Mercol was a
flying column
A flying column is a small, independent, military land unit capable of rapid mobility and usually composed of all arms. It is often an ''ad hoc'' unit, formed during the course of operations.
The term is usually, though not necessarily, appli ...
created by the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
shortly after the
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 c ...
had ended.
Creation and composition
''Mercol'' was a
truck-borne flying column created in early June 1941 to round up irregular troops under
Fawzi al-Qawuqji
Fawzi al-Qawuqji ( ar, فوزي القاوقجي; 19 January 1890 – 5 June 1977) was a leading Arab nationalist military figure in the interwar period.The Arabs and the Holocaust: The Arab-Israeli War of Narratives, by Gilbert Achcar, (NY: Hen ...
. Named after its commander, Major
E. J. H. Merry
E is the fifth letter of the Latin alphabet.
E or e may also refer to:
Commerce and transportation
* €, the symbol for the euro, the European Union's standard currency unit
* ℮, the estimated sign, an EU symbol indicating that the weight ...
, the column comprised A Squadron of the
Household Cavalry Regiment, two
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars and two antique
18-pounder field guns from the Habbaniya arsenal. Merry and his command carried enough fuel, rations and water for one week.
In addition to Mercol, two other columns were created in early July;
Gocol
Gocol was a flying column created by the British Army shortly after the Anglo–Iraqi War had ended.
Creation and composition
''Gocol'' was a truck-borne flying column created in early June 1941, to pursue and capture Dr. Fritz Grobba, the Germ ...
, commanded by
Major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
R. E. S. Gooch, with the task of capturing Dr.
Fritz Grobba
Fritz Konrad Ferdinand Grobba (18 July 1886 – 2 September 1973) was a German diplomat during the interwar period and World War II.
Early life
He was born in Gartz on the Oder in the Province of Brandenburg, Germany. His parents were Rudolf Grob ...
, the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
Ambassador to the
Kingdom of Iraq
The Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq ( ar, المملكة العراقية الهاشمية, translit=al-Mamlakah al-ʿIrāqiyyah ʾal-Hāshimyyah) was a state located in the Middle East from 1932 to 1958.
It was founded on 23 August 1921 as the Kingdo ...
and
Harcol, under Major
R. J. Hardy, with the task of securing
Kirkuk
Kirkuk ( ar, كركوك, ku, کەرکووک, translit=Kerkûk, , tr, Kerkük) is a city in Iraq, serving as the capital of the Kirkuk Governorate, located north of Baghdad. The city is home to a diverse population of Turkmens, Arabs, Kurds, ...
.
See also
*
Iraqforce
Iraqforce was a British and Commonwealth formation that came together in the Kingdom of Iraq. The formation fought in the Middle East during World War II.
Background
During World War I, the British Army defeated the Ottoman Army in the Middle Eas ...
*
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 ...
*
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 comma ...
*
Gocol
Gocol was a flying column created by the British Army shortly after the Anglo–Iraqi War had ended.
Creation and composition
''Gocol'' was a truck-borne flying column created in early June 1941, to pursue and capture Dr. Fritz Grobba, the Germ ...
*
Harcol
*
4th Cavalry Brigade
*
Flying Column
A flying column is a small, independent, military land unit capable of rapid mobility and usually composed of all arms. It is often an ''ad hoc'' unit, formed during the course of operations.
The term is usually, though not necessarily, appli ...
Notes
References
*
* in
External links
*
Military units and formations established in 1941
Military units and formations of the British Army in World War II
Ad hoc units and formations of the British Army
Military history of Iraq
Military units and formations disestablished in 1941
Iraq–United Kingdom relations
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