Ma'Asker Al Raschid (formerly Hinaidi RAF Cemetery)
The Ma'Asker Al Rachid Cemetery (often referred to as Hinaidi or Rasheed) near Baghdad contains the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who died in Iraq during both World Wars, as well as during the interwar RAF presence in Mesopotamia. It reflects the evolution of British military and air power in Iraq from 1918 through to the mid-20th century.
Quick Information
Baghdad area, close to the Rasheed/Hinaidi barracks, southeastern outskirts of the city
Commemorated
300 commemorated
WWI: 0 • WWII: 0
Total ~300 burials including WWI (several hundred men who died in Baghdad hospitals after 1917), interwar RAF personnel and families, WWII servicemen from 1941 Anglo-Iraqi War and PAIFORCE operations, and non-war burials (civilians, dependents, RAF families)
Status
Last Updated
25 October 2025
Historical Context
Created after the British capture of Baghdad in March 1917, the cemetery expanded significantly during the interwar years as RAF Hinaidi became the central British base in Iraq. The base played a crucial role in Britain's control of Iraq until operations moved to Habbaniya in 1937. During WWII, the cemetery saw renewed use following the Anglo-Iraqi War of May 1941 and subsequent PAIFORCE operations.
Note on the Hinaidi Indian Army Cemetery: The Hinaidi Indian Army Cemetery was a separate burial ground established for Indian soldiers who died while serving in Iraq. It became impossible to maintain due to its location and access issues. In 1965, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission decided to consolidate the graves from Hinaidi into the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, which was established in 1942 and is now the final resting place for many soldiers from both World Wars whose original graves were unmaintainable. Graves from Hinaidi were moved due to the cemetery's location and access difficulties. It was not clear why the remaining graves at the Ma'Asker site were left in situ and only the Indian graves from Hinaidi were moved.
Significance
As a cemetery spanning three decades of British military presence, Ma'Asker Al Rachid documents the full arc of British involvement in Iraq—from the WWI Mesopotamian Campaign through the interwar RAF policing mandate and into WWII operations. The inclusion of RAF families reflects the semi-permanent nature of Britain's interwar military commitment to Iraq.
Current Condition
Despite being only 6 miles from the British Embassy in Baghdad the site has been long abandoned and is not mentioned on Google Maps (a correction has been submitted) and there is almost no information on the CWGC site. The work of Steve Buster Thompson in partnership with the former UK DA to Iraq Brigadier Adam McRae MBE resulted in a perimeter fence being erected in 2021. A service was subsequently held attended by Air Marshall Martin Sampson CBE, DSO, Defence Senior Advisor to the Middle East.
Layout & Numbers
Total: ~300 burials First World War: Several hundred, mostly men who died in Baghdad hospitals after 1917. Interwar: RAF personnel and families stationed in Iraq, especially at RAF Hinaidi before the move to Habbaniya in 1937. Second World War: RAF, Army, and Indian servicemen killed in the 1941 Anglo-Iraqi War and later PAIFORCE operations. Non-war burials: Civilians, dependents, and RAF families interred alongside servicemen.
How They Came Here
WWI (1917–18): After the recapture of Kut and the advance to Baghdad, large numbers of sick and wounded were treated in Baghdad hospitals; those who died were buried at Ma'Asker.
Interwar (1918–37): RAF Hinaidi was the main British air base. Casualties from flying accidents, disease, and family deaths were interred here. RAF dependence on the base made it central to Britain's control of Iraq.
WWII (1941–45): During the Anglo-Iraqi War (May 1941), Rasheed saw fighting between pro-Axis Iraqi forces and British/Indian troops. Burials include RAF and Army men killed in operations defending Baghdad. Later PAIFORCE communications and logistics through Iraq also contributed casualties.
Notable Burials
Brigadier-General Sir Gilbert Falkingham Clayton, KCMG, KBE, CB
Brigadier-General Sir Gilbert Falkingham Clayton (1875–1929) was a British soldier, diplomat, and colonial administrator whose career helped shape Britain's Middle Eastern policy after World War I. Born on the Isle of Wight, he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1895 and served in Egypt and the Sudan before becoming a leading intelligence officer in Cairo during the war. As Director of Military Intelligence and later Chief Political Officer to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, he played a key role in coordinating Arab affairs and post-Ottoman administration across Egypt, Palestine, and Arabia. After the war, Clayton served as Chief Secretary and Acting High Commissioner in Palestine and later negotiated on Britain's behalf with leaders such as Ibn Saud. In 1928 he was appointed High Commissioner for Iraq, where he worked to define the young nation's relationship with Britain. He died suddenly of a heart attack in Baghdad on 11 September 1929, aged 54, and was buried there. His career embodied the fusion of military strategy and diplomacy that defined British rule in the modern Middle East.
Died 11 September 1929, aged 54
Phoebe Marks
Phoebe Marks was born on the 6th November 1928 the daughter of a civilian electrician Leonard Marks and his wife Marie. Phoebe died at only eight months old on the 17th July 1929. Sadly her father was subsequently shot by a local employee and died 12th September 1934 and was buried 20 yards from his daughter. Her grave is of particular note to visitors, with the British Ambassador to Iraq laying a wreath there in 2023.
Died 17 July 1929, aged 8 months
Visual Documentation
Still Photography
Video Photography
Basra Walk Through
Video documentation of cemetery sections and features
360° Panoramic Views
Maasker 360° View 1
Drag to look around • Scroll to zoom • Click fullscreen for immersive view
Maasker 360° View 2
Drag to look around • Scroll to zoom • Click fullscreen for immersive view
Cemetery Plan
Cemetery plan showing the layout of Ma'Asker Al Rachid (Hinaidi/Rasheed) Cemetery with burial plots organized in numbered and lettered sections. The plan includes the Gardener's Quarter and Cultiva area.
Special Note
Special mention must be made of the work of Steve Buster Johnson in researching and securing the Ma'Asker site. If it were not for his persistence and diligent work almost nothing would be known about this site and it would be at great risk of being completely lost. Steve has compiled a list of all the burials as well as historic and contemporary photographs of the site carefully referenced and annotated. Steve's work resulted in his discovering the missing 300th burial at Ma'asker - John Maxton Ramsay 6 Armoured Car Company RAF, a casualty missed by the CWGC. It is strongly advised to visit his website to learn more.
Funeral of Sir Gilbert Clayton - High Commissioner to Iraq in 1929 courtesy of Sian Sumners via Steve Buster Johnson website.