Anglo-Iraqi War

Anglo-Iraqi War
Part of Mediterranean, Middle East and African theatre
British troops looking at Baghdad, 11 June 1941.
Date 2 May – 31 May 1941. Location Iraq Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom British India Palestine	Iraq Germany Italy
Commanders and leaders
Claude Auchinleck Archibald Wavell Edward Quinan William Fraser H. G. Smart Ouvry Roberts John D'Albiac	Rashid Ali Hans Jeschonnek
Strength
1 infantry division 2 brigade groups 100+ aircraft	4 divisions 116 Iraqi aircraft (50 – 60 serviceable) 21–29 German aircraft 12 Italian aircraft
Casualties and losses
1,200 casualties 28 aircraft	8,500 casualties 19 German aircraft 4 Italian aircraft

The Anglo-Iraqi War was a conflict between the United Kingdom and the nationalist government of Iraq during the Second World War. The conflict lasted from 2 May to 31 May 1941. The conflict is also referred to as the Rashid Ali Rebellion. The campaign resulted in British re-occupation of Iraq and further fuelled nationalist resentment of the British-supported Iraqi monarchy.

Background

The Kingdom of Iraq (also referred to as Mesopotamia) was governed by the United Kingdom under a League of Nations mandate; the British Mandate of Mesopotamia, until 1932 when it became nominally independent. Before granting independence, the United Kingdom concluded the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930. This treaty had several conditions, which included permission to establish military bases for British use and provide all facilities for the unrestricted movement of British forces through the country upon request to the Iraqi government. The conditions of the treaty were imposed by the United Kingdom to ensure continued control of Iraq's oil resources. Many Iraqis resented these conditions and felt that their country and its monarchy were still under the effective control of the British Government.

However, following 1937 no British troops were left in Iraq and the Iraqi government had become solely responsible for the internal security of the country. In accordance with the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) had been allowed to retain two bases; RAF Shaibah, near Basra, and RAF Habbaniya, between Ramadi and Fallujah. These bases had a dual role: protecting Britain's oil interests and maintaining a link in the air route between Egypt and India. In addition RAF Habbaniya was also a training base and was protected by a small detachment of RAF ground forces and locally raised Iraqi troops.

With the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 the Iraqi Government broke off diplomatic relations with Germany. However, the United Kingdom wanted the Iraqi Government to take a further step and declare war upon Germany. In March 1940, the nationalist and anti-British Rashid Ali replaced Nuri as-Said. Ali made covert contacts with German representatives in the Middle East, though he was not yet an openly pro-Axis supporter.

In June 1940, when Italy joined the war, on the side of Germany, the Iraqi government did not break off diplomatic relations, as they had done so with Germany. Thus the Italian Legation in Baghdad became the chief centre for Axis propaganda and for fomenting anti-British feeling. In this they were aided by the Mufti of Jerusalem, who had fled from Palestine shortly before the outbreak of war and later received asylum in Baghdad.

In January 1941, there was a political crisis within Iraq and the threat of civil war was looming. Rashid Ali resigned as Prime Minister of Iraq, on 31 January, and was replaced by Taha al-Hashimi. Public opinion started to change in Iraq as the Italians suffered a series of setbacks in the African and Mediterranean theatre.

Coup d'état

HMS Cockchafer.

On 31 March, the Regent of Iraq, Amir Abdul Illah, learnt of a plot to arrest him and he fled Baghdad for RAF Habbaniya. From Habbaniya he was flown to Basra and given refuge on the gunboat HMS Cockchafer.

On 3 April, Rashid Ali, along with four top level Army and Air Force officers; known as the "Golden Square", seized power via a coup d'état and Ali proclaimed himself Chief of the National Defence Government. The Golden Square deposed Taha al-Hashimi. and, on 3 April, Ali once again became Prime Minister. Ali did not move to overthrow the monarchy. However, he did restrict British rights under the 1930 treaty.

