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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Campaignbox African, Mediterranean and Middle East theater (World War Two)}}
'''Iraqforce''' was a British and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] formation that came together in the [[Kingdom of Iraq]]. The formation fought in the [[Middle East]] during [[World War II]].

==Background==
During [[World War I]], the [[British Army]] defeated the [[Ottoman Army]] in the [[Middle Eastern theatre of World War I|Middle East]] during the [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamian Campaign]]. Subsequently, the [[League of Nations]] designated [[Mesopotamia]] as the [[British Mandate of Mesopotamia]]. From 1920 to the early 1930s, [[RAF Iraq Command]] was created as an [[British Armed Forces|inter-service]] [[Command (military formation)|command]] in charge of all [[United Kingdom|British]] forces in the mandate-controlled [[Kingdom of Iraq]] and was commanded by an RAF officer normally of [[Air Vice-Marshal]] rank.

In 1932, the British mandate in Iraq ended and according to the [[Anglo-Iraqi Treaty (1930)|Anglo-Iraqi Treaty]] of 1930, the United Kingdom was permitted to maintain troops in Iraq. In 1933 or 1934, RAF Iraq Command was renamed the British Forces in Iraq. By the late 1930s, these forces were restricted to two [[Royal Air Force station]]s, [[RAF Shaibah]] near [[Basra]] and [[RAF Habbaniya]] west of [[Baghdad]].

On 1 April 1941, during World War II, [[Rashid Ali al-Gaylani|Rashid Ali]] seized power in Iraq via a [[Iraq coup (1941)|coup d'état]]'. Ali was supported by three senior [[Iraqi Army|Royal Iraqi Army]] officers and one [[Iraqi Air Force|Royal Iraqi Air Force]] officer, known as the [[Golden Square (Iraq)|Golden Square]]. Rashid Ali proclaimed himself Chief of the National Defence Government.<ref>Playfair, p. 178</ref> His new government was immediately recognised by [[Nazi Germany]]; it was openly pro-[[Nazi]] and anti-British.

===Nomenclature===
The ground forces from [[British Raj|India]] that landed in Basra were initially known as '''Sabine Force''' ([[Major-General (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[William Archibald Kenneth Fraser|William Fraser]]). From 8 May 1941, Fraser was replaced and the forces in Basra were commanded by Lieutenant-General [[Edward Quinan]]. On 18 June, Quinan was placed in command of all ground forces in Iraq which included ''Sabine Force'' and '''British Forces in Iraq''' as ''Iraqforce''. From 21 June, ''Iraqforce'' was called '''Iraq Command'''.<ref name="Lyman, p.19">Lyman, p.19</ref> On 1 September 1941, after [[Imperial State of Iran|Persia]] (modern [[Iran]]) was invaded, ''Iraq Command'' was renamed "Persia and Iraq Force" ('''PAI Force''').<ref name="MacMunn, passim">MacMunn, passim</ref> ''PAI Force'' was still commanded by Quinan and he still reported to India Command. ''Iraqforce'' was variously part of [[India Command]], [[Middle East Command]] and then [[Persia and Iraq Command]].

===Prelude===
''Sabine Force'' was despatched from [[Karachi]] by GHQ India to seize the port of Basra and to supplement the British Forces in Iraq at RAF Shaibah and RAF Habbaniya. British [[Prime Minister]] [[Winston Churchill]] saw Basra as a major supply base in the future for material from the [[United States]]. Churchill did not recognise Rashid Ali's "National Defence Government" as legitimate. Churchill also wanted to reinstate a more compliant Iraqi government and to protect British interests in Iraq, notably the oilfields of which the British-owned Anglo-Persian Oil Company was concession holder. On 18 April, a brigade from Karachi landed and captured Basra; on 30 April, a second brigade arrived. The Rashid Ali government demanded that the British forces be removed from Iraq and Iraqi forces took up positions around RAF Habbaniya. On 2 May, British aircraft from Habbaniya launched a surprise attack on Iraqi forces throughout the country.

