|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No 659 Sqn Personnel, aircraft and locations
[1943 | ]
This was formed as an Air Observer Post squadron with the flying personnel being provided by the Army, usually Royal Artillery, whilst the servicing personnel were a mix of RAF and Army personnel
Personnel Movements: Apr - Dec 1943
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| April | |||
| Maj | E D V Prendergast | 30 Apr 1943 | Arrived on posting and assumed command of No 659 Sqn |
| Capt | E C Prest | 30 Apr 1943 | Arrived on posting |
| Fg Off | W H Smith | 30 Apr 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as Equipment Officer |
| Plt Off | K Smith | 30 Apr 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as Adjutant |
| May | |||
| Capt | A J Beer | 1 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 43 OTU |
| Capt | D W Bowen-Davies | 1 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 43 OTU |
| Capt | J Jardine | 1 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 43 OTU |
| Capt | A J Johnston | 1 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 43 OTU |
| Capt | D E Richards | 1 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 43 OTU |
| Capt | P I D Heard | 2 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 43 OTU |
| Capt | D W Loder | 6 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 652 Sqn |
| Capt | D A Donald | 13 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 43 OTU |
| Lt | A Mackenzie | 18 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from Attached Depot, RA |
| Lt | C P Roberts | 18 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from Attached Depot, RA |
| Lt | D J Fletcher | 30 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 43 OTU |
| Lt | W G B Beaton | 30 May 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 43 OTU |
| Capt | P I D Heard | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to HQ Flight and appointed Armament and Security Officer |
| Capt | C P Roberts | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to HQ Flight and appointed Sports Officer |
| Capt | E C Prest | 31 May 1943 | Assumed command of 'A' Flight |
| Capt | D W Loder | 31 May 1943 | Assumed command of 'B' Flight |
| Capt | D A Donald | 31 May 1943 | Assumed command of 'C' Flight |
| Capt | A J Johnston | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to 'A' Flight and appointed Anti-Gas Officer |
| Capt | D W Bowen-Davies | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to 'A' Flight and appointed Aircraft Recognition Officer |
| Capt | J Jardine | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to 'B' Flight and appointed MT Officer |
| Capt | A J Beer | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to 'B' Flight and appointed Signals Officer |
| Capt | D E Richards | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to 'C' Flight and appointed Navigation Officer |
| Capt | A Mackenzie | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to 'C' Flight and appointed Education Officer |
| Lt | D J Fletcher | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to 'A' Flight |
| Lt | W G B Beaton | 31 May 1943 | Allocated to 'B' Flight |
| June | |||
| Capt | A Mackenzie | 8 Jun 1943 | Attached to 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards at Malton |
| Lt | R M Gorham | 20 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU, wef 11 Jun 1943 |
| Lt | J Slade | 20 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU, wef 11 Jun 1943 |
| Lt | B Hargreaves | 20 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU, wef 11 Jun 1943 |
| Lt | W J McWilliam | 20 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU, wef 11 Jun 1943 |
