HISTORY

3 Flight Army Air Corps originated from 1903 Air Operations Flight RAF which was formed in January 1943 at Bury St Edmunds as a flight of 656 Air Operations Squadron.  It was equipped with Auster aircraft.  In outline, the Flight’s history is as follows:

• 1944  Served in India and Burma, and was involved in the battles of Imphal and Kohima.  It sailed with the liberation force to Malaya in September 1945, then to Java to take part in the fighting against the Indonesians in December that year.
• 1946  Returned to Malaya.
• 1947  Disbanded when 656 Squadron was reduced to one flight after moving to Singapore.
• 1948  Reformed as 1903 Flight in Singapore and operated in Malaya during the Emergency.
• 1949  Moved to Hong Kong after the ‘Amethyst’ affair, where it became an Independent Flight as part of 40th Division.
• 1951  On the formation of 1st Commonwealth Division Artillery, the Flight moved to Korea and took part in the whole campaign.  At the end of hostilities 1903 Flight had lost two officers and two soldiers, killed in action.  The Flight was awarded one DSO, nine DFCs, six MIDs and one BEM.
• 1955   Moved to UK in support of 1st Infantry Division as part of 651 Air Operations Squadron, stationed at Detling, Kent.
• 1956   Moved to Fetwell, Norfolk in support of 3rd Infantry Division, then via Suez (Operation Musketeer) to Cyprus, and Gamel airfield, Egypt.
• 1958   Returned to UK, based at Debden, Essex.  It was in 1958 that the RAF title was dropped and the Flight became 3 Flight Army Air Corps.
• 1960   Moved to the Army Air Corps Centre, Middle Wallop as part of the Strategic Reserve.  
• 1964   Equipped with 3 Auster and 3 Scout helicopters the Flight was sent to Nicosia, Cyprus as part of the UN forces.
• 1965   Travelled via Netheravon, and a short tour in Northern Ireland, to Malaya then on an emergency tour of Sarawak, Borneo.  The Flight was by now equipped with 4 Scout helicopters.
• 1966   Moved to Perham Down.  It was involved in Operation Mop Up following the Torrey Canyon incident.
• 1969   The Flight was again disbanded when amalgamated with 5 Field Regiment RA Operations Flight and 15/19 Hussars Air Squadron to form 663 Squadron Army Air Corps.
• 1976   Reformed in Omagh, Northern Ireland when the 15/19 Hussars Air Squadron was renamed 3 Flight Army Air Corps.  It was by then equipped with 6 Gazelle helicopters.
• 1979   Moved to Topcliffe, Yorkshire, initially as an Independent Flight.
• 1989   Became part of 9 Regiment Army Air Corps, but remained at Topcliffe.
• 1991   Placed in suspended animation.
• 1993   Reformed as 3 Flight Army Air Corps (Volunteers) at RAF Turnhouse, Edinburgh.
• 1996   Moved to RAF Leuchars in Fife on closure of RAF Turnhouse.  

The Flight today consists of 7 Officers, 11 soldiers, 1 civilian and 4 Gazelle helicopters.

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