==Military operations==

===Anglo-Iraqi War===
{{Main|Anglo-Iraqi War}}

[[File:Gen Sir EP Quinan.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|Lieutenant-General Quinan in Iraq]]
During the ensuing war, a force from the [[Mandatory Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]], known as ''Habbaniya Force'' (shortened to ''[[Habforce]]''), advanced into Iraq from [[Emirate of Transjordan|Transjordan]]. ''Habforce'', with ''[[Kingcol]]'' in the lead, was to relieve the British garrison forces besieged at the Royal Air Force treaty base at RAF Habbaniya. The threat to Habbaniya was removed by actions of the garrison before any elements of ''Habforce'' arrived. After it arrived, ''Habforce'' and a portion of the Habbaniya garrison then advanced through [[Fallujah]] to capture Baghdad. By 31 May, an armistice had been signed and the government collapsed. From early May, the troops in Iraq were under the operational control of Army Headquarters, Middle East Command in Cairo, reverting to India command on 18 June.<ref>Wavell (1946), pp. 1–4 in {{London Gazette |issue=37685 |date=1946-08-13 |pages=4093–4096 |supp=y }}</ref> From 21 June, ''Iraqforce'' became known as the ''Iraq Command''.<ref name="Lyman, p.19"/>

===Syria-Lebanon Campaign===
{{main|Syria–Lebanon Campaign}}

In June and July 1941, after Iraq was secured, elements of ''Iraqforce''/''Iraq Command'' took part in the Syria–Lebanon campaign and, while active in Syria, they once more came under the authority of the Cairo Headquarters.

===Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Persia===

{{main|Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran}}

[[File:PikiWiki Israel 4214 Israel Defense Forces.jpg|thumb|British trucks near Baghdad, 1943]]
In late August 1941, ''Iraq Command'' conducted the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia, in conjunction with forces advancing from the [[Soviet Union]]. A new formation, ''Hazelforce'', based on the 2nd Indian Armoured Brigade was formed within ''Iraq Command'' during this effort. On 1 September, after Persia (modern Iran) was secured, ''Iraq Command'' was renamed "Persia and Iraq Force" or ''Paiforce''. ''Paiforce'' was still commanded by Quinan and he still reported to India Command. In January 1942, Persia and Iraq once again came under Middle East Command<ref>Wavell, (1946), p 10 in {{London Gazette |issue=37685 |date=1946-08-13 |page=4101|supp=y }}</ref> and, in February 1942, Quinan's headquarters was re-designated as [[Tenth Army (United Kingdom)|Tenth Army]].

In 1942, with the growing threat from the German advance in the [[Caucasus]], it was felt that the area should come under a General Headquarters which could bring a specific focus to the area. Previous experience of controlling the area from Cairo and Delhi had not proved ideal and both these General Headquarters were by this time fully committed in the [[Western Desert Campaign]] and to the [[Burma Campaign]] respectively. In August 1942, it was decided therefore, as part of the changes made bringing in [[Harold Alexander|Alexander]] and [[Bernard Montgomery|Montgomery]] to Middle East Command and Auchinleck to India Command, to create a new Persia and Iraq Command, to be led by [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] Sir [[Henry Maitland Wilson|Maitland Wilson]] and based in Baghdad.<ref>Mackenzie, p. 591</ref>

