Anglo-Iraqi War

• 1. Background And Mandate

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  The Kingdom of Iraq, also known as Mesopotamia, remained under British control through a League of Nations mandate until 1932. Before granting nominal independence that year, Britain concluded the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930 with the Iraqi government. This treaty allowed Britain to establish military bases and move forces freely through the country upon request. Many Iraqis resented these conditions because they felt the nation remained under British control despite its new status. After 1937, no British troops were left in Iraq for internal security duties. The Royal Air Force retained two bases: RAF Shaibah near Basra and RAF Habbaniya between Ramadi and Fallujah. These bases protected British petroleum interests and served as a link in the air route connecting Egypt and India. At the start of the Second World War, RAF Habbaniya became a training base defended by No. 1 Armoured Car Company RAF and locally raised Assyrian Levies. In September 1939, the Iraqi Government broke off diplomatic relations with Nazi Germany. By March 1940, nationalist Rashid Ali had replaced Nuri as-Said as Prime Minister of Iraq. He made covert contacts with German representatives in Ankara and Berlin while not yet openly supporting the Axis powers.

• 2. The Golden Square Coup

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  On the 31st of March 1941, Regent Prince Abd al-Ilah learned of a plot to arrest him and fled Baghdad for RAF Habbaniya. From that base he was flown to Basra and given refuge on the gunboat HMS Cockchafer. On the 1st of April, Rashid Ali and the Golden Square seized power in a coup d'état. Rashid Ali proclaimed himself Chief of the National Defence Government after deposing Prime Minister Taha al-Hashimi. The Golden Square arrested pro-British citizens but many escaped through Transjordan. They intended to refuse further concessions to Britain and retain diplomatic links with Fascist Italy. On the 17th of April, Ali asked Germany for military assistance in case of war with Britain. He also tried to restrict British rights under Article 5 of the 1930 treaty when insisting newly arrived troops be quickly transported through Iraq to Palestine. Before the war, the United Kingdom provided support to the Royal Iraqi Army through a small mission commanded from 1938 by Major-General G. G. Waterhouse. The Iraqi Army consisted of approximately 60,000 men organized into four infantry divisions and one mechanised brigade. The air force had 116 aircraft in seven squadrons with about 50 to 60 serviceable planes. Most fighter and bomber aircraft were stationed at Rashid Airfield in Baghdad or in Mosul.

• 3. Siege Of Habbaniya

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  At 03:00 hours on the 30th of April, RAF Habbaniya received word that Iraqi forces had left their bases heading west. The Iraqi force numbered between 6,000 and 9,000 troops with up to 30 artillery pieces. A few hours later Iraqi forces occupied the plateau south of the base. By the 1st of May, surrounding Iraqi forces swelled to an infantry brigade plus two mechanised battalions and a field artillery brigade with twelve 18-pounder guns. Air Vice-Marshal Smart controlled a base housing around 9,000 civilians but only 2,500 men available for defense. At 05:00 on the 2nd of May, thirty-three aircraft from Habbaniya and eight Wellington bombers from Shaibah began attacking Iraqi positions. Within minutes Iraqis replied by shelling the base and damaging some planes on the ground. Throughout the day pilots flew one hundred ninety-three sorties claiming direct hits on Iraqi transports and artillery pieces. Five aircraft were destroyed and several others put out of service while thirteen people died and twenty-nine were wounded including nine civilians. Late on the 6th of May the Iraqis besieging Habbaniya withdrew leaving behind substantial quantities of arms and equipment. The British garrison gained six Czechoslovak-built howitzers along with thousands of shells and hundreds of machine guns.

• 4. Axis Intervention In Syria

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  On the 3rd of May German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop persuaded Adolf Hitler to return Dr. Fritz Grobba to Iraq to channel support to Rashid Ali's regime. Vichy France controlling neighboring Mandatory Syrian Republic became keen to facilitate agreements between Iraq, Italy and Germany. On the 6th of May in accordance with Paris Protocols Germany concluded a deal releasing war materials from sealed stockpiles in Syria. The French agreed to allow passage of weapons and loaned airbases in northern Syria for transporting German aircraft to Iraq. Between the 9th of May and month end about one hundred German and twenty Italian aircraft landed on Syrian airfields. On the 11th of May first three Luftwaffe planes arrived at Mosul via Syria under Colonel Werner Junck's command. At least twenty bombers were initially promised but Junck's unit ultimately consisted of between twenty-one and twenty-nine aircraft all painted with Royal Iraqi Air Force markings. Major Axel von Blomberg was sent to Iraq with Sonderstab F Special Staff F to integrate Fliegerführer Irak with Iraqi forces. On the 15th of May he flew from Mosul to Baghdad where his aircraft was engaged by Iraqi ground fire and he was killed. By the 18th of May Junck's force had been whittled down to eight Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighters four Heinkel He 111 bombers and two Junkers Ju 52 transports representing roughly thirty percent loss of original strength.

