(as of Jul 25, 2025 04:27:50 UTC – Details)
The incredible story of how an RAF flying school in ancient biplanes beat overwhelming odds to keep Hitler out of the Gulf – and save British forces in the Mediterranean.
Some reader reviews:
“Brilliantly documented chapter of the war.”
“Excellent story about an incredible episode.”
“Excellent account of a little known heroic battle against all odds.”
“Very detailed from original sources, I highly recommend this book.”
“This story is just as exciting as any Biggles adventure: and it really happened.”
“Very readable, almost ‘boys-own’ in nature – fascinating – compelling prose – a highly recommended read.”
There are very few WW2 epics still to be uncovered. This is one: based on newly discovered war diaries, The Big Little War tells the story of how an RAF training school in ancient biplanes defeated the Iraqi army and the Luftwaffe – and why they were overlooked by history.
In early 1941 RAF Habbaniya in Iraq was a quiet flying school far from the front line. This all changed when, following a
German supported Iraqi coup, 9,000 Iraqi troops marched on the camp to demand its surrender. Habbaniya was virtually defenceless, with reinforcements weeks away across the desert. Left to fend for themselves and faced with the imminent arrival of the Luftwaffe, the camp commandant ordered a pre-emptive strike in their antiquated machines…
Of all the battles of WW2, there has never been a more underreported campaign with such strategic significance. Had the school failed, Britain’s power in the Middle East would be crippled, the oil fields lost to the Germans, and the course of the war, very different.
From the Publisher
The Battle of Habbaniya, May 1941
An Audax biplane bomber
These aircraft were used alongside Oxford trainers and Fairey Gordon bombers to attack the Iraqis in the Battle of Habbaniya. They suffered 30% casualties on the first day of the battle.
The ‘Four Musketeers’
The ‘Four Musketeers’ – the four Indian Army officers who transferred to the RAF in 1940 and wound up as trainee pilots in Habbaniya in May 1941. Only two would survive the battle.
Al Rachid Airbase in Baghdad
An operational map of Al Rachid (Hinaidi) air base, HQ of the Royal Iraqi Air Force, with hangars marked to be bombed by the biplanes of Habbaniya’s Flying School.
General Wavell
General Wavell was tasked with organising a relief column for RAF Habbaniya, to traverse 600 miles of desert. To transport them, they had to commandeer public buses from the streets of Jersualem.
Message received from Winston Churchill, 8th May 1941
“Your vigorous and splendid action has largely restored the situation.”
By 8th May 1941, the pupils and instructors of RAF Habbaniya’s flying school had largely routed the besieging Iraqis, albeit at the cost of nearly half their crews and aircraft. However, General Wavell’s relief column of the Household Cavalry had still not left Palestine, 500 miles away across the desert, and the Luftwaffe was on its way. It was a race against time to save Iraq and Britain’s middle east oil supplies: the situation was very much NOT restored.
Publisher : Kensington Square
Publication date : 23 Mar. 2023
Language : English
Print length : 232 pages
ISBN-10 : 1739266803
ISBN-13 : 978-1739266806
Item weight : 231 g
Dimensions : 12.85 x 1.35 x 19.84 cm
Best Sellers Rank: 33,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) 132 in Aviation References 3,470 in History (Books) 9,698 in Society, Politics & Philosophy
Customer reviews: 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 592 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
