AHQ Iraq

AHQ Iraq (Air Headquarters Iraq or Air H.Q. Iraq) was a command of the Royal Air Force (RAF).

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.

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.

AHQ Iraq was disbanded by being renamed AHQ Levant on 1 May 1955. One of the two main stations in Iraq, RAF Shaibah, was handed over to Iraqi control in 1956. The RAF maintained a presence in Iraq until May 1959, when RAF Habbaniya was 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.


 * Notes:
 * Det.=Detachment, Met.=Meteorological
 * On 10 July 1943, when the Allies invaded Sicily (Operation Husky), it's not clear whether Air Vice Marshal Hugh Champion de Crespigny or Air Vice Marshal Robert Willock was in command of AHQ Iraq and Persia.

Commanders
Commanders included:

AHQ Iraq

 * 1942 Air Vice Marshal H V Champion de Crespigny (19 February 1942)

AHQ Iraq & Persia

 * 1943 Air Vice Marshal H V Champion de Crespigny (1 January 1943)
 * 1943 Air Vice Marshal R P Willock
 * 1944 Air Vice Marshal R A George
 * 1945 Air Vice Marshal S C Strafford

AHQ Iraq

 * 1946 Air Vice Marshal S C Strafford
 * 1947 Air Vice Marshal A Gray
 * 2 Sep 1950 - 1 Oct 1952 Air Vice Marshal George Beamish (AOC, AHQ Iraq)