No. 653 Squadron AAC
From the middle of August a month was spent in Sissinghurst area in co-operation with 12 Corps on Exercise Peacock, on completion of which the Squadron returned to its station at Penhurst.During August the Squadron flew information sorties over the enemy withdrawal from Noyers and Epenay and provided standing patrols of the 53 and 59 Division fronts.Sorties were flown over Falise in the latter half of the month and messages were dropped to British armour informing them of the positions of German Tiger tanks which were holding up the advance.The area Falaise-Trun-Chambois was thoroughly searched for targets and the accuracy of the AOP Squadrons direction later became apparent as the advance covered the ground over which the Austers had been operating.Operations by the Army commenced on 16 January 1945 to clear the enemy up to the line of the rivers Roer and Wuom and in support of these the Squadron engaged guns and infantry in the area of the advance.Reconnaissances were maintained over the Emms-Weser Canal to report on the state of the bridges there and a large number of targets were found in the surrounding area including gun positions, troops and transport.A number of sorties were flown during the remainder of the month to provide information for 12 Corps on the movements of surrendered German forces and to report of shipping at Brunsbuttel and in the Kiel Canal.
United KingdomBritish Army3 Regiment Army Air CorpsWattisham Flying StationAttack helicopterBoeing AH64E ApacheArmy Air CorpsRoyal Air ForceSecond World WarRAF Old SarumWiltshirede Havilland Tiger MothsTaylorcraft AusterEastern CommandRAF PenshurstRiver MaasCyprusAAC NetheravonDhekeliaRAF Sheikh OthmanAuster Vde Havilland Tiger MothAusterWellingboroughFarrar-Hockley, General Sir AnthonyWarwickAirfieldsAldergrove Flying StationStirling LinesMiddle Wallop Flying StationRNAS YeoviltonBrigades1st Aviation Brigade Combat Team1 RegimentNo. 651 Squadron AACNo. 652 Squadron AACNo. 659 Squadron AACNo. 661 Squadron AAC3 RegimentHQ SquadronNo. 662 Squadron AACNo. 663 Squadron AAC4 RegimentNo. 656 Squadron AACNo. 664 Squadron AAC5 RegimentNo. 665 Squadron AAC6 RegimentNo. 679 (The Duke of Connaught's) Squadron AAC2 (Training) RegimentNo. 668 (Training) Squadron AACNo. 676 Squadron AAC7 (Training) RegimentNo. 671 Squadron AACNo. 673 Squadron AAC9 RegimentNo. 670 Squadron AACNo. 660 Squadron AACNo. 1 Flying Training School RAFNo. 658 Squadron AACJoint Special Forces Aviation WingArmy Historic Aircraft FlightHelicopter Display Teamflying squadronsAustralian Flying CorpsArticle XVRoyal CanadianAir ForceRoyal AustralianAir ForceRoyal New ZealandAir ForceBelgian320 (Netherlands)321 (Netherlands)322 (Dutch)PolishUnited StatesRoyal Auxiliary Air ForceFleet Air Arm of the RAFVolunteer GlidingSquadrons