Battle of Habbaniya 1941

I have a photo album that covers this forgotten battle dated 41 to 43, it may have only lasted 5 days and one of which we won against all odds, a very interesting campagain considering the current situation.

A link to a site that covers it in more details Google Image Result for http://www.assyrianlevies.com/images/kjhgf.jpg

Below are some photos from the album:

pic1 The Levies
pic2 Habbaniya Aiport 3287 miles London 55 miles Baghdad
pic3 Habbaniya police

 

Pic 4 Looks like an Indian Regiment
Pic 5 Caravan Baghdad to Basara (six weeks)
Pic 6 Engineers Badge carved out of stone

 

Fantastic Pictures Kieron

Cheers

 

Pic 7 War memorial Baghdad
Pic 8 Not sure

this is only few of the pictures lots more covering Syria, Lebenon, North Africa etc...

I have a couple of pictures of Bridges Lancaster Bridge Dlala River and Coita Bridge but I can not find any reference to them at all...any ideas?

 

Drew I have seen that you served in the Signals, I have an album that belonged to a gentleman in the Signals who served with them during the North African campagain he was attached to an armoured division and when looking at your pictures of when you served in Iraq is was nice to see a then and now...great pics!

 

These are great photos, Kieron. Thanks for sharing them.

 

I have a photo album that covers this forgotten battle dated 41 to 43, it may have only lasted 5 days and one of which we won against all odds, a very interesting campagain considering the current situation.

A link to a site that covers it in more details Google Image Result for http://www.assyrianlevies.com/images/kjhgf.jpg

Below are some photos from the album:

pic1 The Levies
pic2 Habbaniya Aiport 3287 miles London 55 miles Baghdad
pic3 Habbaniya police

That is quite an interesting site Kieron.

Gp Capt. Joe O'Sullivan

 

In May 1941,Rashid Ali, an Iraqi nationalist, was egged on by the Germans to promote an uprising by promising German support which ultimately failed.The support did not materialise to any extent and Habbaniya was relieved by the intervention of Wellingtons flown in from RAF Middle East Air Force Egypt.Having said that, the garrison kept Rachid Ali at bay by the use of Oxfords and obsolescent trainers such as the Audax as improvised bombers from the flying training unit based at RAF Habbaniya

RAF Habbaniya is situated below a plateau which Rachid Ali had captured and was shelling the base.In turn,the RAF were using their improvised bombers to cut him down to size and the short seige had a sudden ending when Wellintons appeared on the scene.The illogical point was that Rachid Ali did not cut of the water to the base which was supplied from the works on the plateau.

RAF Habbaniya, on the Euphrates was one of those welcoming staging posts on the journey from Britain to India and the Far East.Created in the early 1920s, it was a permanent RAF base and had all the hallmarks of the British colonial presence,but when the British left after the troubles of 1958, the base upkeep deteriorated.The last time I saw news of it, it was occupied by US Forces.

 

RAF Habbaniya, on the Euphrates was one of those welcoming staging posts on the journey from Britain to India and the Far East.Created in the early 1920s, it was a permanent RAF base and had all the hallmarks of the British colonial presence,but when the British left after the troubles of 1958, the base upkeep deteriorated.The last time I saw news of it, it was occupied by US Forces.

Shaiba Airbase just South of Basrah was a old RAF base too I believe. It certainly had a feel of pre WW2 RAF about it.


Kieron.....Glad you like the pictures.

 

@ Harry Ree; the German support was provided by "Sonderkommando Junck"; actually "only" Luftwaffe support.

 

@ Harry Ree; the German support was provided by "Sonderkommando Junck"; actually "only" Luftwaffe support.

So, did Jerry show up down at ol' Mesopotamia?

I read somewhere that Luftwaffe kites did in fact operate over Iraq; where did they come from, in the first place? Vichy Syria?

 

Warlord I read that they took off from as you suggested Vichy Syria. I also read somewhere that it would have turned out alot different if they would have turned off the water supply to the base during the siege.

A few more of the pics around the base

Pic 1 shows one of the boys holding up a bit of armour with writting on 'One of ours'
Pic 2 around the camp
Pic 3 One of the Levies on a bike

 

Great Pic of the bike. Reminds me of the one in the Iraq section I posted

 

Have you shown Rich P that Matchless photo?


Me or Kieron Owen?

 

Interesting pics of a fairly unknown battle !

As a slight aside - which is why the thread caught my eye - I recall working in the UK Ministry of Defence in January 1991, Gulf War 1. Someone reported that RAF Tornados (I think) had bombed Habbaniya, which of course was being used by the Iraqis at this time.

"Oh, that's ironic", I said, "the RAF bombing one of its old airfields..." Blank looks from my historically-challenged colleagues...

 

Owen got a few pictures of bikes I'll have to to post a thread up just Rich P

 

Pic 4 Looks like an Indian Regiment
Pic 5 Caravan Baghdad to Basara (six weeks)
Pic 6 Engineers Badge carved out of stone

Thanks for the various heads-up chaps !

I've seen the bikes now but have only just looked at picture 4 - Surprised that the specialist vehicle ID ers haven't mentioned it.

Looks to me like a Mack NJU-1 Pontoon Tractor. I don't think that I've seen one of those in Commonwealth service before. Nice