Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Cosford Branch: The Siege and Battle of Habbinya

In May 1941, Habbaniya was besieged by the Iraqi Army and attacked by the Iraq Air Force and Luftwaffe (the Italian Air Force arrived too late). The RAF's defensive force consisted of only 4 FTS, RAF Armoured Cars, the RAF Iraq Levies and 300 men of the KORR flown in at the last minute. Squadron Leader Tony Dudgeon (later Air Vice-Marshal) and Wing Commander Larry Ling of 4 FTS pushed through modifications to Audaxes and Oxfords to carry heavy bomb loads against all official opposition. On 2 May, the RAF took the initiative, defeated the Iraqis and regained Baghdad and Iraq.

This was a little-known but critically important victory in World War 2. Had the RAF lost, the Axis would have controlled Iraq and gained access to vital oil supplies. Egypt would likely have fallen, and British communications with the Far East would have been severed. The consequences could have changed the entire course of the war.

Dr Christopher Morris presents this fascinating historical lecture exploring one of the Second World War's pivotal but overlooked moments.