654 Squadron

Reformed during Aug 1958 at Hildesheim, the unit flew Skeeter AOP.12 until at least 1964. Reformed again on 1 Oct 1969 at Herford as part of the centralisation strategy from 24 Flight and the Air Troops of 26 Engineer Regt and 14/20 Kings Hussars.

Served two five month tours in Northern Ireland between Nov 1974 and Mar 1975, and Jul to Nov 1976. Most of the unit was relocated closer to 4 Regiment HQ in Feb 1977 in preparation for the introduction of 3 Regiment for 31 Dec 1977, with B Flt arriving at Soest in Oct 1977. Four of the unit Lynx were detached at this time to Northern Ireland for a 4 month roulement, operating from Armagh and Enniskillen. It then swapped a Flt with co-located 660 Squadron to become an entirely Scout unit and came under 4 REGT control on 6 Dec 1977. It was renumbered 653 Squadron on 1 Apr 1978.

In Dec 1990, the unit initially deployed from Germany to Al Jubail for its participation in Operation Desert Storm, eventually returning to Detmold in Mar 1991. It completed a 6 month deployment to Bosnia Herzegovina in Jun 1997, having deployed in Dec 1996. A 2 Gazelle Flt deployed to Pristina between May and Nov 2000 to support NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo.

Disbanded 10 Jul 2014, reducing 4 REGT to 2 squadrons as part of Army 2020 strategy.