No. 666 Squadron RCAF
Encyclopedia
No. 666 Squadron RCAF was originally an RCAF Air Observation Post (AOP) squadron formed during the Second World War. It was manned principally by Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) and Royal Canadian Air Force
(RCAF) personnel.
, No. 665 Squadron RCAF
, and No. 666 Squadron RCAF. The Canadian pilots were officers recruited from the Royal Canadian Artillery and trained to fly at 22 E.F.T.S. Cambridge
, and further trained for operational flying at No. 43 Operational Training Unit RAF, at RAF Andover
.
The squadron was formed at RAF Andover
, England
, on 5 March 1945, the third Air Observation Post squadron consisting of Canadian personnel to be formed at RAF Andover, after a 1944 parliamentary debate in Ottawa
, Canada
, resulted in the approval of three AOP squadrons to be added to the RCAF list, in support of the 1st Canadian Army. The squadron operated under the overall command of No. 70 Group, RAF Fighter Command
.
Royal Canadian Artillery Major Dave Ely initially took command of each of the three squadrons, and was assisted by two RCAF Flight Lieutenants, D. Dougall (Acting Squadron Adjutant) and A.R. Woodhouse (Squadron Equipment officer). Major Ely was also assisted by nine AOP trained Royal Artillery
Officers, who began training the squadron's other ranks.
In the last week of March, 1945, 666 Squadron's aircraft - sixteen Auster Mark V's
- began to arrive, along with the squadron's ground transport. On 7 May 1945, ten qualified Canadian AOP pilots were posted to the squadron, and from their ranks, Captain A.B. Stewart was elevated to Squadron Captain. In April, 666 began a succession of moves: on 17 April, to Alfriston Aerodrome; on 28 May, to Gilze-Rijen, the Netherlands; on 6 June, to be headquartered at Hilversum
, from where the squadron's three subordinate Flights were dispersed to Dordrecht
, Alkmaar
, and Ede
.
On 12 June, Major Ely left 666 Squadron after being reassigned to Canadian Far East Force (CFEF), and was replaced by Major A.B. Stewart as Officer Commanding. Through the summer of 1945, the squadron was tasked with 'air taxi' duties in support of 1st Canadian Infantry Division
, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
, and #1 Canadian AGRA (Army Groups Royal Artillery). On 25 June, 666 Squadron moved from Hilversum
to Apeldoorn
, Holland, joining 664 Squadron
and 665 Squadron
in that location, then under the overall command of the First Canadian Army
.
With the disbanding of 665 (AOP) Squadron, on 10 July 1945, many of the remaining personnel from that squadron were transferred to 666 Squadron. Tasking thereafter included VIP, Courier, and Communications Flight duties in support of Canadian Army Occupation Force (CAOF). No. 666 Squadron RCAF in its turn was disbanded at Apeldoorn
, the Netherlands, on 31 October 1945. The squadron had no motto or heraldic crest assigned to it.
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
(RCAF) personnel.
History
Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with army units in artillery spotting and liaison. Three additional squadrons were Canadian, and approved on the RCAF list in the late summer of 1944: No. 664 Squadron RCAFNo. 664 Squadron RCAF
No. 664 "Air Observation Post" Squadron, RCAF was formed in England during the Second World War. It was manned principally by Royal Canadian Artillery and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel, with select British artillery pilots briefly seconded to assist in squadron formation.-History:The...
, No. 665 Squadron RCAF
No. 665 Squadron RCAF
No. 665 "Air Observation Post" Squadron, RCAF was formed in England during the Second World War. It was manned principally by Royal Canadian Artillery and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel, with select British artillery pilots briefly seconded to assist in squadron formation...
, and No. 666 Squadron RCAF. The Canadian pilots were officers recruited from the Royal Canadian Artillery and trained to fly at 22 E.F.T.S. Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, and further trained for operational flying at No. 43 Operational Training Unit RAF, at RAF Andover
RAF Andover
Andover Airfield is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station. The ICAO code for the airfield is EGWA and the IATA code is ADV...
.
The squadron was formed at RAF Andover
RAF Andover
Andover Airfield is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station. The ICAO code for the airfield is EGWA and the IATA code is ADV...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on 5 March 1945, the third Air Observation Post squadron consisting of Canadian personnel to be formed at RAF Andover, after a 1944 parliamentary debate in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, resulted in the approval of three AOP squadrons to be added to the RCAF list, in support of the 1st Canadian Army. The squadron operated under the overall command of No. 70 Group, RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
.
Royal Canadian Artillery Major Dave Ely initially took command of each of the three squadrons, and was assisted by two RCAF Flight Lieutenants, D. Dougall (Acting Squadron Adjutant) and A.R. Woodhouse (Squadron Equipment officer). Major Ely was also assisted by nine AOP trained Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
Officers, who began training the squadron's other ranks.
In the last week of March, 1945, 666 Squadron's aircraft - sixteen Auster Mark V's
Taylorcraft Auster
The Taylorcraft Auster was a British military liaison and observation aircraft produced by the Taylorcraft Aeroplanes Limited company during the Second World War.-Design and development:...
- began to arrive, along with the squadron's ground transport. On 7 May 1945, ten qualified Canadian AOP pilots were posted to the squadron, and from their ranks, Captain A.B. Stewart was elevated to Squadron Captain. In April, 666 began a succession of moves: on 17 April, to Alfriston Aerodrome; on 28 May, to Gilze-Rijen, the Netherlands; on 6 June, to be headquartered at Hilversum
Hilversum
is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called "'t Gooi", it is the largest town in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller villages...
