Bahrain in WW2
 

I guarantee that you have never heard of this before

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing...n_World_War_II

Re: Bahrain in WW2
 

On the contrary.......... my Uncle Ron was a mechanic with the RAF during WW2, and Bahrain was his first overseas posting......... I agree it's not well-known though..........

Re: Bahrain in WW2
 

I remember reading something about long range historic bombings in the past. But was it the allies and having to park up the aircraft somewhere neutral, out of the war? Looks like in this case they were totally successful, more successful than the allies mission(s) and more than the mere damage the bombs caused.

Re: Bahrain in WW2
 

Salalah and Gan were RAF postings up until about 1976. Have several friends who did tours.

Re: Bahrain in WW2
 

Bahrain was not neutral in WW2. It was a Bristish Protectorate and had long been a staging post for Imperial Airways en route to India, Malya and Singapore.

The Italians also did some successful air raids on Palestine (at that time a British Mandate).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing...n_World_War_II

Re: Bahrain in WW2
 

Gan is in The Maldives. It was a refueling spot for planes taking forces out to the Far East. *happy memories*

Re: Bahrain in WW2
 

RAF Muharaq in Bahrain was opened in 1943. I am not sure what they used before that. Maybe it was an RNAS Station ?

Big one up the road was RAF Habaniyah in Baghdad. loojing at the list of RAF Stations on Wikipedia is a reminder of the Empire that has gone, never to return. Has anyone told the "Daily Mail" ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...r_RAF_stations

Re: Bahrain in WW2
 

The original airstrip the RAF used was located next to the Jebel. When I first arrived in Bahrain some 30 years ago it was unused and the locals did drag racing there. It has now been refurbished and is used by the Royal Flight and for the Bahrain Airshow.

During WW2 my uncle flew his Spitfire from UK to India and landed in Bahrain at the above airport for refuelling/rest. He subsequently crashed in India, married the British nurse that looked after him and lived happily ever after.

Commercial flights used flying boats and docked by the original Muharraq Causeway.