Who is this chap?

[McCulloh]

RAF, served in WW1 1916-1918, line regt and then RAF. later in Iraq. Picture taken in Shanghai in 1937. Bought at local flea market in frame for $1.
Who is he?

[Tony Farrell]

I reckon it's Squadron Leader Archibald Stuart Charles McLaren, OBE, MC, AFC. Probably taken on his promotion to Sqn Ldr - hence the Major's crown, using the short-lived rank system. Just a wild guess, but it would be not that impossible to track him down, as he's definitely done time in Iraq, and that particular medal combination is uncommon. Notice the lack of 1918 GSM with Iraq clasp. This could be a good thread.

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, Tony.

I knew I recognized him, but wasn't looking forward to tracing him through foggy memories and disorganized notes.

An interesting group, these Brits (mostly RAF) who served in Iraq between the "Great Rebellions" of 1919 and 1941. Perhaps some historical lessons in that experience for the present, and near-future, and distant-future?

Always interesting to see the number that wear the Iraqi Nut al-Khidmat al-Awal / General Service Medal without any clasps. Six clasps were issued for it, mainly for campaigns against the Kurds.

And this all independent of the British GSM clasps for "Iraq" and "Kurdistan".

"Plus Ça Change, Plus C'est La Même Chose"?

Ed Haynes

[Tony Farrell]

Hmm, I wasn't so sure for a while there, as his post-'36 ribbon on his OBE threw me a bit. Not too sure what rank he is either, as the emblem on his full dress tunic's epaulettes is not his actual rank. Is there a roll for that Iraqi medal? If he was still serving in 1937 I would have expected a GSM or a '35 Jubilee in there somewhere. So perhaps he was retired. If so, then why bother changing the OBE's ribbon? I dunno, I'm speculating here, as I have no literature to hand. Nothing's ever clear cut is it?

[Ed_Haynes]

Hey, if it were ever clear-cut it would be no fun at all.

The new BE ribbon struck me too.

I still think your ID is right, but more of a tale lurks here.

Ed

[Tony Farrell]

And why not one of these?

[Ed_Haynes]

Good question on Kurdistan.

The GSM "Kurdistan" was for BRITISH service 23 May-19 December 1919 (the Great Rebellion -- the "Iraq" clasp was for 10 December 1919-17 November 1920) -- and for actions against Sheikh Muhammad al-Sulamaniyah 19 March-18 June 1923. This was, as the head on the obverse indicates, for BRITISH service.

The Iraqi Nut al-Khidmat al-Awal / General Service Medal, 1926-58 was in the nature of a general service medal, this medal was awarded for service in specified military operations in Iraq between 1924 and 1936. It is unclear what services after 1936, if any, were represented by this award. But, to be clear, this is an IRAQI medal, not British.

The medal was first awarded to Iraqi troops and to British troops on "loan" to the puppet government of Iraq for services in the Eastern District of Iraq between 24 May 1924 and 18 December 1924 and between 23 March 1925 and 30 September 1925. Note the date differences in play here and throughout.

For service in subsequent operations, a clasp was to be awarded instead of a medal. In some cases, however, it appears that a medal with bar may have been issued for the first campaign service. These bars are detailed below. The medal is sometimes referred to - especially in British sources - as the "King Faisal War Medal" though this name has no basis in reality. This medal was commonly awarded to British officers -- especially RAF -- serving with and in Iraqi forces throughout the interwar period. Unfortunately, the award history and conditions are better known as they pertain to British troops; the corresponding awards to Iraqis are still not well understood.

The first service conditions for the award were established by a Royal Irada of 18 December 1926 (published in the Government Gazette of 28 December 1926); the dates for qualifying service were amended by Royal Irada of 14 November 1928 (published in the Government Gazette of 6 January 1929).

Clasps -- all were shallow-engraved in Arabic:

"???? 1927" or "Eastern District 1927" - This bar was established by an undated Royal Irada, published in the Government Gazette on 1 March 1928. It was awarded for services with the Penjwin Column in the Eastern District of Iraq between 19 and 27 April 1927. Some evidence suggests that the period of qualifying service may have been extended back to cover actions in 1926, although this picture is far from clear.

"Kurdistan al-Khadbit 1930-31" or "Southern Kurdistan 1930-31" - This bar was established by a Royal Irada without date and published in the Government Gazette of 19 April 1931; these service conditions were later altered by Royal Iradas of 9 June 1931 (published 23 August 1931), of 16 November 1931 (published 24 January 1932), and of 25 January 1932 (published 10 April 1932). It was awarded for services against Shaikh Mahmud in Southern Kurdistan and the Eastern District of Iraq between 29 October 1930 and 25 November 1930, between 3 December 1930 and 18 December 1930, 11 January 1931 to 5 February 1931, 10 March 1931 to 14 May 1931. The specific region of operations was defined (for the British Royal Air Force by Air Ministry Orders N.454 of 1932 and A.284 of 1932) as: "Kirkuk-Surdarsh-Junction of Qala Cholan and the Little Zab rivers on the Iraqi-Persian Frontier north of Mawit-thence along the frontier east and south to where it crosses the Khanaqin-Kermashah road-Khanaqin-Kingerban-Kirkuk".

