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Article: 'Remarkable example of military daring'.
- Article from:
- VFW Magazine
- Article date:
- September 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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On April 3, 1941, a military coup in Baghdad forced out the pro-British regent, the Emir Abdul Illah and his ward, the 'four-year-old King Faysal II. In their place, Prime Minister Rashid Ali Al-Kaylani became titular head of state.
This put the British in a dilemma as not only was Rashid Ali pro-German, but there was an immediate danger that the vital Mosul oil fields would fall into enemy hands. Although over-stretched in the war against Italy and Germany in North Africa, Britain acted promptly to meet this new threat.
The main air bases at Shaiba and Habbaniya on the Euphrates River were secured and reinforced with Wellington heavy bombers, an Indian ...