AHQ Iraq


AHQ Iraq was a command of the Royal Air Force.

History

The command was formed on 1 November 1941 by renaming HQ British Forces in Iraq, the former RAF Iraq Command. AHQ Iraq was renamed AHQ Iraq and Persia on 1 January 1943. AHQ Iraq and Persia was a sub-command of Middle East Command which at the time was a sub-command of the Allied Mediterranean Air Command. AHQ Iraq was reformed by renaming AHQ Iraq and Persia on 1 March 1946. The Headquarters were situated in RAF Habbaniya.
No. 6 Squadron RAF flew out to Shaibah during a period of high tensions with Iran - the Abadan crisis over oil nationalisation in June 1951.
In April 1955 a new agreement was made with the Iraq Government for the defence of Iraq and the use of bases by the RAF with the result that AHQ Iraq was disbanded by being renamed AHQ Levant on 1 May 1955. On 1 December 1955 AHQ Levant started to transfer from RAF Habbaniya to Cyprus and, on 15 January 1956 when the move was complete, AHQ Cyprus and AHQ Levant were amalgamated as AHQ Levant.
One of the two main stations in Iraq, RAF Shaibah, was handed over to Iraqi control on 1 March 1956. The RAF maintained a presence in Iraq until May 1959, when RAF Habbaniya and RAF Basrah were closed. The long-present Iraq Levies had been disbanded in May 1955.

Order of battle

Some of the units and commanders assigned to these commands for four different dates during World War II are illustrated below.
AHQ Iraq
27 October 1942		AHQ Iraq and Persia
10 July 1943
No. 215 Group
  • No. 244 Squadron, Blenheim,
    Vincent, & Catalina
No. 215 Group
  • No. 208 Squadron Det., Hurricane
    No. 244 Squadron, Blenheim
    No. 1415 Flight, Gladiator
    • No. 214 Group
  • No. 237 Squadron
    Hurricane
    • ;Notes:

    Commanders

    Commanders included:

    AHQ Iraq