Iraqi forces

Map of Iraq during World War II.

The Royal Iraqi Army (RIrA) was composed of four infantry divisions with some 60,000 men. The 1st and 3rd Divisions were stationed near Baghdad. Also based within Baghdad was the Independent Mechanized Brigade, composed of a light tank company, an armoured car company, two battalions of "mechanized" infantry transported in trucks, a "mechanized" machine-gun company, and a "mechanized" artillery brigade. The Iraqi 2nd Division was stationed in Kirkuk and the 4th Division was in Al Diwaniyah on the main rail line from Baghdad to Basra. Unlike the modern use of the term "mechanized," in 1941 "mechanized" for the RIrA meant transported by trucks.

The Royal Iraqi Air Force (RIrAF) had a total of 116 aircraft in 7 squadrons and a training school. However, only between 50 and 60 Iraqi aircraft were in serviceable condition. Most Iraqi aircraft were located at the newly re-named "Rashid Airfield" in Baghdad. In addition to the 116 aircraft, the Iraqi Air Force had another 9 aircraft not allocated to specific squadrons and 19 aircraft available in reserve.

The Royal Iraqi Navy (RIrN) had four 100-ton Thornycroft gunboats, one pilot vessel, and one minesweeper. All were armed and all were based in the Shatt-al-Arab waterways.

British response

Further information: Iraqforce

Following the coup, the British Chiefs of Staff, with the vocal support of the Commander-in-Chief, India Claude Auchinleck, were in favour of armed intervention. However the three Commander-in-chiefs, of the British armed forces in the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean area, already heavily committed with fighting in Libya, in East Africa, and in Greece, suggested the only forces they would be able to use against Iraq was a single battalion of infantry, based within Palestine, and the aircraft already based within Iraq. The Government of India had a long standing commitment to prepare one infantry division in case it should be needed to protect the Anglo-Iranian oilfields and in July 1940 the leading brigade of this division, the 5th Indian Infantry Division, was ordered to be dispatched to Iraq. However in August the division was placed under the command of Middle East Command and was diverted to Sudan. Since then British India Command had been investigating the move of troops by air from India to RAF Shaibah; when the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, asked what force could be quickly sent from India to Iraq. The response from India was that the majority of one brigade group, that was due to set sail for Malaya on 10 April, could be diverted to Basra and the rest of the group dispatched ten days later. In addition 390 British infantrymen could be flown from India into RAF Shaibah. It was also stated that when shipping became available this force could quickly be built up to a division in strength. On 10 April this offer was accepted by London and the move of these forces was codenamed Operation Sabine. On the same day General Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief of Middle East Command, informed London that he could no longer spare the one battalion in Palestine and urged for firm diplomatic action, and possibly a demonstration of air strength, to be taken rather than military intervention.

Gloster Gladiators of No. 94 Squadron RAF Detachment, guarded by Arab Legionnaires, refuel during their journey from Ismailia, Egypt, to reinforce Habbaniyah.

Starting in early April preparations in case of hostilities were made at Habbaniya: aircraft were modified to allow them to carry bombs, while light bombers such as the Hawker Audax were modified to carry larger bombs. On 13 April the Royal Navy force of four ships in the Persian Gulf were reinforced by two cruisers and the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes. On 16 April the Iraqi Government was informed that the British were going to invoke the Anglo-Iraq treaty to move troops through the country to Palestine. Rashid Ali raised no objection and the next day the 1st Battalion King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) (KORR) was flown into RAF Shaibah; by the end of the month 300 of their number had been flown from RAF Shaibah to RAF Habbaniya to reinforce the base.

