Remembrance

The first Act of Remembrance and wreath laying for 47 years since the RAF
were forced to leave in 1959 took place in the cemetery in November 2005 and
this event was repeated on the 11th November 2006 and in 2007, 2008 & 2009.

In November 2010 the Association poppy wreath was laid at the ceremony held
in the British Embassy Baghdad as access to Habbaniya was not possible.

Your Hon Sec was in contact with Capt Jutta Cortes
USAF at Habbaniya in October 2005 and asked her
whether she would lay a wreath on Remembrance
Sunday. She considered it her service duty to
commemorate the dead in a fellow Air Force cemetery
with proper ceremony and dignity. As a result she carried
out, at personal danger from incoming insurgent mortars
and grenades, the clearing of rubbish, undergrowth and
fallen trees from the heavily vandalised and neglected
cemetery. Poppy wreaths from our Association and the
Kings Own Royal Regiment were sent out to Capt Cortes
together with the order of service and bugle calls for a
British Act of Remembrance.

The Chaplain conducted the Act of Remembrance and 2 minutes silence were observed. W reaths
from the RAF Habbaniya Association and the Kings Own Royal Regiment were laid at the Cross of
Sacrifice and Capt Jutta Cortes laid bougainvilea flowers at the memorial to the RAF Iraq Levies.
These flowers were collected from plants still growing from RAF days at Habbaniya. A 21 round
salute was then fired in honour of those lying in the cemetery.

The American Forces were proud to carry out the Act of Remembrance at Habbaniya for
5 years and the Association is immensely grateful to them for commemorating those
who lie buried in our Cemetery with traditional military honours and laying our wreath.
They have now left the base so were unable to continue the tradition in 2010.

The Association wreath was laid at the ceremony held in the British Embassy.

Flt Lt James Poynton, RAF, lays the
RAF Habbaniya Association poppy
wreath in the British Embassy, Baghdad.

The ceremony was conducted by the
'Vicar of Baghdad', the intrepid Canon
Andrew White of St George's Church.

The British and American Ambassadors
and other dignitaries were present.

Our wreath generated much interest in
the history of Habbaniya, especially from
the RAF personnel present.

In 2012 an RAF Habbaniya Association wreath was again laid in
a ceremony at the British Embassy in Baghdad. It was organised
by Sgt David Moore, RAF. The ceremony was conducted by the
'Vicar of Baghdad', the intrepid Canon Andrew White of St
George's Church.

The British Ambassador, many other Ambassadors and Defence
Attaches were present. Our wreath was laid by the Defence
Attache, Brigadier Paul Baker.

Afterwards the wreaths were laid in a brief ceremony at the
Stone of Remembrance in Baghdad North Gate War Cemetery.

It is no longer feasible for ceremonies to be held in the cemtery
at Habbaniya.

We are most grateful to Sgt David Moore,RAF, for organising
the laying of an RAF Habbaniya Association wreath for us.