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70 Squadron (now LXX Squadron) Royal Air Force

Page 6 of "An Introduction to Iraq" provides a brief history of LXX (70) Squadron (one of the Royal Air Force squadrons to be based at RAF Hinaidi during the inter-war years). At the time of publication (August 1935) the commanding officer of 70 Squadron was Wing Commander William Sowrey, DFC, AFC. The photograph is a view of the airfield at RAF Hinaidi, looking north-west from the main take-off / landing area towards the hangars used by 70 Squadron and 55 Squadron. Sapper Road runs vertically on the left side of the photograph.

Early history of 70 Squadron, from May 1916 until 1935 when it was based in Iraq at RAF Hinaidi
Brief operational account of 70 Squadron (from 1921 to 1935) - Part 2
Vickers Vernon aircraft of 70 Squadron in the hangar at RAF Hinaidi, Baghdad, c1923

Click HERE to see a photograph of a 70 Squadron aircraft involved in an airlift of 500 troops to Kirkuk in 1923.

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Click HERE to see a photo of a 70 Squadron Hangar in flames.

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Note that 11 men from 70 Squadron (aka LXX Squadron) lie buried at Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery with four of the headstones still surviving, though knocked over and damaged. The four headstones are are for LAC Kenneth Breach, AC1 Thomas Cemerey, LAC Leslie Milligan and LAC Edward Denham.

Names of eleven LXX (70) Squadron burials at Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery, Baghdad

This photograph was kindly sent me by Pauline Collins, the grand-daughter of Corporal Mark Cyril Osborne of LXX (70) Squadron, who served in Iraq for two years before dying of heat-stroke and Heart failure in July 1935 and buried in the Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery, part of RAF Hinaidi. Amongst his possessions was a menu for the farewell dinner at LXX Squadron, when new arrivals came from England and others left their Baghdad posting. Note the captions in the top cartoon, "Here we are again" from the new arrivals as they arrive in Baghdad and "Hard Luck" from the resident Sergeant Major in reply. The menu is signed by the Commanding Officer of LXX Squadron, Wing Commander William Sowrey, DFC, AFC.

Menu for Farewell Dinner at LXX (70) Squadron in October 1934 for men leaving RAF Hinaidi, Baghdad, signed by the CO , Wg Cdr William Sowrey
HM Troopship Dorsetshire - from UK to Iraq 1934
HM Troopship Dorsetshire boarding at Southampton for Iraq 1927
Fire in the hangar of 70 Sqn 'A' Flight in which four Vickers Victorias were destroyed

This photograph was kindly sent me by Mike Green and is part of the Tom Walker collection. It was taken on the 7th June 1928 when an accidental fire destroyed the hangar of 'A' Flight 70 / LXX (Bomber) Squadron. The cause of the accident was an airman forgetting to turn off the petrol cock before disconnecting the petrol pipe and a tool creating a spark. Four Vickers Victorias were destroyed in the blaze (J8226, J8227, J7923 and J7847) as well as 5 Lion engines

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