Description
Iraq Active Service Medal, known as King Faisal’s War Medal, 1st Type, dated 1926, bronze, clasp South Kurdistan 1930-31 as awarded to Royal Air Force personnel circa 1931.
Mounted for wear on brooch pin and old piece of ribbon, nice as worn example.
A rare original example with the clasp in Arabic.
The clasp reads: “Kurdistan al-Khadbit 1930-1931” or “South Kurdistan 1930-31” and was only written in Arabic.
The clasp was awarded for service against Sheikh Mahmud Barjanzi, the Kurdish former King of Kurdistan, in Southern Kurdistan and the Eastern District of Iraq from 29th October 1930 to 14th May 1931.
The local forces were aided by the Royal Air Force and with their help this led to the defeat of the Sheikh and forcing him to surrender to the Iraqi Government, which is why the medal with this clasp is rarely spotted in the groups of RAF men.
Instituted by the Kingdom of Iraq under King Faisal I on 15th May 1926 as the Nut al-Khidmat al-Amma, The Active Service Medal, known commonly by the English as King Faisal’s War Medal.
The reverse reads the name of King Faisal and is dated in Arabic reading 1344, translated to 1926.
It was awarded for services in Iraq between 1924 and 1931 without any clasps, continuing to be issued, after 1931 with a dated bar for specific operations and by King Faisal’s Successor until 1939.
The other recipients varied amongst British who served in Iraq and the Iraq Levies, a Militia who acted as Iraq’s fledgling Army during the period.
