#1594 Apache AH Mk1
Description
Squadron Prints Lithograph No 1594 - ZJ209, Apache AH Mk1, 664 Squadron AAC, 4 Regiment AAC, Wattisham.
664 Air Observation Post Squadron was formed on 9 December 1944 at Andover with Canadian personnel and supported the First Canadian Army and then 84 Group during Allied operations through the Low Countries and Germany until it was disbanded in May 1946. On 1 September 1949, 664 Squadron was reformed at Hucknall as a unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. The Green Archer motif in the centre of the Squadron badge reflects this association with Nottingham and Sherwood Forest. The Motto ‘Vae Viso’ on the scroll translates as ‘Woe to he that is seen’. The Royal Auxiliary Air Force, and consequently the Squadron, was disbanded on 10 March 1957. On 24 October 1969 an interim unit born out of 21 Flight AAC, the Observation Troops and Air Platoons of 2nd and 3rd Battalions The Parachute Regiment, took on the title of 664 Aviation Squadron as part of 3 Division Aviation Regiment. During November 1968 this group moved to Farnborough and became known as Army Aviation Interim Squadron, 16 Parachute Brigade. On 1 January 1973, the Squadron title changed to 664 Squadron AAC. Due to its association with Airborne Forces the title was changed to 664 Parachute Squadron AAC, until March 1977. In March 1978 the Army reorganised and re-designated its aviation units. This meant that 664 Squadron AAC reappeared as an anti-tank Squadron based in Minden, Germany. The Squadron returned to the UK in March 1992 as a subunit of 9 Regiment AAC which provided support to 24 Airmobile Brigade. From February to August 1995 the Squadron deployed to Bosnia as the first aviation unit on Operation Grapple as part of the United Nations Protection Force. In January 1996 the Squadron returned to Bosnia, this time as part of Operation RESOLUTE under the command of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. The Squadron’s final deployment to the Balkans came in December 1997 as part of the Sustainment Force (SFOR). At this point 664 Squadron had served more tours than any other Army Air Corps Squadron. In September 1999, 9 Regiment AAC came under the command of 16 Air Assault Brigade. On 1 July 2003 9 Regiment began the Apache AH Mk1 conversion process, with 664 Squadron starting Conversion to Role in October 2004. ZJ209 was the first Apache AH Mk1 to arrive at 664 Squadron AAC. In December 2006, 664 Squadron deployed to Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK, where they served a total of six tours between 2006 and 2014. During this period they moved to Wattisham Flying Station, Suffolk, under the banner of 4 Regiment AAC. With the drawdown of operations in Afghanistan in 2014, 664 Squadron refocused its output to support Extremely High Readiness and Very High Readiness tasking in support of 16 Air Assault Brigade and other discreet users. 1 April 2020 saw the standing up of 1 Aviation Brigade, the AAC Combat Aviation Brigade in which 664 Squadron and 4 Regiment AAC moved under whilst continuing to hold EHR and VHR for operations worldwide.
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