embarkation leave Second half of the squadron personnel proceeded on embarkation leave
August
12 Aug 1943	Squadron departed RAF Clifton and entrained at York for port of embarkation Squadron embarked on SS 'Ormande' on the Clyde
15 Aug 1943	Ship joined a convoy and set sail
24 Aug 1943	Ship docked in Algiers
25 Aug 1943	Squadron disembarked and proceeded to No 1 BPD Transit Camp, Fort de L'Eau
September
9 Sep 1943	Equipment led party to Bone to collect stores and equipment
19 Sep 1943	Advance party departed Fort de L'Eau for RAF Bone
20 Sep 1943	Main party departed Fort de L'Eau for RAF Bone, over-nighting near Setif
21 Sep 1943	Main party departed staging site and proceeded to Sep Guelma
22 Sep 1943	Main party departed second staging site and arrived at RAF Bone
30 Sep 1943	Rear party departed Fort de L'Eau for RAF Bone
October
2 Oct 1943	Rear party arrived at RAF Bone
16 Oct 1943	'C' Flight departed RAF Bone for RAF Phillipeville
17 Oct 1943	'B' Flight departed RAF Bone for RAF Phillipeville
18 Oct 1943	'A' Flight departed RAF Bone for RAF Phillipeville
22 Oct 1943	HQ Flight departed RAF Bone for Phillipeville, being established at Villa Brune, Rue St Antoine Flights were detached as follows: - 'A' Flight - Stora 'B' Flight - Paria Plage 'C' Flight - attached 98 DID
November
15 Nov 1943	'A' Flight received its first aircraft
24 Nov 1943	'A' Flight received its second aircraft
December
10 Dec 1943	4 x Austers were ferried to Italy via Pantellaria and Sicily by squadron pilots
23 Dec 1944	Order received for mobilisation for 'overseas'
29 Dec 1943	'A' and 'C' Flights moved to Chateaudun Squadron brought up to full strength in MT and aircraft

Source - No 657 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/2180)