==Orders of battle==
===Iraq, May 1941===
Commanded by Major-General William Fraser (until 8 May). [[Lieutenant-General]] Edward Quinan (from 8 May).<ref>Playfair, p. 186.</ref>
* [[10th Indian Infantry Division]] - Major-General W.A.K. Fraser (until 16 May). Major-General [[William Slim]] (from 16 May).<ref>Mackenzie, p. 101</ref>
** [[13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers]] (reconnaissance regiment in armoured cars)
** 3rd Field Regiment [[Royal Artillery]]
** 32nd Field Regiment Royal Artillery
** 157th Field Regiment Royal Artillery
** [[20th Indian Infantry Brigade]]{{efn|The brigade landed at Basra on 18 April.<ref name="Playfair179">Playfair, p. 179</ref>}}- [[Brigadier]] [[Donald Powell]]
*** 2nd battalion [[8 Gorkha Rifles|8th Gurkha Rifles]]
*** 2nd battalion [[7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles|7th Gurkha Rifles]]
*** 3rd battalion [[11th Sikh Regiment]]
** [[21st Indian Infantry Brigade]]{{efn|Playfair related that the brigade landed at Basra on 30 April<ref name="Playfair, p. 181">Playfair, p. 181</ref> but Wavell wrote that the brigade arrived on 7 May at the same time as the 10th Indian Division HQ and Lieutenant-General Quinan and his Force HQ.<ref>Wavell, p. 4093.</ref>}}- Brigadier [[Charles Joseph Weld|Charles Weld]]
*** 4th battalion [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]]{{efn|Included two [[troop]]s of Rolls-Royce armoured cars.<ref>Lyman, p. 32</ref>}}
*** 2nd battalion [[4 Gorkha Rifles|4th Gurkha Rifles]]
*** 2nd battalion [[10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles|10th Gurkha Rifles]]
** [[25th Indian Infantry Brigade]]{{efn|The brigade landed at Basra on 30 May.<ref>Mackenzie, p. 104</ref>}} - Brigadier [[Ronald Gervase Mountain|Ronald Mountain]]
*** 3rd battalion [[Jat Regiment|9th Jat Regiment]]
*** 2nd Royal battalion 11th Sikh Regiment
*** 1st battalion [[Maratha Light Infantry|5th Mahratta Light Infantry]]
* Ground Forces at [[RAF Habbaniya]] - [[Air Vice-Marshal]] [[Harry George Smart|Harry Smart]] (until 5 May). Colonel [[Ouvry Lindfield Roberts|Ouvry Roberts]] (from 5 May).
** 1st battalion [[The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)]]{{efn|Battalion landed at [[RAF Shaibah]] on 17 April.<ref name="Playfair179"/> The battalion was transferred by air to [[RAF Habbaniya]] on 24 April.<ref name="Mackenzie, p. 94">Mackenzie, p. 94</ref>}}
** 1,200 [[Iraq Levies|Assyrian and Iraqi Levies]] - Lieutenant-Colonel [[J. A. Brawn]]<ref name="Playfair, p. 181"/>
** [[Number 1 Armoured Car Company RAF]] {{efn|18 RAF armoured cars.<ref>Playfair, p. 182</ref> Company included 18 [[Rolls-Royce Armoured Car|Rolls-Royce armoured cars]] and two ancient tanks.<ref>Lyman, p. 23</ref>}}
* ''[[Habforce]]'' commanded by Major-General [[John George Walters Clark|John Clark]]<ref name="Martin1">Maritn, p. 44</ref>
** Mechanized squadron of the [[Transjordan Frontier Force]] - Refused to enter Iraq and were disarmed.
** Detachment of the [[Arab Legion]]{{efn|This detachment of the Arab Legion consisted of three mechanised squadrons<ref name="Mackenzie, p. 94"/> and was around 400 men strong.<ref name="Martin2"/>}} - [[John Bagot Glubb|John Glubb ''"Glubb Pasha"'']]<ref name="Martin2"/>{{efn|The Arab Legion initially advanced ahead of ''Kingcol''.<ref>Young, p. 7</ref> The Legionnaires were ostensibly the personal escort of Glubb Pasha.<ref>Lyman, p. 54</ref>}}
** Striking force ''[[Kingcol]]'' - Brigadier [[James Joseph Kingstone|James Kingstone]]<ref name="Martin1"/>
*** [[4th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|4th Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name="Martin1"/> - Lieutenant-Colonel [[Andrew Henry Ferguson|Andrew Ferguson]]
**** Composite [[Household Cavalry Regiment]]<ref name="Martin1"/>
**** The [[Warwickshire Yeomanry]]<ref name="Martin1"/>
**** The [[Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry]]<ref name="Martin1"/>
*** 237th Battery 60th Field Regiment, [[Royal Artillery]]{{efn|Equipped with [[Ordnance QF 25 pounder|25 Pounders]].<ref name="Martin2">Martin, p. 45</ref>}}
*** A & D Companies, 1st Battalion [[Essex Regiment]] - Major [[K. F. May]] - Accompanied by two [[Universal Carrier|Bren gun carriers]]. Personnel carried in transport of the [[Royal Army Service Corps]].<ref name="Martin2"/>
*** One anti-tank troop, Royal Artillery{{efn|Equipped with [[Ordnance QF 2 pounder|2 Pounders]].<ref name="Martin2"/>}}
*** [[Number 2 Armoured Car Company RAF]] {{efn|8 [[Royal Air Force]] [[Armored car (military)|armoured cars]].<ref name="Martin2"/> Company included 8 Fordson armoured cars.<ref>Lyman, p. 25</ref>}}
*** Two supply companies, [[Royal Army Service Corps]]<ref name="Martin2"/>
** Main Body - Lieutenant-Colonel [[John Sebastian Nichols|John Nichols]], [[Military Cross|MC]]<ref name="Martin2"/>
*** Headquarters [[1st Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)|1st Cavalry Division]] (elements)<ref name="Martin2"/>
*** 1st Battalion Essex Regiment{{efn|Minus two companies.<ref name="Martin2"/>}}
*** 60th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery{{efn|Minus one battery and equipped with 25 Pounders.<ref name="Martin2"/>}}
*** One Battery of anti-tank guns, Royal Artillery{{efn|Minus one troop and equipped with 2 Pounders.<ref name="Martin2"/>}}