Other than the 1st Battalion KORR, there were no trained British troops at Habbaniya apart from No. 1 Company of Royal Air Force armoured cars. With the KORR had come Colonel Roberts. On the morning of 30 April, when Smart and Roberts surveyed the situation, they determined that they were exposed to attack on two sides and dominated by the Iraqi guns. In fact, a single hit from an Iraqi gun might wreck the water tower or power station and, as a result, cripple resistance at Habbaniya in one blow. RAF Habbinya seemed utterly at Rashid Ali's mercy. Of small arms the defenders had far from enough. Of artillery, apart from a few mortars, none. Moreover, Smart had some natural doubts about the Levies, who were all Iraqi subjects. However, in point of fact these gallant fighters were soon to give ample proof of their eagerness to join the fray against the rebels.

On 18 April the 20th Indian Infantry Brigade, the personnel of the Royal Artillery's 3rd Field Regiment; but without their guns, and the headquarters of the 10th Indian Infantry Division landed at Basra; covered by infantry of the King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). Major-General William Fraser, the commanding officer of the 10th Indian Infantry Division, then assumed control over all land forces based within Iraq. The following day seven aircraft were flown into RAF Habbaniya to bolster the air force there. A further three ships landed at Basra, bringing ancillary troops on 29 April. The same day the British Ambassador, Sir Kinahan Cornwallis, advised that all British women and children should leave Baghdad; 230 civilians were escorted by road to Habbaniya and during the following days were gradually air lifted to Shaibah. A further 350 civilians took refuge in the British Embassy and 150 British civilians in the American Legation.

Following the landing of these troops, Rashid Ali requested that they be moved quickly through the country and that no more should arrive until the previous force had left. Sir Kinahan Cornwallis referred the issue to London who replied that they had no interest in moving the troops out of the country and wanted to establish them within Iraq. Cornwallis was also informed not to inform Rashid Ali who, as he had taken control of the country via a coup d'état, had no right to be informed about British troop movements. On 30 April the 10th Indian Infantry Division's second brigade, 21st Infantry Brigade, disembarked in Iraq without incident. When Ali was informed that ships containing British forces had arrived on 30 April he refused permission for troops to disembark from them and began organising for an armed demonstration at RAF Habbaniya; while anticipating German assistance would be forthcoming in the guise of aircraft and airborne troops.

Iraqi moves and escalation to war

At 03:00 on 30 April RAF Habbaniya was warned, by the British Embassy, that Iraqi forces had left their bases, at Baghdad, and were heading west. The Iraqi force was composed of between 6,000 – 9,000 troops with up to 30 artillery pieces. Within a few hours of RAF Habbaniya being warned, Iraqi forces occupied the plateau to the south of the base. Prior to dawn reconnaissance aircraft were launched and reported that at least two battalions, with artillery, had taken up position on the plateau. At 06:00 an Iraqi envoy presented a message to the Air Officer Commanding, Air Vice-Marshal H. G. Smart, stating that the plateau had been occupied for a training exercise. The envoy also informed the base commander that all flying should cease immediately and demanded that no movements, either ground or air, take place from the base. The Air Officer Commanding replied that any interference with the normal training carried out at the base would be treated as an act of war. The British Ambassador, located at the embassy in Baghdad and in contact with the base via wireless, fully supported this action. The reconnaissance aircraft, already in the air, continued to relay information to the base; they reported that the Iraqi positions on the plateau were being steadily reinforced, they also reported that Iraqi troops had occupied the town of Fallujah.

At 11:30 hours the Iraqi envoy again made contact with the base commander and accused the British of violating the Anglo-Iraqi treaty. Air Vice-Marshal Smart replied that this was a political matter and he would have to refer the accusation to the Ambassador. Meanwhile Iraqi forces had now occupied vital bridges over the Tigris and Euphrates rivers as well as reinforcing their garrison at Ramadi; thus effectively cutting off RAF Habbaniya except from the air. In response to the Iraqi moves the 10th Indian Infantry Division occupied Basra airport, the city's docks and the power station.

