Basra Memorial, Iraq

"Until 1997 the Basra Memorial was located on the main quay of the naval dockyard at Maqil, on the west bank of the Shatt-al-Arab, about 8 kilometres north of Basra. Because of the sensitivity of the site, the Memorial was moved by presidential decree. The move, carried out by the authorities in Iraq, involved a considerable amount of manpower, transport costs and sheer engineering on their part, and the Memorial has been re-erected in its entirety. The Basra Memorial is now located 32 kilometres along the road to Nasiriyah, in the middle of what was a major battleground during the first Gulf War.

The Basra Memorial commemorates more than 40,500 members of the Commonwealth forces who died in the operations in Mesopotamia from the Autumn of 1914 to the end of August 1921 and whose graves are not known." Quote from CWGC.



PHOTOS

Top - Taken in the 1930's shows the Memorial in the foreground and an RAF Rangoon flying boat of 203 Squadron in the background. Photo from the Aviation Forum.

Bottom - Taken by one of our brave men whilst on active service in Iraq, 2006. Originally published on the Great War Forum.

HOMEPAGE