Throughout the operational life of RAF Hinaidi, most British servicemen and women from all arms of the British Forces who died in Southern Iraq were buried at the Hinaidi RAF Peace Cemetery, located at the south-western corner of the RAF cantonment. The land upon which RAF Hinaidi stood was handed over to the Iraqi government in January 1938 with the exception of the cemetery grounds which remained the property of the British Ministry of Defence. The cemetery was to be maintained in perpetuity by the Imperial War Graves Commission, name later changed to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Sadly, over the next eighty years, the cemetery (since renamed the Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery or more simply the Rasheed Cemetery) containing 300* graves gradually fell into disrepair and by 1975 was abandoned altogether by the CWGC (click HERE for a timeline of the cemetery).

 

I first became aware of the appalling condition of the Ma'Asker RAF Cemetery in 2018 whilst researching the death of a WW1 'ace' pilot who was killed in 1922 taking off on a mission from RAF Hinaidi. He was buried in the cemetery, half a mile from where his Bristol FB2 Fighter crashed. At the end of 2021, thanks in the main to the support and perseverance of the British Embassy staff in Baghdad, particularly Defence Attaché Brigadier Adam McRae, a new wall was constructed around the cemetery, with a contract put in place to pay for a caretaker. Sadly, though approval was given in December 2022 for the local contractors who built the new cemetery wall to commence Stage 2 of the restoration (moving the remaining headstones to one side, tidying up the site and repositioning the 71 surviving headstones), this work was suspended by the JCCC (Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre) until such time the CWGC/MoD/JCCC were able to come to a decision as to what restoration works should be carried out at Ma'Asker and the appropriate timeframe, especially given the delicate political situation in Iraq. Click HERE for the full story.

 

In January 2024 I was informed by the Area Director Africa & Asia at the CWGC that a site survey had been carried out at the Ma'Asker Cemetery, yielding enough information for the CWGC and the MoD to determine the scope and timing of the next phase of restoration. No further progress has been made since then, primarily due to the difficult security situation in Baghdad where it is not considered safe for CWGC employees to gain access to the site. Twelve months later in January 2025, costings were finally determined for the next stage of restoration, including flood mitigation works and the erection of a small temporary memorial. On the 1st March 2025 I was informed by the Area Director Africa and Asia at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission that:

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" . . . In relation to the ongoing preparation work for Ma’Asker we have made some progress. Developing the proposal for the next phase of renovation took a little longer than anticipated, however, a proposal has been sent to the MOD this week for their review, and we now await their response"

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On another matter pertaining to the burials at Ma'Asker, in early 2023 I found compelling evidence of another burial (the 300th) at the Ma'Asker Al Raschid Cemetery, namely AC1 John Maxton Ramsay of the 6th Armoured Car Company, RAF. Click HERE for details. I immediately forwarded my findings to the Commemorations & Licensing, JCCC on the 5th April 2023 as the CWGC will only update their records if/when the JCCC and Air Historical Branch corroborate my finding. With nothing forthcoming thirteen months later in May 2024, I spent two weeks of further research to change what I considered 'compelling' evidence into 'conclusive' evidence, in the form of a second photograph (that clearly shows Ramsay's headstone) as well as the official Military Death Notice confirming that Ramsay died in the RAF Hinaidi General Hospital, a mere 900 yards from the Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery.

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After a further nine months, I was relieved to receive a letter from the Head of the JCCC on the 5th February 2025 informing me:

 

" . . . . .  I am pleased to inform you that, following an adjudication board held on Thursday 29 January 2025, JCCC have agreed with your submission both that AC1 John Ramsay would have been buried in the cemetery now known as Ma’Asker Al Raschid, and that his grave would have been at what is now referenced as Plot 3, Row G, Grave 2 . . . . . . . . . The extensive and detailed evidence submitted by you has enabled this airman (or aviator to use the current RAF parlance) to have his final resting place recognised. For this we are grateful and appreciate the time, effort, and patience this has taken. As you are aware the cemetery has been very badly damaged and it is unlikely reinstallation of individual headstones will be attempted in the foreseeable future, but being able to confirm AC1 Ramsay’s grave reference means he will now be included in the Roll of Honour for the cemetery, and details included on any memorial erected to commemorate those who lie there. JCCC will now inform the CWGC so they can carry out any action required to recognise this decision."

 

This confirms that John Ramsay is the 300th grave at Ma'Asker. I have added my latest research to the Ramsay page on my website.​​​​