King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

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Graves and Memorials

Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq, Second World War

Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment, who were killed in the 1941 actions at RAF Habbaniya and Falluja, Iraq, are buried in Habbaniya War Cemetery.  The Cemetery remains today but in a neglected condition.  Decades of conflict in Iraq has resulted in the War Graves Commission being unable to maintain the graves.  Flooding and the high saline content of the soil have resulted in damage to the Portland stone headstones, with the result that many are damaged and few are still standing.  When political stability returns to Iraq the War Graves Commission have a plan in place that will allow for the repair and restoration of the Habbaniya War Cemeteries as well as others within Iraq.

Habbaniya War Cemetery, circa 1950s
Accession Number: KO1258/01

Grave of Private Walter Fleming, number 3710998, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/123

Grave of Private Walter Fleming, number 3710998, 1st Battalion King’s Own Royal Regiment, died on 22nd May 1941, age 32, son of William Jonah and Bridget Fleming of Skelwith Bridge, Lancashire. Buried in Habbaniya Cemetery, Iraq.
Accession Number: KO2635/06

Grave of Private John Leo Yates, number 3856081, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/188

Grave of Private Robert Wilson, number 3713245, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941
Accession Number: KO1017/189

Grave of Lance Corporal William Kirby, number 3713119, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/190

Grave of 2nd Lieutenant C J Hodgson, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941
Accession Number: KO1017/191

Grave of Lance corporal John Quinn, number 3713468, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/192

Grave of Lance corporal George Bilsborrow, number 3712942, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/193

Grave of Private Frank Vallery, number 3710475, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/194

Grave of Private Frank Vallery, number 3710475, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22nd May 1941.
Accession Number: KO2388/01

Private Leslie Gabbert, number 3711135, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/195

Grave of Major Patrick Hardy Freke Evans, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 20 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/196

Grave of Major Patrick Henry Freke Evans of the 1st Battalion King’s Own Royal Regiment, died of wounds sustained in a German bombing raid on 29th May 1941, age 35. Buried in Habbaniya Cemetery, Iraq.
Husband of Cecil Lechmere Evans
Accession Number: KO2635/03

Grave of Lieutenant John Thompson, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 6 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/197

Grave of Lieutenant John Thompson of the 1st Battalion King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action, 6th May 1941, in Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq.
Accession Number: KO2635/02

Grave of Private William Levell, number 3712869, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 7 Jun 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/198

Grave of Warrant Officer Class 2 (Company Sergeant Major) John Maguire, number 3710261, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/199

Grave of Warrant Officer Class 2 (Company Sergeant Major) John Maguire, number 3710261, 1st Battalion King’s Own Royal Regiment, died 22nd May 1941, age 26, in Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq.
Accession Number: KO2635/01

Grave of Private Clifford Wilson, number 3710956, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/200

Grave of Private George Alfred Owen, number 4799947, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/201

Grave of Private John Joseph Short, number 3711233, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 6 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/202

Grave of Private William George Jones, number 3710964, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/203

Grave of John McNulty, number 3446351, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/204

Grave of Private Richard Jones, number 3711483, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/205

Grave of Private Francis Joseph Campbell, number 3710829, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/206

Grave of Private William Smith, number 3711595, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/207

Grave of Lance corporal Vincent Rogers, number 3710363, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/208

Grave of Private Nicholas Fitzpatrick, number 3711898, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 6 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/209

Grave of Private Fred William Bailey, number 3712915, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 8 Jul 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/210

Grave of Lance Corporal Ernest Isaac Classon, number 3713047, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 22 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/211

Grave of Private John Douglas Benson, number 3713018, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 23 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/212

Grave of Private John Douglas Benson, number 3713018, 1st Battalion King’s Own Royal Regiment, died on 2nd May 1941, age 22. Son of William and Isabella Margaret Benson of Haverthwaite Lancashire. Buried in Habbaniya Cemetery, Iraq.
Accession Number: KO2635/05

Grave of Private William Butler, number 3710391, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 6 May 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/213

Grave of Private John Adshead, number 852825, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 2 Jun 1941.
Accession Number: KO1017/214

Grave of Private John Adshead, number 852852, 1st Battalion King’s Own Royal Regiment, killed in action on 2nd May 1941, age 25. Son of George & Alice M Adshead of Bredbury, Cheshire. Buried in Habbaniya Cemetery, Iraq.
Accession Number: KO2635/04

Grave of Private John Joseph Rooney, number 3711197, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, at Habbaniya War Cemetery, Iraq. Died 2 May 1941
Accession Number: KO1017/215

The following soldiers of the King’s Own are buried in HABBANIYA WAR CEMETERY, Iraq

JOSEPH JOHN SHORT, Private, 3711233, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Tuesday, 6th May 1941. Age 24.  Son of David T. Short and Tegwedd Short, of Tylorstown, Glamorgan.

