Harry George Smart

Harry George Smart, (28 June 1891 – 28 June 1963) is best known for having been the commander of RAF Habbaniya during the first part of the Anglo-Iraqi War. Smart was an officer in the British Army, the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force. He served during the First World War, during the interwar period, and during the Second World War.

Biography In 1891, Harry George "Reggie" Smart was born in Newmarket, Suffolk, in the United Kingdom. Smart attended Framlingham College between 1905 and 1907 and joined the British Army sometime thereafter. He served as a Sapper with the Royal Engineers.

On 30 November 1915, Smart received a commission with the Royal Flying Corps. From 29 April 1916, he was a Morane Bullet pilot with No. 60 Squadron on the Western Front.

In 1939, Smart became the Commander of the British Forces in Iraq. At 05:00 on 2 May, 33 aircraft from Habbaniya, out of the 56 operational aircraft based there, and eight Wellington bombers, from RAF Shaibah, began the attack. and was evacuated from Habbaniya on medical grounds Smart was evacuated to Basra and then onto India, together with his wife and daughter (who had been tending the wounded in the hospital but were evacuated from Habbaniya to Basrah on the 3rd day of the Siege). Colonel Ouvry Roberts assumed de facto command of the land operations at RAF Habbaniya.

Also on 7 May, apparently unaware of Smart's injury, Churchill sent the following message to Smart: "Your vigorous and splendid action has largely restored the situation. We are all watching the grand fight you are making. All possible aid will be sent. Keep it up!".

On 17 November 1941, Smart was named AOC of No. 17 (Operational Training) Group. 23 December 1922 – Squadron Leader Harry George Smart, DFC, Royal Air Force is appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire 3 June 1927 – Squadron Leader Harry George Smart, OBE, DFC is awarded the Air Force Cross 23 September 1941 – Acting Air Vice-Marshal Harry George Smart, OBE, DFC, AFC is appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire 29 December 1942 – Air Commodore Harry George Smart, CBE, DFC, AFC is appointed a Grand Officer of the Royal Order of the Phoenix (Greece) by the King of the Hellenes in recognition of valuable service rendered in connection with the war. 1943 – Acting Air Vice-Marshal Harry George Smart, CBE, DFC, AFC is appointed to the Order of the Two Rivers at the Dorchester Hotel by Abdul Illah Regent of Iraq in recognition of assisting his escape from rebel forces during the Anglo-Iraqi War of May 1941.