Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue, clasp, Royal Air Force Levies, Iraq (114 S.S.M. Oda Perwana) some erasure after name, otherwise very fine and rare £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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This rare award was instituted in 1949, and was terminated in 1955. After the First World War the R.A.F. took over responsibility for defending much of British territory in the Middle East, as a few aircraft were considered to be as efficient in remote areas as static army garrisons. In Iraq, local levies were raised to assist the R.A.F., and were for most purposes considered to be a part of the R.A.F., although they were commanded by army officers in the main. During the Second World War, the Iraq levies remained loyal during the Rashid Ali Revolt and by 1944 they numbered over 10,000. After the war their strength was much reduced, and when the British withdrew from Iraq they were disbanded. A total of about 300 medals were issued, about 40% of which were awarded to locally-commissioned officers. Despite the apparent high numbers issued, only a small handful of medals are known to exist today, probably reflecting the turbulent history of that region in the years since the Second World War. Sold with a copy of the article on these medals by Squadron Leader J. Routledge, published in the Journal of the OMRS in 1978, and copied correspondence concerning a fraudulent G.VI.R., 1st issue medal (pre-1947) named to this recipient.