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| RAF Iraq Command | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | RAF Iraq Command |
| Caption | Emblem of RAF Iraq Command |
| Dates | 1922–1941 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Type | Air command |
| Role | Air control, policing, reconnaissance |
| Garrison | Hinaidi Cantonment, Shaibah |
| Notable commanders | Sir John Salmond, Arthur Tedder |
RAF Iraq Command RAF Iraq Command was a British Royal Air Force formation established to administer air units in Iraq during the interwar period and early Second World War; it provided air policing, reconnaissance, and support to imperial forces in the Middle East and Persian Gulf. The command evolved from earlier RAF responsibilities in the former Mesopotamia and operated alongside British Army formations, colonial administrations, and regional authorities such as the Iraqi Kingdom. It played roles in events connected to the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty, the 1936–1939 Arab revolts, and the 1941 Anglo-Iraqi War.
RAF Iraq Command traces its origins to RAF elements deployed during the aftermath of the First World War and the Mesopotamian campaign, reorganised under the Air Ministry and Middle East Command. Following the 1922 withdrawal from direct occupation arrangements, the command formalised air control as a cheaper alternative to large ground garrisons in mandate Iraq under the League of Nations mandate framework and in consultation with the British Legation in Baghdad. During the 1920s and 1930s RAF Iraq Command administered missions linked to the 1920 Revolt, tribal pacification operations, and enforcement of the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty. The command's responsibilities expanded with tensions in the Levant, Transjordan, and the Persian Gulf as global geopolitics shifted toward the Second World War in Europe and North Africa.
The command's organisational structure included numbered squadrons of the RAF, maintenance units such as No. 5 Aircraft Depot, and communications flights attached to RAF stations at Hinaidi Cantonment, Shaibah, and Mosul. Units reported through chains tied to Air Ministry directives and the regional Middle East Command leadership including liaison with army and Royal Navy elements in the Persian Gulf. Squadrons commonly rotated between roles of reconnaissance, bomber operations, and transport, drawing personnel from RAF training establishments like No. 1 School of Technical Training and officers with experience from theatres such as the Western Front and the North African Campaign. Support organisations included signals units collaborating with MI5 and MI6 field officers, medical detachments modelled on Royal Army Medical Corps practices, and logistics coordinated with the Directorate of Supplies and Transport.
RAF Iraq Command undertook colonial policing operations during the 1920 Iraqi Revolt aftermath, air control sorties against tribal insurgencies in Anbar and Kirkuk, and played a strategic role during the Anglo-Iraqi War of 1941 by engaging Iraqi Royal Iraqi Air Force assets and supporting operations to secure Basra, Baghdad, and oil facilities in the Persian Gulf. The command provided reconnaissance for armoured columns and close support for expeditionary forces drawn from units such as the Indian Army and HMS Hermes-related naval deployments. Its campaign history intersects with broader operations like the Syria–Lebanon Campaign and the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran due to strategic oil and lines of communication concerns.
Aircraft types employed by RAF Iraq Command included the DH.9A, Handley Page bombers in early years, the Hawker Hart family, the Westland Wapiti, and later frontline types such as the Gloster Gladiator, Bristol Blenheim, and Hawker Hurricane for interceptor and ground-attack roles. Transport and communications used the Vickers Victoria, Armstrong Whitworth Atalanta, and later Avro Anson types, while photographic reconnaissance used modified variants like the Spitfire PR adaptations where available. Ground equipment and logistics relied on vehicles from manufacturers such as Leyland Motors and Bedford Vehicles, with maintenance support from RAF workshops modelled on practices at No. 1 Aircraft Depot and spare parts sourced via Imperial Airways and Eastern Air Lines-era supply chains.
Principal bases included Hinaidi Cantonment, Shaibah, Mosul, RAF Habbaniya, and forward landing grounds at Fallujah, Kirkuk, and Basra. Infrastructure investment encompassed hangars influenced by Royal Engineers designs, wireless stations collaborating with BBC relay services, and water and fuel storage built to standards used in Aden and Egypt. Airfield defence incorporated perimeter forts modelled on those at Fort Habbaniya and integrated coastal cooperation with Royal Navy units in the Persian Gulf.
Commanders included senior RAF officers with service records spanning the First World War and interwar postings, such as Sir John Salmond and Arthur Tedder, alongside leaders who later featured in Mediterranean operations. Command appointments linked to roles within the Air Ministry and coordination with figures from British Expeditionary Force planning and Middle East Command staff, drawing on experience from battles like the Battle of Britain and campaigns in East Africa.
The command's legacy influenced air control doctrine adopted by the Royal Air Force and colonial security policy in regions including the Middle East, Persian Gulf, and South Asia. Lessons from RAF Iraq Command informed later counterinsurgency air strategies in theatres such as Aden and the Malayan Emergency, and contributed to institutional knowledge used by postwar organisations like Royal Air Force Regiment and the Ministry of Defence. Its bases, notably Habbaniya and Shaibah, persisted as strategic sites into the Cold War era and factored in the historical context for modern Iraqi Air Force development and Anglo-Iraqi relations.
Category:Royal Air Force commands Category:Military units and formations established in 1922 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1941