AHQ Iraq

Air Headquarters Iraq (1941-1943)
Air Headquarters Iraq and Persia (1943-1946)
Air Headquarters Iraq (1946-1955)
Active 1941 - 1955
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Headquarters RAF Habbaniya (1941-43, 1946-55)
Royal Air Force Ensign

AHQ Iraq (Air Headquarters Iraq or Air H.Q. Iraq) was a command of the Royal Air Force (RAF).

History

The command was formed on 1 November 1941 by renaming HQ British Forces in Iraq, the former RAF Iraq Command. AHQ Iraq was renamed AHQ Iraq and Persia on 1 January 1943.[1] AHQ Iraq and Persia was a sub-command of Middle East Command which at the time was a sub-command of the Allied Mediterranean Air Command.[2] AHQ Iraq was reformed by renaming AHQ Iraq and Persia on 1 March 1946.[1] The Headquarters (A.H.Q.) were situated in RAF Habbaniya.

No. 6 Squadron RAF flew out to Shaibah during a period of high tensions with Iran - the Abadan crisis over oil nationalisation in June 1951.[3]

In April 1955 a new agreement was made with the Iraq Government for the defence of Iraq and the use of bases by the RAF with the result that AHQ Iraq was disbanded by being renamed AHQ Levant on 1 May 1955. On 1 December 1955 AHQ Levant started to transfer from RAF Habbaniya to Cyprus and on 15 January 1955, when the move was complete, AHQ Cyprus and AHQ Levant were amalgamated as AHQ Levant.[4]

One of the two main stations in Iraq, RAF Shaibah, was handed over to Iraqi control on 1 March 1956.[5] The RAF maintained a presence in Iraq until May 1959, when RAF Habbaniya and RAF Basrah were closed. The long-present Iraq Levies had been disbanded in May 1955.[6]

Order of battle

Some of the units and commanders assigned to these commands for four different dates during World War II are illustrated below.

AHQ Iraq and Persia Order of Battle[1][2]
AHQ Iraq
27 October 1942		 AHQ Iraq and Persia
10 July 1943
No. 215 Group No. 215 Group
No. 214 Group
Notes
Det.=Detachment, Met.=Meteorological
On 10 July 1943, when the Allies invaded Sicily (Operation Husky), it's not clear whether Air Vice Marshal Hugh Champion de Crespigny or Air Vice Marshal Robert Willock was in command of AHQ Iraq and Persia.

Commanders

Commanders included:[1]

AHQ Iraq

AHQ Iraq & Persia

AHQ Iraq

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Overseas Commands - Iraq, India and the Far East
  2. 1 2 Richards, D. and H. Saunders, The Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (Volumes 2-3, HMSO, 1953).
  3. ↑ http://www.sixsqnassociation.org.uk/page7.html
  4. ↑ David Lee, FLIGHT FROM THE MIDDLE EAST, pg. 105
  5. ↑ Tony Fairbairn, ACTION STATIONS OVERSEAS, pg. 165
  6. ↑ Solomon (Sawa) Solomon, The Assyrian Levies, The Final Chapter, Nineveh Magazine 4Q,93,V16,No4.

Further reading

Bibliography

  • Tony Fairbairn: ACTION STATIONS OVERSEAS (Patrick Stephens Limited, UK, 1991, ISBN 978-1-85260-319-9).
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