Coll 17/17 'FO Annual Reports, 1932-1938, 1947. Annual review of events 1939-1942. Political Review 1943-1944' [‎240r] (479/483)

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349. The Royal Iraqi Air Force was formed in April 1931 on the arrival
from England of the first flight of five Gipsy Moths.
350. At the beginning of the year 1932 the establishment consisted of two
flights of Gipsy Moths (each flight consisting of three aircraft with a 33 per cent,
reserve), and one Puss Moth, whilst three Puss Moths for the third flight to
complete the squadron by April 1932 were under construction in England. On
the arrival of the Puss Moths in April the first squadron was formed, organised
as a headquarters and three flights comprising a total strength of thirteen officers
and forty-nine other ranks. In addition fifty-six apprentices were under training
in various skilled trades with a view to the formation of the depot and second
squadron in April 1933 and 1934 respectively.
351. The British staff at this period numbered three British officers and
five British non-commissioned officers.
352. Apart from the operations in the Barzan area, in which the Royal
Iraqi Air Force were called upon to co-operate, normal training was carried out
throughout the year and good progress was made both in army co-operation and
in bombing.
353. A considerable improvement was effected during the year in the general
system of aircraft maintenance, mainly owing to the work of the British engineer
officer, who was appointed on the 1st April, 1932. Workshops were established
comprising an engine repair section and an aeroplane repair section, and complete
overhauls of engines and aircraft were successfully carried out.
354. Owing to the serious resistance offered by the rebels in Kurdistan and
to the impending withdrawal of the Royal Air Force on the termination of the
Mandate, the Iraqi Government decided to accelerate the formation of the second
squadron by one year. To give effect to this decision within reasonable financial
limits it was settled :—
( 1 ) To purchase eight De Havilland Dragons to be in commission by the
1 st April, 1933.
(2) To constitute three flights of Gipsy Moths as a training unit and to
undertake the flying training of eighteen pupils in Iraq.
Accordingly eight De Havilland Dragons were ordered together with three
additional Gipsy Moths for the training units, and a British officer and two non
commissioned officers as flying instructors have been authorised.
355. The organisation of the Royal Iraqi Air Force on the 1st April, 1933,
will, therefore, be :—
Headquarters— _ .,, , ,
1 squadron comprising 2 flights each of 3 De Havilland Dragons with a
33 per cent, reserve. .
1 training squadron comprising 3 flights each of 3 Gipsy Moths with
33 per cent, reserve.
1 communication flight of 4 Puss Moths.
356. There was considerable enthusiasm for military aviation in Iraq, and
each liwa is endeavouring to raise the sum of £3,000 for the purchase of one
aeroplane to be named after it and to be presented to the Government. In two
liwas over £ 2,000 had been raised for this purpose at the end of the yeai.
357. The operations against Sheikh Ahmad have been described elsewhere
in this report. On their conclusion the withdrawal of units to peace stations was
at once undertaken. By the end of July practically all the tioops in the Baizan
area were back in Mosul, except for the 5th Battalion, which remained to garrison
Billeh. On the Shirwan flank units had also returned to their barracks by the end
of July, except for two battalions which remained in the theatre of operations
till the end of October.
358. It has been pointed out that, after the successive defeats of
Sheikh Mahmud and Sheikh Ahmad, the Iraqi Government pursued a wise policy
of toleration, which, combined with the construction of roads and police posts,
has brought large areas of Kurdistan under fairly effective control.