NICHOLAS FITZPATRICK, Private, 3711898, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Tuesday, 6th May 1941. Age 24.  Son of Nicholas and Mary Ann Fitzpatrick.

WILLIAM BUTLER, Private, 3710391, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Tuesday, 6th May 1941. Age 27.  Son of Thomas Austin Butler and Catherine Butler, of Elswick, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

WILLIAM CAMPBELL, Private, 3710829, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), who died on Tuesday, 6th May 1941. Age 28.

VINCENT ROGERS, Private, 3710363, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), who died on Tuesday, 6th May 1941.

JOHN THOMPSON, Lieutenant, 182495, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Tuesday, 6th May 1941.

WILLIAM LEVELL, Private, 3712869, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Wednesday, 7th May 1941. Age 22.  Son of Henry and Mary Levell, of Birkenhead.

PATRICK HARRY FREKE EVANS, Major, 34763, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on, Tuesday, 20th May 1941. Age 35.  Son of Fisher Henry Freke Evans and of Marie Louise Evans Evans (nee Haslett), husband of Cecil Lechmere Evans, of Cambridge.

WALTER FLEMING, Private, 3710998, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 32.  Son of William Jonah and Bridget Fleming, of Skelwith Bridge, Lancashire.

JOHN DOUGLAS BENSON, Private, 3713018, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 22.  Son of William and Isabella Margaret Benson, of Haverthwaite, Lancashire.

JOHN JOSEPH ROONEY, Private, 3711197, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on, Friday, 2nd May 1941. Age 26.  Son of Elizabeth Rooney, of Dublin, Irish Republic.

JOHN ADSHEAD, Private, 852852, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Friday, 2nd May 1941. Age 25.  Son of George and Alice M. Adshead, of Bredbury, Cheshire.

ERNEST ISAAC CLASSON, Lance Corporal, 3713047, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 22.  Son of Charles Ephraim and Ellen Theresa Classon, of Moreton, Cheshire.

LESLIE GABBERT, Private, 3711135, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 24.  Son of Benjamin and Eleanor Jane Gabbert, of Millom, Cumberland.

RICHARD JONES, Private, 3711483, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 24.

CLIFFORD WILSON, Private, 3710956, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 25.  Son of John and Annie Wilson.

ROBERT WILSON, Private, 3713245, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 22.   Son of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Wilson, of Grange-over-Sands, Lancashire.

CHRISTOPHER JOHN HODGSON, Second Lieutenant, 117308, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 20.  Son of Lt-Col. Christopher Lefroy Hodgson and Frances Dorothy Hodgson, of Windsor, Berkshire.

WILLIAM GEORGE JONES, Private, 3710964, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on, Thursday, 22nd May 1941.

GEORGE BILSBORROW, Private, 3712942, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 22.  Son of James and Ada Bilsborrow, of Bootle, Lancashire.

FRANK VALLERY, Private, 3710475, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941.

JOHN LEO YATES, Private, 3856081, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 24.  Son of James and Nellie Yates. of Chorley, Lancashire.

WILLIAM KIRBY, Lance Corporal, 3713119, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941.

GEORGE ALFRED OWEN, Private, 4799947, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 28.  Son of George Edward and Florence Gertrude Mary Owen, of Louth, Lincolnshire.

JOHN QUINN, Lance Corporal, 3713463, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), who died on, Thursday, 22nd May 1941.

JOHN MAGUIRE, Warrant Officer Class II, 3710261, C.S.M. 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 26.

WILLIAM SMITH, Private, 3711595, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 23.

JOHN McNULTY, Private, 3446351, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) who died on Thursday, 22nd May 1941. Age 22.

FREDERICK WILLIAM (FRED) BAILEY, Lance Corporal, 3712915, 1st Bn., King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), who died on Tuesday, 8th July 1941. Age 23.  Son of Frederick James Bailey and Mary Elizabeth Bailey, of Seaforth, Liverpool.

© Images are copyright, Trustees of the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum.
 You must seek permission prior to publication of any of our images.