Latest Excavation at Ma'Asker (RAF Hinaidi) Cemetery

Prior to the commencement of Stage 2 of the restoration of the Ma'Asker Al Raschid Cemetery (formerly known as the Hinaidi RAF Peace Cemetery) where the cemetery grounds will be levelled and prepared, with the 22 headstones that remain more or less intact (77 headstones that can be identified, albeit in fragments) place along one of the cemetery's new perimeter walls, exploratory excavation has been carried out to locate the concrete foundation footings in order to gauge the condition of the graves and also to confirm the exact dimensions of that part of the cemetery grounds used for the 300 burials. Attached to this post is a satellite image (taken after the latest excavation at the Ma'Asker RAF Cemetery) showing the location of the concrete footings and an overlay of the official Commonwealth War Graves cemetery plan on top of the satellite image, the latter image showing that very few (if any) graves have been affected by the rough track that diagonally crossed the unused eastern section of the cemetery. Above these images are recent photos taken of the latest excavations at the Rasheed (Al Raschid) cemetery.

Exposing the concrete grave bases at Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery, Baghdad

Concrete grave bases at Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery, Baghdad

Another view of the concrete grave bases in Plot 3 at Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery, Baghdad

Concrete grave strips visible from space at the Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery, Baghdad

Concrete grave strips visible from space at the Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery, Baghdad overlaid with cemetery plan