Air Vice-Marshal Smart controlling a base with a population of around 9,000 civilians that was indefensible with the force of roughly 2,500 men currently available, including air crew and Assyrian Levies, whose loyalty had yet to be proven, and with the possibility that the Iraqi rebels were waiting for dark before attacking; decided to accept the tactical risks and stick to Middle East Command's policy of avoiding aggravation in Iraq by, for the moment, not launching a pre-emptive strike.

Further exchanges of messages took place between the British and Iraqi forces but none were able to defuse the situation. In response the British requested reinforcements and the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Sir Arthur Longmore, ordered 18 Vickers Wellington bombers to RAF Shaibah. The British Ambassador signalled the Foreign Office that he regarded the Iraqi actions as an act of war, which required an immediate air response. He also informed them that he intended to demand the withdrawal of the Iraqi forces and permission to launch air strikes to restore control, even if the Iraqi troops overlooking Habbaniya did withdraw it would only postpone aerial attacks. On 1 May the Ambassador received a response giving him full authority to take any steps needed to ensure the withdrawal of the Iraqi armed forces. Churchill also sent a personal reply, stating: "If you have to strike, strike hard. Use all necessary force." Were contact to break down between the Embassy and Habbaniya, the Air Officer Commanding was given permission to act on his own authority. At Rutba Iraqi police opened fire on British workers inflicting several casualties.

Still in contact with the Embassy and with the Ambassadors approval, Air Vice-Marshal Smart decided to launch air strikes against the plateau the following morning without issuing an ultimatum; as with foreknowledge the Iraqi force might start to shell the airbase and halt any attempt to launch aircraft.

Combat Operations

Siege of Habbaniya

Air Vice-Marshal Smart's tactics, to defend the Habbaniya, was to mount continuous bombing and strafing attacks with as many aircraft as possible. At 05:00 on 2 May 33 aircraft from Habbaniya, out of the 56 operational aircraft based there, and eight Wellington bombers, from Shaibah, began their attack Within minutes the Iraqi's replied by shelling the base, damaging some planes on the ground. The Royal Iraqi Air Force (RIrAF) also joined in the fray over Habbaniya. RAF attacks were also made against Iraqi air fields near Baghdad, which resulted in 22 aircraft being destroyed on the ground; further attacks were made against the railway and Iraqi positions near Shaibah, with the loss of two planes. Throughout the day the pilots, from Habbaniya, flew 193 sorties and claimed direct hits on Iraqi transports, armoured cars and artillery pieces; however five aircraft had been destroyed and several others had been put out of service. On the base 13 people had lost their lives and a further 29 wounded, including nine civilians. By the end of the day the Iraqi force, outside of Habbaniya, had grew to roughly a brigade and there had been reports that elements of the Royal Iraqi Army (RIrA) was advancing on the town of Rutbah. C Company of the 1st Battalion The Essex Regiment was ordered to travel, from Palestine, to pumping station H4, between Hafia and Iraq; from here the battalion would join a detachment of RAF armoured cars and defend the position from the Iraqi rebels.

Three Gloster Gladiators.

On 3 May, the bombing continued; troop and gun positions on the plateau were targeted as well the supply line to Baghdad. The RIrAF base at Rashid was also attacked and an Iraqi Savoia SM 79 bomber was intercepted and shot down heading for Habbaniya. The following day further air attacks were carried out on troop positions and the RIrAF. A bombing raid was conducted by eight Wellington bombers on Rashid, which was briefly engaged by Iraqi fighters but no losses were suffered. Bristol Blenheims, escorted by Hurricanes, also conducted strafing attacks against airfields at Baghdad, Rashid and Mosul.

