# RAF Iraq Command

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Royal Air Force command in charge of British forces in Iraq (1922–1941)

RAF Iraq Command Founded 1922–1941 Country United Kingdom Branch Royal Air Force Type Command Role Control of RAF Forces in Iraq

Military unit

**Iraq Command** was the [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) (RAF) commanded [inter-service](/source/British_Armed_Forces) [command](/source/Command_(military_formation)) in charge of [British](/source/United_Kingdom) forces in [Iraq](/source/Iraq) in the 1920s and early 1930s, during the period of the [British Mandate of Mesopotamia](/source/British_Mandate_of_Mesopotamia). It continued as **British Forces in Iraq** until 1941 when it was replaced by [AHQ Iraq](/source/AHQ_Iraq). It consisted of [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force), [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy), [British Army](/source/British_Army), [Commonwealth](/source/Commonwealth_of_Nations) and locally raised units, commanded by an RAF officer normally of [Air Vice-Marshal](/source/Air_Vice-Marshal) rank.[1]

## Origins

Following the end of [World War I](/source/World_War_I) and the accompanying British defence cuts, the new RAF took up the task of policing the [Empire](/source/British_Empire) from the air. In May 1920 [an insurgency](/source/Iraqi_revolt_against_the_British) broke out around the Euphrates and this uprising rapidly extended to a more general area. The Air Officer Commanding the Middle East dispatched an additional squadron from Egypt to Iraq. In London the Government were seeking a solution and the Army's proposal, which involved reinforcing Iraq with large numbers of personnel, was considered to be too expensive by the Cabinet. [Winston Churchill](/source/Winston_Churchill), remembering the [RAF's success in Somaliland](/source/1920_conflict_between_British_forces_and_the_Dervish_State) asked [Trenchard](/source/Hugh_Trenchard%2C_1st_Viscount_Trenchard) for a cheaper alternative and a plan for air control using air power as a more cost-effective way of controlling large areas than by using conventional land forces was proposed.[2] In [Mesopotamia](/source/Mesopotamia) there was a need to counter [Turkish](/source/Turkey) aspirations and by 1920 a Mesopotamian [Wing](/source/Wing_(air_force_unit)) had been established. In January 1921 Mesopotamian [Group](/source/Group_(air_force_unit)) was formed by raising Mesopotamian [Wing](/source/Wing_(air_force_unit)) to group status.

In March 1921 at the [Cairo Conference](/source/Cairo_Conference_(1921)), Churchill, who was by then [Colonial Secretary](/source/Secretary_of_State_for_the_Colonies), along with the three service chiefs, decided that all British forces in Iraq would be put under control of the RAF. The intention was to apply the model of imperial air control which had worked in Somaliland to a much larger region which was similarly troubled.[3] The following year, on 1 October 1922 Mesopotamian Group was absorbed into the newly formed Iraq Command which was given control of all British forces in Iraq.

## Locations

Air Headquarter initially situated in the Old British Residency in [Baghdad](/source/Baghdad). The Officers were accommodated in various messes in [Baghdad](/source/Baghdad) and the airmen in a compound at Southgate. In December 1928 the Headquarters moved from Baghdad to [RAF Hinaidi](/source/RAF_Hinaidi) Cantonment and was located in one block of the original RAF General Hospital buildings. Apart from the Air Officer Commanding's staff mess, all the AHQ personnel were then accommodated at [RAF Hinaidi](/source/RAF_Hinaidi).[4] In 1937 Air Headquarters and the personnel moved from [RAF Hinaidi](/source/RAF_Hinaidi) Cantonment to the newly built [RAF Dhibban](/source/RAF_Dhibban) (renamed [RAF Habbaniya](/source/RAF_Habbaniya) in 1938). The Air Officer Commanding then lived in Air House at Habbaniya.

## Actions

Iraq Command was responsible for the following military actions:

- 1920 to 1922 - The [Great Iraqi Revolution of 1920](/source/Iraqi_revolt_against_the_British) started in [Baghdad](/source/Baghdad) in the summer of 1920 and dragged on until 1922.

- February to May 1923 - Following the anti-British activities of [Sheikh Mahmud](/source/Mahmud_Barzanji), delayed-action bombs were dropped outside [Sulaymaniyah](/source/Sulaymaniyah) in an effort to get the Sheikh to adopt more pro-British policies. British land forces occupied Sulaymaniyah on 17 May and Sheikh Mahmud fled to [Persia](/source/Persia).