| Lt | D I Stuart | 20 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU, wef 11 Jun 1943 |
| Lt | J Hylands | 20 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU, wef 11 Jun 1943 |
| Lt | B Hargreaves | 21 Jun 1943 | Posted to No 653 Sqn |
| Lt | A C Young | 24 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU as supernumerary |
| July | |||
| Capt | E C Prest | 4 Jul 1943 | Admitted to Royal Infirmary, Worksop with appendicitis |
| Lt | J Dyson | 14 Jul 1943 | Arrived on posting as supernumerary |
| Lt | M F Gregg | 14 Jul 1943 | Posted to the squadron as supernumerary |
| Lt | M F Gregg | 16 Jul 1943 | Posted as first reinforcement to No 656 Sqn (not yet reported) |
| Capt | I E Humphreys | 16 Jul 1943 | Posted from No 656 Sqn but remained attached to No 656 Sqn |
| Lt | H Orr | 18 Jul 1943 | Arrived on posting as supernumerary, wef 14 Jul 1943 and allocated to 'B' Flight |
| Capt | A J Johnston | 19 Jul 1943 | Grounded pending seeing an Eye Specialist |
| Lt | H A Pridmore | 24 Jul 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU as supernumerary |
| Cpl | F L Hadlow | 24 Jul 1943 | Admitted to Worksop Hospital following a road accident |
| Capt | I E Humphreys | 27 Jul 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 656 Sqn, wef 16 Jul 1943 |
| Plt Off | K Smith | 29 Jul 1943 | Adjutant, promoted to Act Flt Lt, wef 5 Jul 1943 |
| August | |||
| Lt | R H Sutcliffe | 1 Aug 1943 | Reported for duty but no posting notice received |
| Fg Off | W H Smith | 5 Aug 1943 | Equipment Officer, reposted as supernumerary |
| Lt | A C Young | 5 Aug 1943 | Posted to No 657 Sqn |
| Plt Off | L Tomkinson | 5 Aug 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as Equipment Officer |
| T/Capt | A J Johnston | 12 Aug 1943 | Reposted as supernumerary, reverting to the rank of Lt |
| Lt | J Hylands | 12 Aug 1943 | Reposted to No 659 Sqn as T/Capt |
| Lt | F P J Flavin | 12 Aug 1943 | Arrived on posting as supernumerary |
| Lt | G J Gilbey | 16 Aug 1943 | Arrived on posting from No 652 Sqn as supernumerary |
| Lt | W H Buchanan | 19 Aug 1943 | Arrived on posting as supernumerary |
| Lt | A S C Gander | 19 Aug 1943 | Arrived on posting as supernumerary |
| Lt | A Macfarlane | 19 Aug 1943 | Arrived on posting as supernumerary |
| Fg Off | W H Smith | 21 Aug 1943 | Equipment Officer, posted to RAF Wittering as supernumerary |
| September | |||
| Lt | D A Hall | 3 Sep 1943 | Arrived on posting from RA Depot |
| Lt | W E Mickleburgh | 3 Sep 1943 | Arrived on posting from RA Depot |
| Lt | H A Pridmore | 13 Sep 1943 | Posted to No 661 Sqn |
| Flt Lt | K Smith | 17 Sep 1943 | Adjutant, appointed Aircrew Liaison Officer |
| Lt | A J Johnston | 22 Sep 1943 | Attached to 8 Corps |
| Lt | F P J Flavin | 22 Sep 1943 | Attached to 8 Corps |
| October | |||
| Lt | F P J Flavin | 4 Oct 1943 | Posted to No 662 Sqn |
| Lt | J Dyson | 4 Oct 1943 | Posted to No 662 Sqn |
| Lt | H Orr | 4 Oct 1943 | Posted to No 652 Sqn |
| Capt | D W Loder | 16 Oct 1943 | Attached to CTC, Dundonald for Observation of Naval Gun Fire Course |
| Capt | P I D Heard | 16 Oct 1943 | Attached to CTC, Dundonald for Observation of Naval Gun Fire Course |
| Lt | W H Buchanan | 18 Oct 1943 | Attached to 9th Cameronians |
| Lt | A S C Gander | 18 Oct 1943 | Attached to 9th Cameronians |
| Lt | D A Hall | 18 Oct 1943 | Attached to '2 Glas H', Bingley |
| Lt | A Macfarlane | 18 Oct 1943 | Attached to '2 Glas H', Bingley |
| Lt | W E Mickleburgh | 18 Oct 1943 | Attached to 7th Seaforths |
| Lt | R H Sutcliffe | 19 Oct 1943 | Attached to No 658 Sqn |
| November | |||
| Lt | R H Sutcliffe | 18 Nov 1943 | Posted to No 658 Sqn |
| Lt | W H Buchanan | 25 Nov 1943 | Posted to RA Depot, pending posting overseas |
