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6 Squadron RAF, Ma'Asker RAF Cemetery & Habbaniya War Cemetery
The original purpose of my website was to document the early years of 6 Squadron. This evolved from my first book, For God, England & Ethel, the story of my grandfather who served with 6 Squadron on the Western Front during WW1. I also wanted to display some of the research material that didn't end up in the book. The website has expanded a lot over the past nineteen years but 6 Squadron still plays a major part, with sections on the 6 Squadron journal, the Tin-opener, the squadron's move to Mesopotamia after WW1, Facts & Figures on the squadron's early operations, the types of aircraft on charge, numerous WW1 photos, the 6 Squadron Roll of Honour as well as profiles of several 6 Squadron pioneers.
The Royal Air Force took over control of all British Forces in Iraq in October 1922, requiring a bigger RAF station than its old HQ in Baghdad West. The new site was in the south of the city, seven miles east of Baghdad West, on the eastern bank of the River Tigris, and was named RAF Hinaidi. To protect the low-lying land from flooding, a bund was constructed around the perimeter of the cantonment, eight and a quarter miles in length covering an area of 2,500 acres. RAF Hinaidi was operational from 1921 until January 1938, by which time all British operations had been moved to RAF Dhibban, later renamed RAF Habbaniya.
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 which remained the property of the British Ministry of Defence, the cemetery 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 299* 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 whilst departing on a mission from RAF Hinaidi and was buried in the cemetery, half a mile from where his Bristol FB2 Fighter crashed. Three years on, thanks in the main to the support and perseverance of the British Embassy staff in Baghdad, particularly the 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 contractor who built the new cemetery wall to commence Stage 2 of the restoration by moving the remaining headstones to one side, tidying up the site and repositioning the 71 surviving headstones to clearly display what remains, this work was put on hold by the JCCC (Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre) until such time the CWGC/MoD/JCC was able to come to a decision as to what restoration works should be carried out at Ma'Asker and the appropriate timeframe, given the delicate political situation in Iraq. Click HERE for the full story.
I was informed by the Area Director Africa & Asia at the CWGC in January 2024 that a site survey had been carried out at the Ma'asker Cemetery. This will enable the CWGC and the MoD to determine the scope and timing of the next phase of restoration, though nothing has happened yet.
Watch this space . . . . . . .
* 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 research. 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.
As a result of my findings, I was informed by the CWGC Director of Commemorations in late June 2024 that a meeting was scheduled for July 2024, attended by members of the CWGC, the JCCC and the AHB, where my submission would be evaluated. This meeting was subsequently put back to September 2024 due to high workload.
At long last I am pleased to report that I received a letter from the Head of the JCCC on the 17th September 2024 informing me that the JCCC, MoD, CWGC and the AHB "are collectively and individually in agreement that the evidence points firmly to AC1 Ramsay being buried in the [Ma'Asker al Raschid] cemetery". Though this is good news, they are yet to be convinced as to the exact final resting place of AC1 Ramsay, despite compelling research and photographic evidence that his body lies in Plot 3 Row G Grave 2. I will continue my research and update the Ramsay page on my website as I have more information. Following feedback from visitors to my website I will add more of my research to this page.
I have added pages on my website for the two recent enquiries from descendants of British servicemen who died in Iraq and were buried at the Ma'Asker Al Raschid cemetery. The first was from Dawn Rundle, great niece of the late LAC Ernest Guy Rosevaere, who was serving at the Armoured Car Division HQ at RAF Hinaidi at the time of his death in 1922. Dawn expressed her deep concern regarding the dreadful state of the cemetery and provided me with several photos as well as journals and letters written by Guy's commanding officer, Wing Commander Harold Primrose. They make compelling reading. Click HERE to be directed to the website page for Ernest Rosevaere. The second enquiry was from Claire Connolly, who is researching the history of her grandfather's brother who served in No: 5 Armoured Car Company and was killed in an armoured car accident in northern Iraq back in 1925. Click HERE to be directed to the website page for Sidney Kerslake.
To date (April 2024) I have received 31 enquiries against specific burials. Click HERE for a cemetery diagram that shows the graves in question.
In February 2024 I completed an interactive database comprising seventy-one (71) photographs of the surviving identifiable headstones at Ma'asker, linked to the position of the matching grave. Click HERE to view the photos, searchable by name.
I expanded my website in January 2024 to include a section devoted to the men and women who are buried at the Habbaniya War Cemetery, 55 miles west of Baghdad. The cemetery was originally part of RAF Dhibban, later known as RAF Habbaniya. I have added details of each person buried there, including the grave location and a recent (2023) headstone photograph. If you want more information on the history of RAF Habbaniya that isn't covered on the pages of my website, take a look at the RAF Habbaniya Association website or send me a message via the CONTACT tab at the top of this page .
This website contains photographs covering WW1 and the inter-War years, with an emphasis on 6 Squadron Royal Flying Corps (later Royal Air Force). There is also a section with 43 pages of high definition aerial photographs (two to a page) taken by 6 Squadron aircraft before and after the Battle of Messines. A new section has recently been added, containing images of WW1 maps and photographs as well as copies of every page of my grandfather's WW1 wireless training document.
If you need help researching anyone who served in the British Royal Flying Corps and information regarding the early years of the Royal Air Force, you can contact me by clicking on my name below.
My sixth and most recent book, "Rising from the Flanders Mud" was published in November 2023, with copies available to purchase from Amazon and other on-line book stores or alternatively direct from the publisher Feed-a-Read.
Updated 3rd October 2024
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