On 5 May 1941, due to a car accident, Air Vice-Marshal Smart was evacuated to Basra and then onto India. Roberts then assumed de facto command of the land operations at RAF Habbaniya after the departure of Smart; he had been flown to Habbaniya a short time earlier while Air Vice-Marshal John D'Albiac, who had just returned from Greece, took command over aerial forces. Further aerial attacks were conducted against the plateau during the day and following nightfall Colonel Roberts ordered a sortie by the King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) against the Iraqi positions on the plateau. The attack was supported by the Assyrian levies, some RAF armoured cars and two First World War 4.5 inch howitzers that had been put in working order by some British gunners but had previously been decorating the entrance of the base's officers' mess.

An RAF officer investigates wrecked artillery on the plateau above Habbaniya.

By dawn after hard fighting, the Iraqi force withdrew from the plateau abandoning large quantities of arms and equipment. Meanwhile Iraqi reinforcements were approaching. RAF armoured cars, reconnoitring ahead, soon discovered the village of Sin el Dhibban, on the Fallujah road, occupied by Iraqi troops. The King’s Own and the Assyrian levies, supported by the RAF armoured cars, assaulted the position driving the Iraqis out and taking over 300 prisoners. In the afternoon the retreating Iraqis force, on the Fallujah road some five miles (8 km) east of Habbaniya, met with an Iraqi column moving towards Habbaniya from Fallujah. The reinforcing Iraqi column was soon spotted and 40 aircraft from RAF Habbaniya arrived to attack; the two Iraqi columns were paralysed and within two hours, further prisoners were taken and more than 1,000 casualties inflicted. Later in the afternoon Iraqi aircraft carried out three raids on the airbase and inflicted some damage.

The investment of Habbaniya, by Iraqi forces, had came to an end; the Chiefs of Staff now ordered that it was essential to continue to hit the Iraqi armed forces hard by every means available but avoiding direct attacks on the civilian population. The British objective was to safeguard British interests from Axis intervention in Iraq, to defeat the rebels and discredit Rashid’s government.

On 8 May, operations in Iraq were passed, from under the control of Auckinlech's India Command, to the command of General Wavell’s Middle East Command. Lieutenant-General Edward Quinan arrived from India to replace Fraser as overall commander of the land forces in Iraq. Quninan's immediate task was to secure Basra as a base. He was ordered by Wavell not to advance north until the co-operation of the local tribes was full assured. Quinan could also not contemplate any move north for three months on account of the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates.

Over the course of the next few days, the RAF, from Habbaniya and Shaibah, effectively eliminated the RIrAF. However, from 11 May, German Air Force (Luftwaffe) aircraft took the place of the RIrAF aircraft.

Axis intervention

During the time leading up to the coup d’eat Rashid Ali’s supporters had been informed that Germany was willing to recognize the independence of Iraq from the British Empire, there had also been discussions on war material being sent to support the Iraqis and other Arab factions in fighting the British. On 3 May German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop persuaded German dictator Adolf Hitler that Dr. Fritz Grobba be secretly returned to Iraq to head up a mission to channel support to the Rashid Ali regime. On 6 May, in accordance with the "Paris Protocols," Germany concluded a deal with the Vichy French government to release war materials, including aircraft, from sealed stockpiles in Syria and transport them to the Iraqis. The French also agreed to allow passage of other weapons and material as well as loaning several airbases in northern Syria, to Germany, for the transport of German aircraft to Iraq.

The first three Luftwaffe planes arrived, via Syria, at Mosul on 11 May. From Mosul one aircraft, piloted by Major Axel von Blomberg (a son of Werner von Blomberg), flew onto Baghdad the next morning and was engaged by Iraqi anti-aircraft guns destroying the plane and killing von Blomberg. The next day, the first trainload of supplies, from Syria, arrived in Mosul via Turkey. The Iraqis took delivery of 15,500 rifles, with six-million rounds of ammunition, 200 machine guns, with 900 belts of ammunition, and four 75 mm field guns together with 10,000 shells. Two additional deliveries were made on 26 and 28 May, which included eight 155 mm guns, with 6,000 shells, 354 machine pistols, 30,000 grenades, and 32 trucks.