| Lt | A S C Gander | 25 Nov 1943 | Posted to RA Depot, pending posting overseas |
| Lt | D A Hall | 25 Nov 1943 | Posted to RA Depot, pending posting overseas |
| Lt | A Macfarlane | 25 Nov 1943 | Posted to RA Depot, pending posting overseas |
| Lt | W E Mickleburgh | 25 Nov 1943 | Posted to RA Depot, pending posting overseas |
| Lt | R G P Cox | 28 Nov 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU as supernumerary, wef 18 Nov 1943 |
| Lt | R R Graham | 28 Nov 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU as supernumerary, wef 18 Nov 1943 |
| Lt | M G Fraser | 28 Nov 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU as supernumerary, wef 18 Nov 1943 |
| Lt | D A Jennings | 28 Nov 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU as supernumerary, wef 18 Nov 1943 |
| Lt | J B Hollinshead | 29 Nov 1943 | Arrived on posting from the No 43 OTU as supernumerary, wef 18 Nov 1943 |
| December | |||
| Lt | W J McWilliam | 1 Dec 1943 | Attached to No 8 SoTT for Waterproofing Course |
| Capt | A J Beer | 9 Dec 1943 | Signals Officer, attached to No 5 school of Signals, Catterick for RSI Refresher Course |
| Lt | M G Fraser | 15 Dec 1943 | Attached to AFV School for AFV Recognition Course No 475 |
| Lt | J B Hollinshead | 30 Dec 1943 | Attached to No 4 Practice Camp Battery for Observation of Fire Course No 3 |
| Lt | R R Graham | 30 Dec 1943 | Attached to No 4 Practice Camp Battery for Observation of Fire Course No 3 |
Source - No 659 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/2184)
Organisational Movements: Apr - Dec 1943
| Date | Notes |
| April | |
| 30 Apr 1943 | No 659 Squadron was formed at RAF Firbeck under the control of No 33 Wing, Army Co-operation Command |
| May | |
| 18 May 1943 | First batch of MT was collected from 29 VRD, Castle Donington and 40 VRD, Wilford |
| 25 May 1943 | 1 x Tiger Moth, T6859 and 3 x Auster IIIs, NK113. NK114 and NK116, were delivered by the ATA |
 |
|
 |
|
| 26 May 1943 | 1 x Auster III, NK124, was delivered by the ATA |
| 28 May 1943 | A further batch of MT was collected from VRDs 2 x Auster IIIs, NK125 and NK126, were delivered by the ATA |
| 31 May 1943 | Army Co-operation Command disbanded, No 33 Wing transferred to No 12 Group Fighter Command |
| June | |
| 6 Jun 1943 | 5 x Auster IIIs, NK251, NK252, NK243, NK254 and
NK255, were delivered by the ATA 4 x Auster IIIs, NK113. NK114, NK116 and NK124, were collected by the ATA |
| 27 Jun 1943 | 3 x Auster IIIs, NK449, NK532 and NK536, were delivered by the ATA |
| July | |
| 17 Jul 1943 | Final batch of MT was collected from 29 VRD, Castle Donington |
| 21 Jul 1943 | Squadron, less rear party, moved to Wrangle to work on Friskney Ranges |
| 24 Jul 1943 | Squadron returned to RAF Firbeck |
| August | |
| 14 Aug 1943 | Squadron was placed under the control of Rear HQ, No 84 Group |
| 16 Aug 1943 | Advance party moved from RAF Firbeck to RAF Clifton, York |
| 17 Aug 1943 | Main party moved from RAF Firbeck to RAF Clifton, York |
| September | |
| 2 Sep 1943 | Mobilisation orders received |
| October | |
| 1 Oct 1943 | 19 x lorries collected from Lancaster |
| 2 Oct 1943 | 19 x lorries arrived from Lancaster |
| November | |
| 24 Nov 1943 | Squadron, less rear party, proceeded to RAF Honiley en-route to RAF Weston Zoyland |
| 27 Nov 1943 | Squadron engaged in practice flights across Bristol Channel until 6 Dec 1943 |
| December | |
| 12 Dec 1943 | Squadron attached to Practice Camp at Hunstanton |
| 19 Dec 1943 | Squadron returned to RAF Clifton |
| 30 Dec 1943 | Advance party departed RAF Clifton for RAF Burn |
| 31 Dec 1943 | Main party departed RAF Clifton for RAF Burn |
Source - No 659 Sqn ORB (AIR 27/2184)
This entry was last updated on 04/11/25