"Barzan 1932" - This bar was established by Royal Irada of 9 August 1932 (published in the Government Gazette of 18 December 1932) and was awarded for active service in the Barzan area of Northern Kurdistan between 15 March 1932 and 6 July 1932. For British forces, this service was also represented by the General Service Medal clasp "Northern Kurdistan".

"Barzan 1933" - This bar was established by Royal Irada of 19 September 1933 (published in the Government Gazette on 16 September 1934) and was awarded for services in Barzan district of Northern Kurdistan against the Tyari rebels between 23 July 1933 and 17 August 1933. No awards of this bar are known to British forces.

"Harakat al-Faran 1935" or "Euphrates 1935" - This bar was authorized by Royal Irada of 14 August 1935 (published in the Government Gazette on 8 September 1935) to recognize services in the Euphrates area between 11 May 1935 and 29 July 1935.

"Harakat al-Faran 1936" or "Euphrates 1936" - This bar was authorized by Royal Irada of 2 July 1936 (published in the Government Gazette of 16 August 1936) for services in the Euphrates area between 1 May 1936 and 28 June 1936.

Note, significantly, that there was no clasp for the 1928 Ikhwan invasion from Saudi Arabia, represented for the British by the "Southern Desert Iraq" clasp.

For most British personnel "on loan" to Iraq, there seems to have been no rigorous pattern of awarding clasps or perhaps, as they were not in English, no one has ever cared what they were and what they said.

The loan status is similar, perhaps, to that of troops on loan to Oman and their qualification for either Omani or British campaign medals in the 1960s?

You had to ask, right, and, as usual, got more than you wanted!

Ed Haynes

[McCulloh]

I looked on the back as Rick suggested. It was taken in Shanghai, Oct. 1938.
There's another pic. too-

[Tony Farrell]

Hey hey, this is all good stuff! I would have thought a loan officer would have to had been familiar with operations in the region - and hence have at least a GSM to back it up. But, that's logic for you - and the Air Ministry were not known for their abundance of such. And why would he have a full dress uniform with him in Shanghai in 1938, unless he was serving in some sort of capacity - such as Assistant Air Attache? You got any bumf on this bloke, Ed?

[Ed_Haynes]

I'm sure that with enough time and patience you could tease him out of the online London Gazette, despite its quirky search engine. While I don't have much information on goras, let me look.

Ed Haynes

[McCulloh]

#2

pic#2 behind glass

[Tony Farrell]

Ah, that's better. Right then. He's a Wing Commander here - wearing the obsolete (by 1938) full dress uniform, although (being privately purchased), he's obviously retained it. He's not wearing his OBE, so he may well have been a Group Captain by the time he received it. He was obviously still a serving officer at the time of the first photo, as his OBE has the post 1936 ribbon. This needs more sniffing.

[Tony Farrell]

It's not McLaren. McLaren is listed as a Flight Lieutenant and having his OBE in 1920, and this chap is wearing the full dress uniform (that was still in use up until the mid-1930s) of a Wing Commander. The first picture shows him wearing aguilettes - which indicates Air rank (Air Commodore). That leaves one man who was serving in a senior enough capacity to identify him. And here he is:

Air Vice-Marshal Owen Boyd CB, OBE, MC, AFC
AOC 93 (OTU) Group, 1944

Of all Bomber Command's wartime group commanders, Owen Boyd spent the shortest time in command of his appointed group. His life was cut tragically short at the age of fifty-four in August 1944, six months into his appointment as AOC of 93 (OTU) Group.

Owen Tudor Boyd was born on 30th August 1889 and educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before entering the Indian Army in 1909 (5th Cavalry). He saw service in the First World War with the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, and commanded 66 Squadron. In 1938 he became C-in-C Balloon Command and two years later in 1940 was promoted to Air Marshal and appointed Deputy to the AOC-in-C Middle East.

On his way out to Egypt the aircraft in which he was a passenger was forced down over Sicily by enemy fighters and he became a POW in Italy. When Italy capitulated in September 1943, Boyd and two British Army generals (Neame and O'Connor, who had been captured in North Africa in 1941) made a bid for freedom and finally reached Allied lines. Life was not easy for Boyd on his return to England. In July 1944 his wife divorced him and little more than a week later on 5th August he was dead from a heart attack.

A sad tale, and as you can see, his inter-war service is noticable by its absence. But since those pictures were taken, he'd gained a few more rings to his sleeve & a CB (Gazette Issue 34633 published on the 6 June 1939. Page 4 of 24) - precisely what you'd expect from an experienced overseas loan officer. Still no 1935 Jubilee Medal though?

[McCulloh]

Brilliant work!!

Amazing research-you are the Rick Lundstrom of British research.
Many,many thanks!
When next in the UK, I shall buy the drinks!
Cheers,
JeMc

[Tony Farrell]

Erm... I wouldn't quite go that far! I found this out all on the net! The LG site is a bit of a swine, but with the judicious use of common sense, it does yield results. His MC citation is at the bottom of this page:
London Gazette