On 6 May Luftwaffe Colonel Werner Junck received orders that he was to take a small force to Iraq, where they were to operate out of Mosul. The British quickly learned of the German arrangements through intercepted Italian diplomatic transmissions. Between 10 and 15 May the aircraft arrived in Mosul via Vichy French airbases, in Syria, and then commenced regular aerial attacks on British forces. The arrival of these aircraft was the direct result of fevered consultations between Baghdad and Berlin in the days following Air Vice-Marshal Smart's strikes on the Iraqi forces above Habbaniya. The Luftwaffe force, under the direction of Colonel General Hans Jeschonnek, was named "Flyer Command Iraq" (Fliegerführer Irak) and was under the tactical command of Colonel Werner Junck. At least 20 bombers were initially promised however in the end Junck's unit consisted of between 21 and 29 aircraft all painted with Royal Iraqi Air Force markings.. On 27 May, after being invited by Germany, 12 Italian Fiat CR.42s of the Royal Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica Italiana) arrived at Mosul to operate under German command.

Plans were drawn up to supply troops, but the German high command was hesitant and required the permission of Turkey for passage. In the end the Luftwaffe found conditions in Iraq intolerable, as spare parts were not available and even the quality of aircraft fuel was far below the Luftwaffe's requirements. With each passing day a reduced number of aircraft remained serviceable and, ultimately, all Luftwaffe personnel were evacuated on the last remaining Heinkel He 111.

Battle of Fallujah

On 2 May, Wavell continued to urge for further diplomatic action to be taken with the Iraqi government to end the current situation and accept the Turkish government’s offer of mediation. He was informed by the Defence Committee that there would be no accepting the Turkish offer and the situation in Iraq had to be restored. Wavell was placed in command of operations in northern Iraq on 5 May and General Wilson was called back from Greece to take command of forces in Palestine and Transjordan. The Defence Committee and Chiefs of Staff rationale for taking military action against the Iraqi rebels was that they needed to secure the country from Axis intervention and considered Rashid Ali to have been conspiring with the Axis powers. The Chiefs of Staff accepted full responsibility for the dispatch of troops to Iraq.

The force put together was codenamed Habforce, short for Habbaniya Force, and under the command of Major-General John Clark, was divided into two columns. The fist column was a flying column codenamed Kingcol, named after its commanding officer Brigadier James Kingstone, it was composed of the 4th Cavalry Brigade, two companies of the 1st battalion The Essex Regiment, and a battery of 25 pounder howitzers from the 60th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. The main force, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J.S. Nichols, was composed of the remaining elements of the 1st battalion The Essex Regiment, the remainder of the 60th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, one anti-tank battery, ancillary services and a 400-man strong detachment of the Arab Legion consisting of three mechanized squadrons.

During the morning of 11 May Kingcol departed from Haifa with orders to reach Habbaniya as quick as possible. The force arrived in Rutbah on 13 May finding no military presence, here the column conducted maintenance before setting off again. On 15 May the first contact was made with the Iraqi military when a Blenheim bomber strafed the column and dropped a bomb; however no damage was inflicted and no casualties were sustained. On 16 May further bombing attacks was made against the column when it was attacked by the Luftwaffe, again no damage was sustained however there was a few casualties. During the late evening of 17 May Kingcol arrived in the vicinity of Habbaniya. The next morning the column entered the RAF base and throughout the day the remainder of the 1st battalion The Essex Regiment were airlifted into the base.

On 15 May, Quinan removed Fraser as the commander of the 10th Indian Division; Fraser had lost the confidence of his own staff. He was replaced by the newly promoted Major-General William Slim, Slim would go onto show himself as one of the most dynamic and innovative British commanders of the war.

