Auction Catalogue

15 December 2011

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations and Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 1010 x

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15 December 2011

Hammer Price:
£2,800

Five: Rab Tremma Yokhanan Narsa, Royal Air Force Iraq Levies

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Kurdistan (45719 Yokhanan Narsa, 2-Iraq Levies); 1939-45 Star; War Medal; Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue, clasp, Royal Air Force Levies, Iraq (X.30 A/R.T. Mokhana Nasu); Iraq Active Service Medal, no clasp, mounted as worn, very fine and rare (5) £1200-1500

Confirmed on roll, the prefix indicating that he was a locally commissioned officer. This rare Long Service 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 309 medals were issued, about 115 of which were awarded to locally commissioned officers. Despite the apparent high numbers issued, only a small handful of medals is known to exist today, probably reflecting the turbulent history of that region in the years since the Second World War.

Sold with original invitation to ‘meet Their Majesties The King and Queen and Queen Mary’ at an evening reception at Hampton Court Palace, named in the rank of Rab Emma (leader of 100 men), two bullion and metal shoulder slides in the rank of Rab Tremma (leader of 200 men), and a modern bullion blazer badge.

In 1946, with the rank of Rab Emma, Yokhanan Narsa (note variations in spelling of name) was a member of the Iraq Levies contingent that sailed to the U.K. to participate in the 1946 London Victory Parade. The contingent arrived at Liverpool, via Malta and Gibraltar, on 20 May 1946. Over the ensuing month the Levies were treated to a great variety of tours and visits, both in and around London, but also a Dakota flight to Germany where they landed at Cologne and Berlin and visited Hitler’s Headquarters and the air raid shelter where he died. Other highlights included visits to the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the Whitbread brewery.

These jollies were interspersed with occasional drill and rehearsals for the Victory Parade itself which took place on 8 June, the officer commanding the contingent noting that
‘the parade went very well except for the rain at the end. We wore our full rig-out and made quite a splash of colour in the centre of the R.A.F. blue. Our plumes were somewhat bedraggled, however, when we eventually returned to camp.’

Rab Emma Yokhanan Narsa was one of the officers who attended an evening reception at Hampton Court Palace on 11 June, also attended by King George and Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Mary. Tea with the Bishop of London on 25 June concluded their visit before they embarked at Liverpool on the following tad en route to Habbanyia. Sold with some research including extracts from a diary of their visit with several copied group photographs of members of the contingent, some identified including Yokhanan Narsa who was later sometime promoted to Acting Rab Tremma.