Feldgrau Forum Photo Riddle ?

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

Thanks Paul!
Nice riddle

Here's the next. Might be easy, might not
so I'll start off with a lot of hints...

First some recruitment figures!
1915 - 40
1916 - 250
1917 - 900
1918 - ca. 5,500
After that a slight decrease before it rose to
more than 11,000 men by 1940-41.

Fought on eastern and western fronts.
Fought the Germans and former "allies" too.
By the mid 50s the force was disbanded.
Which force could this be?

And as it is a photo riddle I'll throw in some uniforms to lead you on the way...

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No! Paras is not it, just a part of them...


waleed

[phylo_roadking]

Hmmm...as a first go - the Army Air Corps?

In WWI the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps...but as of September 1939 -

At the beginning of the Second World War, Royal Artillery officers, with the assistance of RAF technicians, flew Auster observation aircraft under RAF-owned Air Observation Post (AOP) Squadrons. Twelve such squadrons were raised—three of which belonged to the RCAF — and each performed vital duties in a wide array of missions in many theatres.

and of course, come 1942...

Early in the war, Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, announced the establishment of a new branch of army aviation, the Army Air Corps, formed in 1942. The corps initially comprised the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Parachute Battalions (subsequently the Parachute Regiment), and the Air Observation Post Squadrons. In 1944, the re-formed SAS Regiment was added to the Corps.

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

Hmmm...
Sorry, not one of the twelve (AOP) Squadrons.
Yes, artillery was also a part of the force.
Yes, performed vital duties in a wide array of missions in many theatres.
Not RCAF, more like RAFL (I)!

The uniforms of the two with berets should actually be navy blue...


waleed

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

Nothing since the possible "RCAF AOP & SAS" corps.
So, does that mean you all want some more clues... (or is it just Phylo!)?

Hint 1: Two are wearing something "Ghurka-ish".
Hint 2: They often wore something "Aussie-ish".



waleed

[phylo_roadking]

Next gues....is the dark blue beret and crossed kukris sounds a bit like the period Singapore Police....!

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

Ah! Phylo again...

As far as I know the berets are red for the parachute units of the force.
Crossed Kukris are not correct but close... not Singapore and much more than police.

The airborne unit(s) was a small part of this force. The infantry was much larger.
Cavalry, artillery, was also an important part of the force. I think the only part they did not cover
was navy... although the para unit was under navy control on one occassion (anti-partisan work!).


waleed

[Paulus II]

... (or is it just Phylo!)?

Nope........but I'm kinda lost here

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

Can't say I don't enjoy loosing you... both!

I might have confused you with the para-stuff, so here's the "Aussie-ish"
part as the crossed Kukris was not quite correct.

The force, probably due to or in honour of an Australian WWI captain (later Lieutenant General)
more commonly wore this sort of headgear...

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waleed

[statemachine]

Chindits?

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

Sorry, not Chindits.

So let's go back to the early years:
1915 all 40 men were on horseback.
1916 the force changed name!.
1917 about half the force was (400) dismounted and changed name again!.
1919 the force was split into a striking force and a police force and changed name again!.
1921 the future of the force was decided. Most of it would form the base of a new army with a new name!.


waleed

[Paulus II]

Hmmm, can't be a much of an army given the trouble they had on getting something as basic as their name right.
Did they ever make a decision on which weapons to use? Let alone tactics?

Still hopelesly lost.......

[pak]

The Iraqi Levies?

[phylo_roadking]

1915 all 40 men were on horseback.
1916 the force changed name!.
1917 about half the force was (400) dismounted and changed name again!.

"Slattery's Mounted Foot" ???

(not a serious suggestion....)

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

Well Paulus, I would blame the English for the name trouble, weaponry and tactics

And we have a winner. Pak penetrated my riddle armor!
Yes the RAF Levies (Iraq) is the force in question (some prefer the name "Assyrian RAF Levies").
I actually named them pretty early in the riddle as an answer to phylo...

Not RCAF, more like RAFL (I)!

1915 - Major J I Eadie, Special service officer in the Muntafiq Division in Mesopotamia, recruited forty mounted Arabs from the tribes round Nasiriyeh, for duty under the Intelligence Department as bodyguard for political officers in southern and central Iraq. The force was named Arab Scouts.

1916 - ...renamed the Nasariyeh Mounted Guard.

1919 - The Force became known as the Militia. The Lee Enfield 303 short magazine was issued as standard rifle.
July - the name was changed again to Levies

1921- The Cairo conference was held, the future of the force was decided. Orders were issued as follows; "The function of the Iraq Levies is to relieve British and Indian troops in Iraq and Kurdistan. The Iraq Army was to be formed and the Arab Levies were required to join it. Assyrians are to be recruited".

etc. etc. etc.

The anti-partisan work refers to the 1944/45 involvement in Greece against the E.A.M./E.L.A.S.
The "navy-blue beret" refers to the paras being attached to the British Marine Commandos during the Battle of Sarande, Albania.
The "Ghurka-ish" refers to the crossed jambiya - Iraqi dagger. Similar to the Ghurka insignia.
And finally the "Aussie" influence, the Australian Slouch Hat... most likely due to Captain, later Lt General Sir Stanley George Savige KBE CB DSO MC ED
Much more here: http://www.assyrianlevies.com/index.html

So it's all yours now pak


waleed

ps. slight correction, no name change in 1917 just the dismounting...

[pak]

Thanks Waleed.
It was not an easy one, had me stumped right up to the end.......

So, what (set of connected) events am I looking for?

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