Ten Graves from No. 1 Squadron RAF abandoned in Iraq

During its deployment to Iraq from May 1921 to November 1926, No. 1 Squadron RAF carried out air policing duties from RAF Hinaidi. While stationed there, the squadron suffered 10 fatalities among its officers and ground crew, who were buried at the long abandoned Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery in Baghdad. Two were WW1 fighter 'aces' honoured with the DSC, MC and MBE between them and another had been awarded the Italian Silver Medal during WW1.

The names of the ten No. 1 Fighter Squadron men who lie in the Ma'Asker Al Rschid RAF Cemetery are (in date of burial order) Sgt Edwin J Twitchett, Flt Lt Robert Holme, Flt Lt Thomas Gerrard, AC2 Reginald Nichols, Flt Lt John McAlery, F/O Miles Watson, F/O Ellis Reid, AC1 Joseph Little, F/O Stuart Young and AC1 Edgar Little. Sadly, only the headstones for Edwin Twitchett and and Myles Watson have survived

When I came across the abandoned cemetery in 2018 it was the site of an Iraqi rubbish dump and across one corner was a rough access road used frequently by Iraqi trucks. Since that time, after countless hours of lobbying and the help of British Embassy staff in Baghdad, a new cemetery wall was constructed around the used part of the old cemetery in late 2021. With only 77 identifiable (complete and partial) headstones surviving the ravages of time out of the total number of 300 burials of RAF, British Army and Royal Navy personnel, it is not surprising that only two headstones have survived out of the ten burials for No. 1 Squadron RAF deaths. Attached to this post is a detailed list of the ten men (including manner of death) as well as a current photograph of the two remaining headstones.

No.1 Fighter Squadron RAF Burials at Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery

Surviving headstone for Sgt Edwin J Twitchett No. 1 Squadron RAF at Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery

Surviving headstone for F/O Miles B F Watson No. 1 Squadron RAF at Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery