Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Medals for Iraq & Mesopotamia


Gordon Caldecott

Recommended Posts

Can anyone tell me how many different medals ahve been issued for Iraq & Mesopotamia, over the years?

I know of the............

The Great War Medals

General Service Medal clasp Iraq and Southern Desert Iraq

Gulf War 1991

General Service Medal clasp N.Iraq & S.Turkey, Air Ops Iraq

Iraq War 2003-to date

Are there any others?

post-2587-1128856931.jpg

post-2587-1128858122.jpg

post-2587-1128858138.jpg

post-2587-1128858154.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Add to that list

General Service Medal clasps: Kurdistan, Northern Kurdistan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Iraq

This clasp was presented to those who satisfied one of the following conditions:

Served at Ramadi or north of a line east and west through Ramadi between 10 December 1919 and 13 June 1920.

Part of an establishment within Iraq between 1 July and 17 November 1920.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Southern Desert: Iraq

This clasps was awarded to the RAF for its services against the Akhwan in the Southern Desert, under the command Air-Commodore T.C.R. Higgins between 8 and 22 January 1928, or under the command of Wing-Commander E.R.C. Nanson between 22 January and 3 June 1928.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many thanks, do Kurdistan & Northern Kurdistan count? Are there any Naval Medals for this area?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

do Kurdistan & Northern Kurdistan count? Are there any Naval Medals for this area?

Yes they are areas of Iraq!

The First clasps awarded for the NGS 1909-62 were for this area,

Persian Gulf 1909-14

Iraq 1919-20 [Ony awarded to 9 Officers & 119 Ratings]

North West Persia 1920* [4 Officers & 4 Rating of the Naval Mission]

*originally Issued as "North West Persia 1919~20";But most recalled & exchanged,I do believe that @ least one surfaced @ auction in the 1970s.

You should probably also include the clasps of the GSM 1918-62.

S.Persia

&

N.W.Persia

due to the proximity of Persia[iran] to Iraq

From "Mesopotamia~Field Notes~General Staff~ India February 1917"

"......The tract of country to be dealt with in this report comprises the locality known as Mesopotamia,........Mesopotamia is the whole of the lowland portion of the basin of the ancient Asiatic rivers Euphrates & Tigris"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many thanks, do Kurdistan & Northern Kurdistan count? Are there any Naval Medals for this area?

Yes, I’ve researched men who served in that area and seen the reports of where they were fighting, your question included Mesopotamia and Kurdistan was part of Mespot. There were 4 periods of qualification for the Kurdistan bar and the first was for service at Kirkuk, I’m sure I’ve heard modern correspondents mentioning that in the Iraq coverage. The pre WW1 atlas I have also show the N Kurdistan area was in Mespot.

Naval General Service Medal clasps: Persian Gulf 1909-1914, Iraq 1919-1920

Frozen computer strikes again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello

Not too sure if this will count, but the "Armilla Patrol" (assuming I have spelt this correctly), which operated in the Persian Gulf during the Iran - Iraq war of the 1980's also qualified personnel for a GSM clasp. IIRC it is titled "Gulf" or something similar.

Cheers

Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

General Service Medal 1918-62

Kurdistan - operations around Kirkuk 1919 and NE Iraq 1923

Iraq - operations in the Arab Rebellion 1919-20

Southern Desert Iraq - RAF ops 1928

Northern Kurdistan - 1932

related:

S. Persia

N.W. Persia

Naval General Service Medal 1915-62

Persian Gulf 1909-14

Iraq 1919-20

related:

NW Persia

General Service Medal 1962

Gulf

Kuwait

N. Iraq & S. Turkey

Air Operations Iraq

Gulf Medal 1992

Iraq Medal 2004

Related:

Royal Air Force Long Service & Good Conduct Medal

clasp - Royal Air Force Levies, Iraq

Possibly:

India General Service Medal 1854-95

Persia - 1857

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about the action at Habbaniya by the RAF in 1941? They used obsolete aircraft to defend a Flying Training School against German backed Iraqis. What campaign medals would have been awarded to the participants? Would they be eligible for the Africa Star? Or the 39-45 Star? Or nothing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I had heard of this campaign, and am curious to know what medal if any they got for it? Maybe the WW2 War Medal & possibley the Defence Medal?

Which air fields where they defending? I believe the RAF were in Iraq, well into the 50`s. The air base at Shaibah, is an old RAF station. Can anyone tell me when it was built?

I`ve also found a few more pictures of medals for Iraq.

post-2587-1128926009.jpg

post-2587-1128926026.jpg

post-2587-1128926053.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Habbaniya by the RAF in 1941

Did they earn a campaign medal for that - no! Count towards a 39/45 star but thats it. I know an old soldier who served the Loyals in the defence of Habbaniya - it was not that easy as they make out! Very touch and go. He was later wounded & POW'd in the Western Desert but did not get the Africa star - not enough time in!

He was repatriated due to his wounds but is still going strong 60 years later!

Cheers

Matthew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Surely, if a soldier was wounded during a campaign, he automatically got awarded the medal for that campaign?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope, only if he had first quaified for his 39/45 star, then tiem after that goes toward the next star. Cliffs still a bit sore about that!

Matthew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...