|
Habforce
Habforce was a British Army military unit created in 1941 during the Anglo-Iraqi War and still active during the Syria-Lebanon campaign during the fighting in the Middle East in the Second World War. Creation and composition Habforce, short for "Habbaniya Force", was created from forces available in the British Mandate of Palestine to relieve RAF Habbaniya. On 4 May 1941, the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, ordered General Sir Archibald Wavell, the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) Middle East Command, to create this force. RAF Habbaniya was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniya in the Kingdom of Iraq. From 30 April, the small British garrison at Habbaniya had been under siege by strong Iraqi forces loyal to Rashid Ali. On 1 April, Rashid Ali and his anti-British supporters had staged a coup against the pro-British government of Regent Amir Abdul Illah and relations between the British and the government of Rashid Ali quickly deteriorated until, on 2 May, the Britis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anglo-Iraqi War
The Anglo-Iraqi War was a British-led Allied military campaign during the Second World War against the Kingdom of Iraq under Rashid Gaylani, who had seized power in the 1941 Iraqi coup d'état, with assistance from Germany and Italy. The campaign resulted in the downfall of Gaylani's government, the re-occupation of Iraq by the British, and the return to power of the Regent of Iraq, Prince 'Abd al-Ilah, a British ally. Background Mandatory Iraq The Kingdom of Iraq (also referred to as Mesopotamia) was governed by Great Britain under a League of Nations mandate, the British Mandate of Mesopotamia, until 1932 when Iraq became nominally independent. Before granting independence, Britain concluded the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930. The treaty included permission to establish military bases for British use and provide the facilities for the unrestricted movement of British forces through the country, upon request to the Iraqi government. The conditions of the treaty were impos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John George Walters Clark
Lieutenant-General John George Walters Clark CB, MC and bar (2 May 1892 – 16 May 1948) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both World War I and World War II. During the latter he commanded the 10th Armoured Division, formerly the 1st Cavalry Division. Early life Clark was educated at Winchester College (1906–1910). After passing out from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Clark was commissioned into the 16th The Queen's Lancers in 1911 and fought with them during World War I. He was twice awarded the Military Cross: first in June 1917 and again in 1918. The citation for this second award, which was published in the ''London Gazette'', stated: World War II Between the wars he attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1926 to 1927, and later returned there as an instructor from 1929 to 1932, and, by the time of World War II, he was commanding the 12th Infantry Brigade. From October 1939 to July 1942, Clark commanded the 1st Cavalry Division (re-designate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers
The 1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers were formed in 1860 as a response to a French invasion threat. They fought on the Western Front during World War I. In World War II, the unit took part in the Battle of France and Dunkirk evacuation, the Anglo-Iraqi War with 'Kingcol', the Western Desert Campaign in which it distinguished itself at the Battle of Sidi Rezegh, and finally fought as infantry in the Chindits. The unit was disbanded in 1947. Artillery Volunteers 1859-1908 The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. Three Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVCs) were formed in Lincolnshire in 1860 and they were brought together under the 1st Administrative Brigade, Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers in July 1861, with headquarters at Grimsby:Litchfield & Westlake, pp. 114–5.''Army List'', various dates. * 1st Corps formed at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kingcol
Kingcol was a British Army flying column created during the Anglo-Iraqi War. Creation and composition ''Kingcol'' was created to allow a portion of ''Habforce'' to relieve RAF Habbaniya as soon as possible. The column was named after its commander, Brigadier J.J. Kingstone. ''Kingcol'' comprised 4th Cavalry Brigade, 237th Battery 60th (North Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 1st Battalion Essex Regiment, one anti-tank troop, Royal Artillery, Number 2 Armoured Car Company RAF, and two supply companies, Royal Army Service Corps. The 4th Cavalry Brigade comprised Composite Household Cavalry Regiment, the Warwickshire Yeomanry, and the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry.Lyman, p. 24 See also * Anglo-Iraqi War * ''Iraqforce'' * ''Habforce'' * ''Gocol'' * ''Mercol Mercol was a flying column created by the British Army shortly after the Anglo-Iraqi War had ended. Creation and composition ''Mercol'' was a truck-borne flying column created in early June 1941 to round up irregular t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Nichols (British Army Officer)
Brigadier John Sebastian Nichols, (5 July 1896 – 7 February 1954) was a British Army officer who fought during both the First World War and the Second World War. During the latter his most notable role was when he commanded the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division during the Second Battle of El Alamein and in the Tunisian campaign from 1942 to 1943. Early life and First World War Nichols was born on 5 July 1896 in the town of Markington, Harrogate, West Riding of Yorkshire. His father was the Reverend Sebastian Elijah Nichols, an Anglican clergyman, and his mother was Caroline Isabel Mare. Nichols was educated at Eton College and, after volunteering for the British Army, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Lincolnshire Regiment (later the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment) in late September 1914. Promoted to lieutenant in early August 1915, and a captain in early June 1916, he served with the 1/5th Battalion, Linc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1941 Iraqi Coup D'état
