Habbaniya War Cemetery Restoration 2005/6
Aug 19
2 min read
Updated: Aug 20
The complete restoration of the Habbaniya War Cemetery by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission that was completed in 2019 has been well publicised but not many people would be aware of an earlier major reconstruction project carried out on the long abandoned cemetery in 2005 / 2006 by members of the US-led Multi-National force that was stationed in Iraq. In mid 2005, the former RAF Habbaniya base in Iraq - then operating as Camp Habbaniya - was actively used as a forward operating base by U.S. forces, part of what was then also termed as the Coalition Forces. Primarily consisting of US and British troops, the men and women worked alongside the new Iraqi Army. Beyond combat operations, U.S. service members stationed around Habbaniya also participated in local community outreach programs and site restoration, a notable and worth project when coalition personnel led by members of the US Marine Corps, US Army and US Air Force endeavoured to clean up and restore the long abandoned historic British Habbaniya War Cemetery. The project took many months to complete, from mid 2005 until the end of 2006.
Twenty years on, I was recently contacted by Major Phillip Rehn USMC (ret) who had spent a 'memorable time' with the Coalition Forces operating in the Habbaniya area between 2006 and 2010. Major Rehn had discovered my website and showed interest in the current photographs I had included of the cemetery and the 290 new headstones (289 to be more precise as a new headstone for Norwegian sailor Oskar Kristiansen of the M/T Bralanta who was buried at Habbaniya on the 26th March 1945 has yet to be made and installed). Looking through the Habbaniya Association photographic archives I found many photographs of that time, many showing the enormity of the work undertaken by US troops in restoring the Habbaniya Cemetery. With the kind permission of Dr Chris Morris, ex president of the now defunct RAF Habbaniya Association, I have attached a few photographs to this post, though the names of the American personnel have been withheld for reasons of privacy.
Habbaniya WAR Cemetery - Restoration by the US Army, USMC and USAF during 2005 and 2006 Habbaniya WAR Cemetery - Restoration by the US Army, USMC and USAF during 2005 and 2006 Habbaniya WAR Cemetery - Restoration by the US Army, USMC and USAF during 2005 and 2006 Habbaniya WAR Cemetery - Restoration by the US Army, USMC and USAF during 2005 and 2006 Habbaniya WAR Cemetery - Restoration by the US Army, USMC and USAF during 2005 and 2006 Habbaniya WAR Cemetery - Restoration by the US Army, USMC and USAF during 2005 and 2006 Habbaniya WAR Cemetery - Restoration by the US Army, USMC and USAF during 2005 and 2006 The Great Cross at the Habbaniya War Cemetery 2006 Commemoration service at Habbaniya War Cemetery 2006
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