Book -Blood Oil and the Axis

[Michael Carter]

I collect stamps and postal history connected to MEF during and after WW11. I also collect postal history of PAIFORCE, the allied forces who occupied Persia and Iraq from 1942 to 1946. This occupation was to prevent Axis Forces taking over the Persian Gulf oilfields and threaten the Suez Canal. Once this threat was removed the Allied Forces then set about supplying military equipment to Russia through Northern Persia and Iraq.

Prior to PAIFORCE being set up there was a small MEF Army in this area. In, 1941 due to insurrections by local populations and politicians in these two countries, it was feared they would ally themselves with the Axis Forces, to enable them to take over the Persian Gulf oil wells and threaten the Suez Canal This small MEF Force then fought actions at RAF Habbaniya, Baghdad, Syria and Lebanon to secure these countries under the Allied influence. These actions in 1941 are set out in a very readable book, Blood, Oil and the Axis by John Broich and published by ABRAMS PRESS. The ISBN no. is 978-1-4683-1399-4. This is a very interesting book and should appeal to all postal history members interested in this rather forgotten area of WW11