Formed from existing units in early June:
* ''[[Gocol]]'' - [[R. E. S. Gooch]]
* ''[[Mercol]]'' - [[E. J. H. Merry]]
* ''[[Harcol]]'' - [[R. J. Hardy]]

Arriving At Basra on 9 June:<ref name="Lyman, p. 88">Lyman, p. 88</ref>
* [[17th Indian Infantry Brigade]] (detached from [[8th Indian Infantry Division]]) - Brigadier [[Douglas Gracey]]
** 1st Battalion [[Royal Fusiliers]]
** 1st Battalion (Prince of Wales Own Sikhs) [[12th Frontier Force Regiment]]
** 1st Battalion [[5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)|5th Royal Gurkha Rifles]]

Arriving at Basra on 16 June:<ref name="Lyman, p. 88"/>
* [[24th Indian Infantry Brigade]] - Brigadier [[Roger Eustace Le Fleming|Roger Le Fleming]]
** 2nd Battalion [[6th Rajputana Rifles]]
** [[19th Hyderabad Regiment|The Kumaon Rifles]]
** 5th Battalion [[5th Mahratta Light Infantry]]

===Syria: June–July 1941===

Commanded by Lieutenant General Edward Quinan

During the Syria–Lebanon Campaign Iraqforce consisted of:
* 10th Indian Infantry Division -Major-General William Slim
** 20th Indian Infantry Brigade - Brigadier Donald Powell
** 21st Indian Infantry Brigade - Brigadier C. J. Weld
** 25th Indian Infantry Brigade - Brigadier Ronald Mountain
* 17th Indian Infantry Brigade (detached from [[8th Indian Infantry Division]]) - Brigadier Douglas Gracey
* ''Habforce'' - Major-General J. G. W. Clark
** 4th Cavalry Brigade - Brigadier J. J. Kingstone
** 1st Battalion The Essex Regiment
** [[Arab Legion]] Mechanized Regiment
** 237th Battery 60th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
** An Australian battery of 2 pounder anti-tank guns
** 169th Light Anti-aircraft Battery

===Iran: August–September 1941===

Commanded by Lieutenant General Edward Quinan

During the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia (Iran) Iraqforce was renamed Paiforce, consisting of:
* 10th Indian Infantry Division - Major-General William Slim (took overall command of the ground forces)
* 8th Indian Infantry Division - commanded by Major-General [[Charles Offley Harvey|Charles Harvey]]
** [[18th Indian Infantry Brigade]] - Brigadier [[Rupert Lochner]]
** [[19th Indian Infantry Brigade]] - Brigadier [[Charles Willbraham Watson Ford|Charles Ford]]
** 24th Indian Infantry Brigade (until 11 September) - Brigadier Roger Le Fleming
** 25th Indian Infantry Brigade (detached from 10th Indian Infantry Division) - Brigadier Ronald Mountain
** [[13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers]]
* ''Hazelforce'' - Brigadier [[John Aldam Aizlewood|John Aizlewood]]
** [[31st Indian Armoured Division|2nd Indian Armoured Brigade Group]] - Brigadier John Aizlewood
** [[9th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)|9th Armoured Brigade]] (formerly the 4th Cavalry Brigade) - Brigadier [[John Cecil Currie|John Currie]]
** 21st Indian Infantry Brigade (detached from 10th Indian Infantry Division) - Brigadier C. J. Weld
* [[Indian 6th Infantry Division|6th Indian Infantry Division]] (from 11 September) - Major-General [[James Noel Thomson|James Thomson]]
** [[The Poona Horse|17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry (Poona Horse)]]
** [[27th Indian Infantry Brigade]] - Brigadier [[Alan Bruce Blaxland|Alan Blaxland]]
** 24th Indian Infantry Brigade (transferred from 8th Indian Infantry Division) - Brigadier Roger Le Fleming

