Siege of Habbaniya - Death of an Airman

Yesterday I received a query from the niece of Corporal George Edmund Skinner, who died on the 7th May 1941 at RAF Habbaniya on the last day of what later became known as the Siege of Habbaniya. Though she found a photo of George Skinner's headstone on my website, there was no information available as to how he died, nor was there anything displayed on the Commonwealth War Graves website.

After a bit of researching I was able to find from his Notice of Death in the Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald for Saturday 17th May 1941 that he had "died from wounds received by enemy action on May 7th" (see attached newspaper article). I then dug deeper by examining all Royal Air Force casualties that were incurred during May 1941 and extracted those pertaining to RAF Habbaniya, yielding information for the twenty Royal Air Force deaths during the period 2nd May and the 8th May 1941. Two entries for the 7th Day of May 1941 state that two men who were working in the Aircraft Depot, Leading Aircraftman John Smith and Corporal George Edmund Skinner were both "killed in an air raid during the Battle of Habbaniya".

So, after almost 85 years, the answer as to how Corporal George Skinner met his death has come to light. May he rest in peace.

Death of Corporal George Skinner at RAF Habbaniya on the 7th May 1942 - Siege of Habbaniya

Royal Air Force Deaths during Siege of Habbaniya (2nd May to 8th May 1941)

Death Notice for Corporal George Skinner Aircraft Depot RAF Habbaniya, 7th May 1941

Headstone of Corporal George Skinner, Aircraft Depot RAF Habbaniya, 7th May 1941

Plot 1 Graves at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq, with grave of Corporal George Skinner circled