IRAQI AIR FORCE DESTROYED BY R.A.F.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 109, 10 May 1941, Page 9

IRAQI AIR FORCE DESTROYED BY R.A.F.

BOMBING ATTACKS

Huge Blaze Seen At Hostile

Aerodrome

j Hritisli Offlcinl Wireless. ! Rec. 1 p.m. RUGBY, May 9. Although the R.A.F. does not yet ■ claim to have destroyed all the Iraqi 1 aircraft, it can be taken for granted. . states an Air Ministry news service. that Hashid Ali's air arm has ceased to be effective as a fighting force. j A senior officer of the R.A.F. in ■ Iraq said yesterday: "It is a little I early to form a complete picture, ■but it is safe to say we have prac- | tit-ally liquidated what Iraq ! possessed. They certainly cannot undertake any offensive air action 'of any value. The personnel at the Hying training school at Habbaniyah i put up a magnificent show during j the investment, and afterwards in pursuing defeated attackers in the air, and on the ground by R.A.F. armoured cars. | "It was the two bombing attacks | made yesterday at the Bakuba and the Shahnaban landing grounds. I north-east of Bagdad, which probI ably completed the destruction of j the Iraq force at Basra."' Another Air Ministry bulletin j records that a very large fire started i near the Raschid air base of the | Iraqis, about 15 miles south-east l of Bagdad, yesterday morning was still burning fiercely in the afterI noon. A pilot who had been on j numerous raids over Germany and I France declared that it was easily I the biggest blaze he had seen anv- ; where. "Something verv big and j very important," was {he official description of the lire. I The Raschid aerodrome was I founded by the R.A.F. and was formerly known as Hanaidi. Thousands of men of the R.A.F. served there. All the British women and children who were in Bagdad when hostilities began in Iraq have now left for India by sea. Iraqis Fire On Women Anicrican-wuilt Douglas ' troopi oPTying aircraft, which had taken i reiniorcements from India to Han- ■ baniyah. brought a partv numbering , over 200 south of Basra from Hab- ; baniyah. The pilot of one said his : machine was shot at by the Iraqis, who at the time were on the escarp- | menf overlooking tne aerodrome at I Habbaniyah. "They must have seen us as we , were loading up the women." said the pilot, "and they can have had no doubt as to who was on board." A cable message from Simla states that the Indian Government, which is interested in the Indian troops in i Iraq, issued a communique stating ; that there has been a slight improvement in the situation in Iraq in the past few days, particularly in Basra . area. The population has shown no ■ inclination to assist the hostile i actions inspired by certain Iraq military leaders and anti-British forces. ~ Implicit orders nave been issued to oflicers commanding the Imperial units to avoid injury to civilians or t'lvil property and to keep clear of holy places. Muslim Leader Denounces Raschid Ali J I Sir Mahomed Lsman. former act-i i ins Governor of Madras, in a statement there, said: "I feel sure that no Muslim who has the interests of Islam at heart will support the intrigues of Rasliici Aii. I am convinceil that the hostilities are the tulmination of a long period of intrigue by Nazi-paid Quislings. "Germany holds before the eves I of the Arabs the coal of a PanIslamic Slate, but those who know the worth of German promises realise that a German promise of help is made only with a view to the domination of Iraq. Mesopotamia and the Middle East in furtherance of her scheme for world domination." Tewfik Suweitli Bey. Prime Minister in a former Iraq Government, is reported to have gone to Amman from Hagdad to meet the deposed Regent, who is returning to restore the legal Government. An Iraqi communique says: "As the result of enemy surprise action at Habbaniyah our troops were compelled to take up new positions, but they will immediately counterattack." A communique issued bv the Indian Government states that the people of Iraq have shown no inclination to assist in the hostile action led by Rashid Ali. There is reported to be a marked improvement in the situation in Iraq in the past fewdays, particularly in the Basra area.