With Habbaniya secure the next objective for British forces was to secure the town of Falluja, as a preliminary objective before being able to march on Baghdad. An Iraqi Brigade group was holding the town and bridge of Fallujah denying the road to Baghdad; a further Brigade group was holding the town of Ramadi, west of Habbaniya, barring all movement westwards. In the week following the withdrawal of the Iraqi forces near Habbaniya; Colonel Ouvry Roberts formed, what became known as, the "Habbaniya Brigade." The brigade was formed by grouping the 2nd battalion The King's Own Royal Regiment with further infantry reinforcements that had arrived from Basra, the 2 battalion 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles, and some light artillery.

During the night of the 17–18 May elements of the Gurkha battalion, a company of RAF Assyrian Levies, RAF Armoured Cars and some captured Iraqi howitzers crossed the Euphrates, using improvised cable-drawn ferries, at Sin el Dhibban and approached the town from the village of Saqlawiyah. During the early hours of the day one company of the King's Own Royal Regiment were air transported and landed on the Baghdad road beyond the town near Notch Fall. A company of RAF Assyrian Levies, supported by artillery from Kingcol, was ordered to secure the bridge across the river. Throughout the day the RAF bombed positions in the town and along the Baghdad road, avoiding a general bombardment of the town because of the civilian population. On 19 May 57 aircraft began bombarding Iraqi positions within and around Fallujah before dropping leaflets requesting the garrison to surrender; no response was given and further bombing operations took place. During the afternoon a ten minute bombardment of Iraqi trenches near the bridge was made before the Assyrian Levies advanced, covered by artillery fire. Facing little opposition they captured the bridge within 30 minutes, they were then met by an Iraqi envoy who offered the surrender of the garrison and the town. 300 prisoners were taken and no casualties had been sustained by the British force. The Luftwaffe responded to the captured of the city by attacking the H airfield, destroying and damaging several aircraft and inflicting a number of casualties.

On 22 May the Iraqi 6th Infantry Brigade, of the Iraqi 3rd Infantry Division, conducted a fierce counterattack against the British forces within Fallujah. The Iraqi attack started at 02:30 hours supported by a number of Italian-built light tanks. By 03:00 the Iraqis reached the north-eastern outskirts of the town. Two light tanks, which had penetrated into the town, were quickly destroyed. By dawn British counterattacks had pushed the Iraqis out of north-eastern Fallujah. The Iraqis now switched their attack to the south-eastern edge of the town. But this attack met stiff resistance from the start and made no progress. By 10:00 Kingstone arrived with reinforcements, from Habbaniya, who were immediately thrown into battle. The newly arrived infantry companies, of the Essex Regiment, methodically cleared the Iraqi positions house-by-house. By 18:00 the remaining Iraqis had fled or were taken prisoner, sniper fire was silenced, six Iraqi light tanks were captured, and the town was secure.

Iraqi collapse

An RAF Fordson Armoured Car waits outside Baghdad while negotiations for an armistice take place.

The British forces pressed on to Baghdad, where the government of Rashid Ali collapsed. Rashid Ali and his supporters fled to Persia and then on to Germany. On 31 May 1941, an armistice was signed and the monarchy and a pro-British government was put back in place.

Aftermath

British forces remained in Iraq until 26 October 1947 and the country remained effectively under British control. The British considered the occupation of Iraq necessary to ensure that access to its strategic oil resources be maintained.

After the Anglo-Iraq war the British continued to build up forces in Iraq and elements of Iraqforce based in Iraq were used to attack Syria in the Syria-Lebanon campaign, which took place in June and July 1941 and also Iran in the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, which took place in August to September 1941. Forward defences against a possible German invasion from the north through the Caucasus were created in 1942 and the strength of Paiforce (Persia and Iraq Command), Iraqforce's successor, peaked at the equivalent of over 10 brigades before the Russians halted the German threat at the Battle of Stalingrad. After 1942, Iraq and Iran were used to transit war material to the Soviet Union and the British military presence became mainly lines of communication troops.

