Contacts

S Squadron was formed at Habbaniya and became 244 Sqn at Shaibah in Nov 1940. They served at Sharjah & Masirah with detachments around Oman & Gulf until disbanded May 1945.

Mel Meluish organised reunions for this small
band of old stagers, true sons of the desert.
Imagine a WW1 vintage armoured car in that
climate - no air conditioning! Sadly Mel died on
15th December 2002. The reunions are now
organised by John Rolph whose father served with
the Armoured Car Companies and supported by
the RAF Regiment who trace their role back to
the RAF Armoured Cars.

The Union School started in Hinaidi
Cantonment and transferred to
Habbaniya. There is a strong
association of mainly Assyrian ex-
pupils who hold reunions.

A battalion of the Kings Own Royal Regiment flew from Karachi
to Habbaniya in April 1941. The Regimental Museum is in the
centre of Lancaster. It records the long history of the KORR.

The Propliner Aviation Magazine was launched in 1979 as a journal devoted to
piston-engined and turboprop aircraft. Today the magazine still concentrates upon
those classic airliners of a bygone age, the magnificent Constellations, Britannias,
Stratocruisers, Convairliners, Viscounts and Douglas piston types that once
dominated the world's air routes.

6 Squadron spent 10 continuous years in Iraq from 1919 to 1929,
initially at Basrah, Baghdad and Hinaidi, then in the north, mostly
at Mosul but with many detachments. From 1950 to 1955 they
were in and out of Habbaniya, Shaibah, Mafraq & Amman, the
Canal Zone and Nicosia.

V Bombers did pass through
Habbaniya and are especially
remembered by those who worked
on the plateau airfield.

249 The Gold Coast Squadron arrived at Habbaniya with
Mosquito FB26 in June 1946 and were re-equipped with
Tempest F6 in December 1946. They left for Ramat David in
Palestine in April 1948 but subsequently had short stints at
Habbaniya, Shaibah & Mafraq.

RAF Transport Command aircraft were of course
frequent visitors to Habbaniya, staging through on
their way from the UK to the Far East and, no
doubt, various points of the compass.

Sadly, Jim Heslop had to close this Association in May 2007. He passed away in February 2015. The RAF Habbaniya Association keeps the memory alive and cares for their tree at the National Memorial Arboretum.

RAF Mauripur opened in 1942 near Karachi. It became a major staging post. RAF Mauripur closed in 1956 but remians a major Pakistan Air Force Base, named PAF Masrur.

Ther RAF Mauripur Association opened in 1996 and held 21 superb reunions at the Falcon Hotel in Stratford on Avon. Sadly, for various reasons, it was decided to dissolve the Association in November 2016. The archives were sent to the RAF Museum. There is a page dedicated to RAF Mauripur in development on this website. Click on their badge.