651 Squadron

Having spent 1990 to 1994 in Lynx flight as an Aircrewman(G) I will try to fill in a few gaps. When I was posted to the Sqn as part of 1 Regt AAC the base was in Hildesheim south of Hannover. It was the closest base to the old German inner border between East and West. The other 2 Squadrons in the Regt were 652 and 662 Sqn along with HQ Sqn and each Sqn had its REME techs attached. When I first arrived the Regt was converting to Lynx AH7 from the old AH1 s which were a vast inprovment but still vibrated enough to shake fillings out. After the East/West reunifacation the AAC as a whole became a victim of drawdown as it was termed (or cuts to use civvy terms) the Regt moved from Hildeshiem to the old RAF Guttersloh base after the RAF Harriers had gone in 1993. The camp became Princess Royal Barracks under the Royal Logistics Corps (or really large club as we called it).i was posted out (as a victim of cutbacks) in 1994 so from here on it gets a little hazey. 651 Sqn was posted back to England to Middle Wallop the to RAF Odiham as part of the Joint Special Forces Air Wing still flying Lynx until moving to 5 Regt AAC in Northern Ireland converting to the BN Islander. Once again the last the last few point need conferming for dates etc. To close on a funny note, If I had not been made redundant in 1995 in would my self have converted to the Islander in July 1994 and then onto 5 Regt as a member of 1 Flt and would have still been there when 1 Flt became 651 Sqn.... I hope this adds a little more detail for you, keep up the good work. Regards, Don Edge AWO (RAF-R Retired) Formally CPL D E Edge AAC