, from where the squadron's three subordinate Flights were dispersed to Dordrecht
Dordrecht
Dordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
, Alkmaar
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
, and Ede
Ede, Netherlands
' is a municipality and a town in the center of the Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland.- Population centres :Community :* Bennekom: 14.749* De Klomp: 508* Deelen: 50* Ede : 67.812* Ederveen: 3.167* Harskamp: 3.464...
.
On 12 June, Major Ely left 666 Squadron after being reassigned to Canadian Far East Force (CFEF), and was replaced by Major A.B. Stewart as Officer Commanding. Through the summer of 1945, the squadron was tasked with 'air taxi' duties in support of 1st Canadian Infantry Division
1st Canadian Infantry Division
The 1st Canadian Infantry Division was a formation mobilized on 1 September 1939 for service in the Second World War. The division was also reactivated twice during the Cold War....
, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army from 1940 to c.1945.- History :The formation of the division was authorized on 17 May 1940...
, and #1 Canadian AGRA (Army Groups Royal Artillery). On 25 June, 666 Squadron moved from Hilversum
Hilversum
is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called "'t Gooi", it is the largest town in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller villages...
to Apeldoorn
Apeldoorn
Apeldoorn is a municipality and city in the province of Gelderland, about 60 miles south east of Amsterdam, in the centre of the Netherlands. It is a regional centre and has 155,000 . The municipality of Apeldoorn, including villages like Beekbergen, Loenen and Hoenderloo, has over 155,000...
, Holland, joining 664 Squadron
No. 664 Squadron RCAF
No. 664 "Air Observation Post" Squadron, RCAF was formed in England during the Second World War. It was manned principally by Royal Canadian Artillery and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel, with select British artillery pilots briefly seconded to assist in squadron formation.-History:The...
and 665 Squadron
No. 665 Squadron RCAF
No. 665 "Air Observation Post" Squadron, RCAF was formed in England during the Second World War. It was manned principally by Royal Canadian Artillery and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel, with select British artillery pilots briefly seconded to assist in squadron formation...
in that location, then under the overall command of the First Canadian Army
First Canadian Army
The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War.The Army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing number of Canadian forces in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps...
.
With the disbanding of 665 (AOP) Squadron, on 10 July 1945, many of the remaining personnel from that squadron were transferred to 666 Squadron. Tasking thereafter included VIP, Courier, and Communications Flight duties in support of Canadian Army Occupation Force (CAOF). No. 666 Squadron RCAF in its turn was disbanded at Apeldoorn
Apeldoorn
Apeldoorn is a municipality and city in the province of Gelderland, about 60 miles south east of Amsterdam, in the centre of the Netherlands. It is a regional centre and has 155,000 . The municipality of Apeldoorn, including villages like Beekbergen, Loenen and Hoenderloo, has over 155,000...
, the Netherlands, on 31 October 1945. The squadron had no motto or heraldic crest assigned to it.
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 5 March 1945 | 18 April 1945 | RAF Andover RAF Andover Andover Airfield is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station. The ICAO code for the airfield is EGWA and the IATA code is ADV... , Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force... |
| 18 April 1945 | 28 May 1945 | RAF Friston Friston Friston is a village in Suffolk, England. It is southeast of Saxmundham, its post town, and northwest of Aldeburgh. The River Alde bounds the village on the south. The surrounding land is chiefly arable. The soil becomes partly marshy in the lower grounds... , Suffolk Suffolk Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east... |
| 28 May 1945 | 6 June 1945 | B.77/Gilze-Rijen Gilze-Rijen Air Base Gilze-Rijen Air Base is a military airbase in the Netherlands located between the cities of Breda and Tilburg, in the Noord-Brabant province. It is mainly, but not exclusively used as a base for attack helicopters. The airfield has two runways, the longest, complete with instrument landing... , Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
| 6 June 1945 | 25 June 1945 | Hilversum Hilversum Airport Hilversum Airport is a general aviation airport south-southwest of Hilversum, a municipality and town in the Het Gooi region and the province of North Holland in the Netherlands.... , Netherlands |
| 25 June 1945 | 30 September 1945 | 'JOE' Airfield (Apeldoorn) Apeldoorn Apeldoorn is a municipality and city in the province of Gelderland, about 60 miles south east of Amsterdam, in the centre of the Netherlands. It is a regional centre and has 155,000 . The municipality of Apeldoorn, including villages like Beekbergen, Loenen and Hoenderloo, has over 155,000... , Netherlands |
Squadron membership
- Major D.R. Ely
- Major A.B. Stewart
- Captain A.D. Carpenter ('B' Flight Commander)
- Captain J.M. DoohanJames DoohanJames Montgomery "Jimmy" Doohan was a Canadian character and voice actor best known for his role as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the television and film series Star Trek...
- Captain R.O. Lundgren ('C' Flight Commander)
- Captain A.S. MacPherson ('A' Flight Commander)
Primary source interviews
- Ms. Francis Gales (Widow of Captain 'Tony' Eaton, MC).
- Gunner R.D. 'Ray' Knight, former member and observer of 665 (AOP) Squadron; 666 (AOP) Squadron, RCAF (Contributor's father)
- Gunner Floyd Osterhaut, former member and observer of 665 (AOP) Squadron.
- Captain F.R. 'Ray' Irwin, former member and pilot of 664 (AOP) Squadron, ; 665 (AOP) Squadron, RCAF; 666 (AOP) Squadron.
- Captain Bev Dane Baily, former member and pilot of 665 (AOP) Squadron.
- George Blackburn, MC.