While Rashid Ali and his supporters were in alliance with the Nazi regime in Germany, the war demonstrated that Iraq's independence was at best conditional on British approval of the government's actions. Rashid Ali and the Mufti of Jerusalem fled to Persia, then to Turkey, then to Italy, and finally to Berlin, Germany, where Ali was welcomed by Hitler as head of the Iraqi government-in-exile. In propaganda broadcasts from Berlin, the Mufti continued to call on Arabs to rise up against the British and aid German and Italian forces. He also helped recruit Muslim volunteers in the Balkans for the Waffen SS.

Battle honours

The British and Commonwealth system of battle honours recognised participation in the Anglo-Iraq War by the award to 16 units of the battle honour Iraq 1941, for service in Iraq between the 2–31 May 1941. The award was accompanied by honours for three actions during the war: Defence of Habbaniya awarded to one unit for operations against the Iraqi rebels between 2–6 May, Falluja awarded to two units for operations against the Iraqi rebels between 19–22 May, and Baghdad 1941 awarded to two units for operations against the Iraqi rebels between 28–31 May.

See also

• RAF Iraq Command
• Mesopotamian campaign
• Mohammad Amin al-Husayni
• British-Iraqi relations
• German-Iraqi relations
• Iraq-Italy relations
• Mulla Effendi

Notes

Footnotes

Citations

References

• Jackson, Ashley (2006). The British Empire and the Second World War. Hambledon Continuum. ISBN 1-85285-417-0. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |origdate= and |coauthors= (help)
• Kiwarkis, Gaby. "Assyrian R.A.F. Levies".
• Lyman, Robert (2006). Iraq 1941: The Battles for Basra, Habbaniya, Fallujah and Baghdad. Campaign. Oxford, New York: Osprey Publishing. p. 96. ISBN 10: 1-84176-991-6. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Mackenzie, Compton. Eastern Epic: Volume 1 September 1939-March 1943 Defence. London: Chatto & Windus. OCLC 59637091. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |origdate= and |coauthors= (help)
• Martin, Colonel Thomas Alexander (1952). The Essex Regiment, 1929-1950. Essex Regiment Association. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Mead, Richard (2007). Churchill's Lions: A biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II. Stroud (UK): Spellmount. ISBN 978-1-86227-431-0.
• Peretz, Don (2004). The Middle East Today. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-027594-576-3. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |origdate= ignored (|orig-date= suggested) (help)
• Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.; with Stitt, Commander G.M.S.; Molony, Brigadier C.J.C.; Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S.E. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO 1954]. Butler, J.R.M (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume I The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-065-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)
• Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.; with Flynn R.N., Captain F.C.; Molony, Brigadier C.J.C.; Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S.E. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO 1956]. Butler, J.R.M (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume II The Germans come to the help of their Ally (1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-066-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)
• Royal Air Force. "RAF Valley No 4 Flying Training School".
• Royal Air Force Museum. "Royal Air Force Museum".
• Rodger, Alexander (2003). Battle Honours of the British Empire and Commonwealth Land Forces. Marlborough: The Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-637-5.
• Young, Peter (1972). The Arab Legion. Men-at-Arms. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0850450845. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |origdate= and |coauthors= (help)

External links

• Porch, Douglas. "Strategic Insight: The Other "Gulf War" - The British Invasion of Iraq in 1941".
• Rainbow, John and Pollington, John. "RAF Habbaniya, the Plateau Airfield & Lake".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Time Magazine, April 21, 1941. "Trouble in Paradise". Retrieved July 15, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Time Magazine, May 12, 1941. "Holy Skirmish". Retrieved July 14, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Time Magazine, May 18, 1941. "Turkey: Door to Dreamland". Retrieved July 15, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Time Magazine, June 2, 1941. "With Roosevelt in Iraq". Retrieved July 17, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Time Magazine, June 30, 1941. "May 12—U.S.S.R. recognizes pro-Nazi Government of Iraq". Retrieved July 5, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)