In April 1941, British and Indian troops had been deployed to Iraq from India under the command of Lieutenant-General Edward Quinan to protect British interests, in particular oil concessions, after a coup d'etat had brought to power a government sympathetic to the Axis powers.

Later in 1941, the force took part in the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran to prevent the Axis elements from entering Persia, and preventing the possibility of the Germans gaining control of the Iraqi and Persian oil fields.

After the campaigns of 1941, Quinan's headquarters was renamed Tenth Army and its main task was the maintenance of the lines of communication to the Soviet Union from the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea and the protection of the South Persian and Iraqi oilfields.

Its badge was a golden Lamassu (Assyrian Ox) with human head and eagle's wings (a Cherub Guardian).

A variation of colouring of this badge was a white Ox on a pale blue background.