== See also ==
* [[RAF Iraq Command]]
* [[Tenth Army (United Kingdom)]]
* [[1941 Iraqi coup d'état]]

== Notes ==
'''Footnotes'''
{{notelist|1}}

'''Citations'''
{{Reflist|20em}}

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |first=Robert |last=Lyman |series=Campaign |title=Iraq 1941: The Battles for Basra, Habbaniya, Fallujah and Baghdad |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |year=2006 |isbn=1-84176-991-6}}
* {{cite book |first=Compton |last=Mackenzie |author-link=Compton Mackenzie |title=Eastern Epic: September 1939 – March 1943 Defence |volume=I |publisher=Chatto & Windus |location=London |year=1951 |oclc=59637091}}
* {{cite book |first=George |last=MacMunn |author-link=George MacMunn |title=The History of the Guides: Part II, 1922–1947 |publisher=Gale & Polden |location=Aldershot |year=1950 |oclc=795824908}}
* {{cite book |first=Colonel Thomas Alexander |last=Martin |title=The Essex Regiment, 1929–1950 |publisher=Essex Regiment Association |year=1952 |oclc=4045659}}
* {{cite book |first1=Major-General I. S. O. |last1=Playfair |author1-link=Ian Stanley Ord Playfair |first2=Captain F. C. |last2=with Flynn [[Royal Navy|RN]] |first3=Brigadier C. J. C. |last3=Molony |first4=Air Vice-Marshal S. E. |last4=Toomer |editor-last=Butler |editor-first=J. R. M. |editor-link=James Ramsay Montagu Butler |series=History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series |title=The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Germans come to the help of their Ally (1941) |volume=II |publisher=Naval & Military Press |year=2004 |orig-year=1st. pub. [[HMSO]] 1956 |isbn=1-84574-066-1 |name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book |last=Wavell |first=Sir Archibald P. |title=Despatch from Operations in Iraq, East Syria and Iran from 10th April, 1941 to 12th January, 1942 |year=1946 |author-link=Archibald Wavell |location=London |publisher=HMSO}} officially published in {{London Gazette |issue=37685 |date=1946-08-13 |pages=4093–4101 |supp=y }}
* {{cite book |first=Maitland |last=Wilson |year=1946 |author-link=Henry Maitland Wilson, 1st Baron Wilson |title=Despatch on the Persia and Iraq Command Covering the Period from 21st August, 1942, to 17th February, 1943 |publisher=War Office |location=London}} in {{London Gazette |issue=37703 |date=28 August 1946 |supp=y |pages=4333–4340}}
* {{cite book |first=Peter |last=Young |series=Men-at-Arms |title=The Arab Legion |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |year=1972 |isbn=0-85045-084-5}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
* {{cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/37685.pdf |title=Despatch on Operations in Iraq, East Syria, and Iran from 10th April, 1941 to 12th January 1942.|work=Supplement to the [[London Gazette]], Number 37685|date=13 August 1946|access-date=26 September 2022}}
* Ravi Rikhye, [https://web.archive.org/web/20071111012750/http://www.orbat.com/site/history/index.html India: Paiforce 1942–43], http://www.orbat.com, June 2002
* {{cite web |url=http://www.ordersofbattle.com/UnitIndex.aspx |title=Orders of Battle.com website |access-date=2008-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831042854/http://www.ordersofbattle.com/UnitIndex.aspx |archive-date=31 August 2009 |url-status=dead }}

{{World War II}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iraqforce}}
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1941]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the British Army in World War II]]
[[Category:Ad hoc units and formations of the British Army]]
[[Category:Military history of India during World War II]]
[[Category:Middle East theatre of World War II]]
[[Category:Military history of Iraq]]
[[Category:Iraq in World War II]]
[[Category:World War II orders of battle]]
[[Category:Iraq–United Kingdom relations]]