- March to April 1923 - In response to the uncovering of Turkish plans for an attack on [Kurdistan](/source/Kurdistan), supported by local tribes associated with Sheikh Mahmud, Imperial troops and levies occupied [Rowanduz](/source/Rowanduz) and drove Turkish troops into nearby Persia.

- April 1923 - The RAF flew 280 [Sikh](/source/Sikhism) troops from [Kingarban](/source/Kingarban) to [Kirkuk](/source/Kirkuk) in the first British air trooping operation.

- 25 December 1923 - Sheikh Mahmud proclaimed himself [King of Kurdistan](/source/Kingdom_of_Kurdistan); subsequently, the RAF bombed his house in Sulaymaniyah.

- December 1923 to January 1924 - The RAF bombed [Akhwan](/source/Ikhwan) raiders from [Najd](/source/Najd) in an attempt to stop their attacks on the tribes living in southern Iraq.

- 4 May 1924 - Following a dispute between [Assyrian](/source/Assyrian_people) levies and the Muslims living in [Kirkuk](/source/Kirkuk), the levies ran amok. [Air Vice-Marshal](/source/Air_Vice-Marshal) [J F A Higgins](/source/John_Frederick_Andrews_Higgins) had two platoons of the 1st Battalion the [Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers](/source/Royal_Inniskilling_Fusiliers) airlifted from [Hinaidi](/source/RAF_Hinaidi) to Kirkuk to restore order.

- 5 May 1924 - The fusiliers were reinforced by air with two additional infantry platoons. [No. 30 Squadron RAF](/source/No._30_Squadron_RAF) carried out thorough air reconnaissance of the Kirkuk district.

*The above section is incomplete.*

## Follow-on

Since August 1921, [Faisal I](/source/Faisal_I_of_Iraq) had been [King of Iraq](/source/King_of_Iraq) under the [League of Nations Mandate](/source/League_of_Nations_Mandates). As of 1932, the mandate ended and the [Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq](/source/Hashemite_Kingdom_of_Iraq) was nominally independent. In accordance with the [Anglo-Iraqi Treaty](/source/Anglo-Iraqi_Treaty_(1930)) of 1930, British forces remained in Iraq.

In 1933 or 1934, "Iraq Command" was renamed the "British Forces in Iraq." By the late 1930s, these forces were restricted to two [Royal Air Force stations](/source/Royal_Air_Force_station), [RAF Shaibah](/source/RAF_Shaibah) near [Basrah](/source/Basrah), [RAF Basrah](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RAF_Basrah&action=edit&redlink=1) (the supply depot on the [Shatt-al-Arab](/source/Shatt-al-Arab) at [Basrah](/source/Basrah) and [RAF Habbaniya](/source/RAF_Habbaniya) west of [Baghdad](/source/Baghdad).[5] There were several Commanders of the "British Forces in Iraq". This command appears to have lasted until 1942. During the 1941 [Anglo-Iraqi War](/source/Anglo-Iraqi_War), *[Iraqforce](/source/Iraqforce)* subsumed this command.

On 1 November 1941, "British Forces in Iraq" was renamed Air Headquarters Iraq ([AHQ Iraq](/source/AHQ_Iraq)).

## Commanders

Commanders included:[6]

### Precursor formations

- 6 January 1921 (as Officer Commanding, HQ Mesopotamian Group) [Group Captain](/source/Group_Captain) [A E Borton](/source/Amyas_Borton)

- 13 October 1921 (as Officer Commanding, HQ Iraq Group) Group Captain, later [Air Commodore](/source/Air_Commodore), A E Borton

### RAF Iraq Command

- 1 October 1922 [Air Vice-Marshal](/source/Air_Vice-Marshal) [J M Salmond](/source/John_Salmond)

- 13 March 1924 Air Vice-Marshal [J F A Higgins](/source/John_Frederick_Andrews_Higgins)

- 3 November 1926 Air Vice-Marshal [E L Ellington](/source/Edward_Ellington)

- 1 November 1928 Air Vice-Marshal [H R M Brooke-Popham](/source/Robert_Brooke-Popham)

- 2 October 1930 Air Vice-Marshal [E R Ludlow-Hewitt](/source/Edgar_Ludlow-Hewitt)

- 1932 [Air Commodore](/source/Air_Commodore) [C L Courtney](/source/Christopher_Courtney) (temporary appointment)[7]

- 23 November 1932 Air Vice-Marshal [C S Burnett](/source/Charles_Burnett_(air_force_officer))