The 1941 Iraqi coup d'état ( ar, ثورة رشيد عالي الكيلاني, ''Thawrah Rašīd ʿAlī al-Kaylānī''), also called the Rashid Ali Al-Gaylani coup or the Golden Square coup, was a nationalist coup d'état in Iraq on 1 April 1941 that overthrew the pro-British regime of Regent 'Abd al-Ilah and his Prime Minister Nuri al-Said and installed Rashid Ali al-Gaylani as Prime Minister. The coup was led by four Iraqi nationalist army generals, known as "the Golden Square", who intended to use the war to press for full Iraqi independence following the limited independence granted in 1932. To that end, they worked with German intelligence and accepted military assistance from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. The change in government led to the British invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation until 1947. The coup From 1939 to 1941 a pro-British government headed by the Regent 'Abd al-Ilah and Prime Minister Nuri as-Said ruled Iraq. Iraq severed relations with Germany on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rashid Ali
Rashid Ali al-Gaylaniin Arab standard pronunciation Rashid Aali al-Kaylani; also transliterated as Sayyid Rashid Aali al-Gillani, Sayyid Rashid Ali al-Gailani or sometimes Sayyad Rashid Ali el Keilany ("Sayyid, Sayyad" serves to address higher standing male persons) ( ar, رشيد عالي الکَيلاني, ) (1892 – 28 August 1965) was an Iraqi politician who served as List of Prime Ministers of Iraq, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Iraq on three occasions: from March to November 1933, from March 1940 to February 1941 and from April to May 1941. He is chiefly remembered as an ardent Arab nationalism, Arab nationalist who attempted to remove the United Kingdom, British influence from Iraq by starting a coup against the government in 1941. During his brief tenures as Prime Minister in 1940 and 1941, he attempted to negotiate settlements with the Axis powers during World War II in order to counter British influence in Iraq. Early life Rashid Ali was the son of Sayyid Abdul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment served in many conflicts such as the Second Boer War and both World War I and World War II, serving with distinction in all three. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot and the 56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot. In 1958, the Essex Regiment was amalgamated with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment to form the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th/44th Foot). However, the existence was short-lived and, in 1964, was amalgamated again with the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk), the 2nd East Anglian Regiment (Duchess of Gloucester's Own Royal Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire) and the Royal Leicestershire Regiment to form the Royal Anglian Regiment. The lineage of the Essex Regiment is continued by 'C' Company of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment. History Orig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Habbaniya
Royal Air Force Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya ( ar, قاعدة الحبانية الجوية), (originally RAF Dhibban), was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern-day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah. It was developed from 1934, and was operational from October 1936 until 31 May 1959 when the RAF finally withdrew after the July 1958 Revolution made the British military presence no longer welcome. It was the scene of fierce fighting in May 1941 when it was besieged by the Iraqi Military following the 1941 Iraqi coup d'état. It is currently a major Iraqi military airbase. History Originally called RAF Dhibban, the station was built on the west bank of the Euphrates at a cost of £1,750,000 (), and opened on 19 October 1936. It was the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base built "West of the Euphrates" in accordance with Article 5 of the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930. It was on the West bank of the Euphrates be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Company (military Unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–250 soldiers and usually commanded by a major or a captain. Most companies are formed of three to seven platoons, although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure. Usually several companies are grouped as a battalion or regiment, the latter of which is sometimes formed by several battalions. Occasionally, ''independent'' or ''separate'' companies are organized for special purposes, such as the 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company or the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company. These companies are not organic to a battalion or regiment, but rather report directly to a higher level organization such as a Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters (i.e., a corps-level command). Historical background The modern military company became popularized during the reorganization of the Swedish Army in 1631 under King Gustav II Adolph. For administrative purposes, the infantry was divided into companies consist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lieutenant Colonel (United Kingdom)
Lieutenant colonel (Lt Col), is a rank in the British Army and Royal Marines which is also used in many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries. The rank is superior to Major (United Kingdom), major, and subordinate to Colonel (United Kingdom), colonel. The comparable Royal Navy rank is Commander (Royal Navy), commander, and the comparable rank in the Royal Air Force and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth air forces is Wing commander (rank), wing commander. The rank insignia in the British Army and Royal Marines, as well as many Commonwealth countries, is a crown above a Order of the Bath, four-pointed "Bath" star, also colloquially referred to as a British Army officer rank insignia, "pip". The crown has varied in the past with different monarchs; the current one being the St Edward's Crown, Crown of St Edward. Most other Commonwealth countries use the same insignia, or with the state emblem replacing the crown. In the modern British Armed forces, the establishe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises thirteen Regular Army regiments, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and five Army Reserve regiments. History Formation to 1799 Artillery was used by the English army as early as the Battle of Crécy in 1346, while Henry VIII established it as a semi-permanent function in the 16th century. Until the early 18th century, the majority of British regiments were raised for specific campaigns and disbanded on completion. An exception were gunners based at the Tower of London, Portsmouth and other forts around Britain, who were controlled by the Ordnance Office and stored and maintained equipment and provided personnel for field artillery 'traynes' that were organised as needed. These personnel, responsible in peacetime for maintaining the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
