[1] Following the end of World War I and the accompanying British defence cuts, the new RAF took up the task of policing the Empire from the air.

The Air Officer Commanding the Middle East dispatched an additional squadron from Egypt to Iraq.

In London the Government were seeking a solution and the Army's proposal, which involved reinforcing Iraq with large numbers of personnel, was considered to be too expensive by the Cabinet.

In March 1921 at the Cairo Conference, Churchill, who was by then Colonial Secretary, along with the three service chiefs, decided that all British forces in Iraq would be put under control of the RAF.

The intention was to apply the model of imperial air control which had worked in Somaliland to a much larger region which was similarly troubled.

Apart from the Air Officer Commanding's staff mess, all the AHQ personnel were then accommodated at RAF Hinaidi.