### British Forces in Iraq

- 1932 Air Vice-Marshal [C S Burnett](/source/Charles_Burnett_(RAF_officer))

- 1934 Air Vice Marshal [W G S Mitchell](/source/William_Mitchell_(RAF_officer))

- 1937 Air Vice Marshal / [Air Marshal](/source/Air_Marshal) (from 1939) [C L Courtney](/source/Christopher_Courtney)

- 1937 Air Vice Marshall [John Tyssen](/source/John_Tyssen) (from 20 November 1937)[8]

- 1939 Air Vice Marshal [H G Smart](/source/Harry_George_Smart)

- 1941 Air Vice Marshal [J H. D'Albiac](/source/John_D'Albiac)

## Chief staff officers

The following served as Chief [Staff Officer](/source/Staff_Officer) (or Senior Air Staff Officer) at the headquarters of Iraq Command:

- 2 February 1923 Air Commodore [L E O Charlton](/source/Lionel_Charlton) (resigned) [9]

- 22 October 1923 Air Commodore [J G Hearson](/source/John_Hearson)[10]

- 19 August 1924 Air Commodore [H C T Dowding](/source/Hugh_Dowding%2C_1st_Baron_Dowding)[11]

- 24 April 1926 Air Commodore [T C R Higgins](/source/Thomas_Higgins_(RAF_officer))[12]

- 9 March 1928 Group Captain (later Air Commodore) [F W Bowhill](/source/Frederick_Bowhill) (as Senior Air Staff Officer)[13]

*list incomplete*

## See also

- [Ottoman Iraq](/source/Ottoman_Iraq)

- [British Mandate of Iraq](/source/British_Mandate_of_Iraq)

- [Kingdom of Iraq](/source/Kingdom_of_Iraq)

- [Iraqi revolt against the British](/source/Iraqi_revolt_against_the_British)

- [Iraqforce](/source/Iraqforce)

- [Persia and Iraq Command](/source/Persia_and_Iraq_Command)

- [Iraq Levies](/source/Iraq_Levies)

- [List of Royal Air Force commands](/source/List_of_Royal_Air_Force_commands)

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Appointments](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1922/1922%20-%200679.html) Flight, 16 November 1922

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Boyle, Andrew. *Trenchard Man of Vision* p. 371

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Dean_3-0)** Dean, David J. (July–August 1983). ["Air Power in Small Wars – the British air control experience"](http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1983/jul-aug/dean.html). *Air University Review*. [Air University](/source/Air_University_(United_States)). Retrieved 13 January 2008.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** An Introduction to Iraq. British Forces in Iraq, RAF Hinaidi. 1935

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** David Lee, *Flight from the Middle East*, pg. 95

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Overseas Commands - Iraq, India and the Far East](http://www.rafweb.org/Cmd_O3.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080806113118/http://www.rafweb.org/Cmd_O3.htm) 6 August 2008 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Christopher Courtney](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Courtney.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** His Majesty's Stationery Office London: The Air Force List, February 1939

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Lionel Charlton](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Charlton.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - John Hearson](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Hearson.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Hugh Dowding](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Dowding.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Thomas Higgins](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/HigginsT.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Frederick Bowhill](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Bowhill.htm)

## References

- [Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Overseas Commands - Iraq, India and the Far East](https://web.archive.org/web/20080806113118/http://www.rafweb.org/Cmd_O3.htm)

- [Regiments.org - British Forces in Iraq 1921 to 1955](https://web.archive.org/web/20060310223543/http://www.regiments.org/formations/uk-cmdarmy/os-iraq.htm)

- [RAF Museum - British Military Aviation in 1923](https://web.archive.org/web/20040531064401/http://www.rafmuseum.com/milestones-of-flight/british_military/1923.html)

- Bowyer, Chaz (1988). "Chapter Four: Mespot and Chapter Five: Mahmud". *RAF Operations 1918-1938*. London: William Kimber. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7183-0671-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7183-0671-6).

- Omissi, David E. (1990). *Air Power and Colonial Control: The Royal Air Force, 1919-1939*. New York: Manchester University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7190-2960-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7190-2960-0).

- [David Lee](/source/David_Lee_(RAF_officer)), Flight from the Middle East: A history of the Royal Air Force in the Arabian Peninsula and adjacent territories 1945–1972, HMSO 1980

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [RAF Iraq Command](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Iraq_Command) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Iraq_Command?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.