• 5. British Advance From Basra

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  On the 23rd of May Wavell flew to Basra to discuss further reinforcements and operations in Iraq with Auchinleck. On the 27th of May forces from Basra started advancing northwards in Operation Regulta and Operation Regatta. The 20th Indian Infantry Brigade known as the Euphrates Brigade advanced along the Euphrates by boat and road while the 21st Indian Infantry Brigade called the Tigris Brigade moved up the Tigris by boat to Kut. On the 30th of May third brigade of 10th Indian Infantry Division arrived at Basra including three battalions from Jat Regiment, Royal Sikh Regiment and Mahratta Light Infantry. In June additional British forces arrived from India bringing total strength closer to three infantry divisions plus possibly an armoured division. Lieutenant-General Edward Quinan arrived from India replacing Fraser as commander of Iraqforce tasked with securing Basra as base. He was ordered not to advance north until local tribes fully cooperated since flooding of Tigris and Euphrates made movement difficult for months. Directives issued to Quinan included developing port facilities securing all aerodromes protecting RAF installations at Habbaniya and Shaiba safeguarding lives of British subjects and protecting Kirkuk oilfields.

• 6. Fallujah And Road To Baghdad

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  With Habbaniya secure next objective became securing Fallujah town and bridge denying road to Baghdad. An Iraqi brigade group held Fallujah while another held Ramadi west of Habbaniya barring all movement westward. Colonel Roberts dismissed attacking Ramadi because it remained heavily garrisoned and largely cut off by self-imposed flooding. During night of 17, the 18th of May elements of Gurkha battalion company of RAF Assyrian Levies and RAF Armoured Cars crossed Euphrates using improvised cable ferries. They approached Fallujah from village of Saqlawiyah crossing river at Sin el Dhibban. Early morning one company of 1st battalion KORR air-transported by four Valentias landed on Baghdad road beyond town near Notch Fall. Throughout day fifty-seven aircraft bombarded Iraqi positions within and around Fallujah dropping ten tons of bombs in one hundred thirty-four sorties. During afternoon ten-minute bombardment preceded Assyrian Levies advancing covered by artillery fire capturing bridge within thirty minutes taking three hundred prisoners with no British casualties. On the 22nd of May Iraqi 6th Infantry Brigade conducted counterattack starting at 02:30 hours supported by Italian-built L3/35 light tanks. By dawn British counterattacks pushed Iraqis out of north-eastern Fallujah switching attack to south-eastern edge where they met stiff resistance making no progress.

• 7. Collapse And Aftermath

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  On night of the 27th of May British advance on Baghdad began making slow progress hindered by extensive inundations and destroyed bridges over irrigation waterways. Faced with Clark's advance government of Rashid Ali collapsed. On the 29th of May Rashid Ali Grand Mufti and many members National Defence Government fled to Persia then went on to Italy. Morning of the 31st of May Mayor of Baghdad delegation approached British forces at Washash Bridge bringing Sir Kinahan Cornwallis who had been confined to Embassy past four weeks. Terms quickly reached armistice signed. On the 1st of June Prince Abd al-Ilah returned to Baghdad as Regent monarchy pro-British government put back place. Jamil al-Midfai named Prime Minister on the 2nd of June. In immediate aftermath Baghdad torn apart rioting looting much violence channeled toward city Jewish Quarter killing over one hundred eighty residents injuring about eight hundred fifty before police ordered restore order live ammunition. Lieutenant-General Quinan given command all British Commonwealth forces in Iraq on the 18th of June. Before this Iraqforce limited more or less forces landed advancing from Basra. After Anglo-Iraq War elements known as Iraq Command continued operations against guerrillas into June.