General Jafaar Pasha from Baghdad

[lilo]

Hi All,

Googling in the web, I discovered the photo below attached that was labeled : 'General Jafaar Pasha from Bagdad'.

I think that He was part of the Iraq Army in the 1920's.

What is His biography ?

Which are the Medals/Orders to which He was entitled ?

Regards

Lilo

Edited July 1, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[James Hoard]

His full name was Lieutenant-General Ja'afar Pasha el-Askieri an he is listed in Volume III (1929-1940) of Who Was Who. I do not have a copy to hand so cannot give you an extract. However, he was a former Turkish officer who joined the Arab Rebellion and was its leading professional commander, later joined the new Kingdom of Iraq and eventually rose to become Prime Minister. His British orders were GCVO (20.6.1933) and CMG (10.7.1918)

Cheers

James

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

In later life in full dress uniform his mounted group consisted of the following:

O. of Two Rivers (Iraq) with rosette.

O. of Independence (Hijaz) with rosette.

Active Service Medal (Iraq)with clasp - probably "Southern Kurdistan" .

Ma'an Medal (Hijaz).

Independence Medal (Hijaz).

War Medal (UK).

Victory Medal (UK) with MID Emblem.

Imtiaz or Liakat Medal (Turkey).

Plus

O. of St. Michael & St. George (UK) neck badge.

Royal Victorian Order (UK) breast star, sash & sash badge.

O. of Two Rivers (Iraq) breast star.

O. of Renaissance (Hijaz) breast star.

O. of Independence (Hijaz ) breast star.

Kind regards,

Owain

Edited July 1, 2008 by oamotme

[Guest IMHF]

Very Nice Picture: I am in South Iraq so I will ask around here in Iraq for more information about him.

Thank you

Lorenzo

Edited June 30, 2008 by IMHF

[Guest Rick Research]

From the 1935 British edition of "Who's Who?"--

"Ja'far Pasha el Askeri, G.C.V.O., C.M.G.

Minister for Iraq in London since 1932. Born Baghdad 1885.Educated Constantinople, Germany. Entered Turkish army 1902. Officer Commanding Senussi forces 1915, joined the Hejaz Army, 1917. General Officer Commanding Hejaz Northern Regulars (C.M.G.); Military Governor, Aleppo 1919; Minister of Defense Baghdad 1920-22; Prime Minister, Iraq, 1923; Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Iraq, 1926-28; Minister for Iraq in England, 1928-30; Barrister-at-law; Minister of Defense, Iraq, 1930; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, Iraq, 1931-32. Address: Iraqi Legation, 22 Queen's gate, S.W. 7; North Gate, Baghdad, Iraq."

[lilo]

Hi All,

Many thanks for the replays, very much appreciated !

Owain,

I'm just curious to know the source from which you have taken the (FULL ??) medal entitlement of General Jafaar or must I consider it as a fruit of your guess basing (in part) on the ribbons he wears ??

Moreover, can you please :

1) confirm if the O. of Two Rivers (Iraq) was of Military Division ?

2) explain from what do you think that He probably received the "Southern Kurdistan" clasp on his Active Service Medal (Iraq) and not some more clasps or even one different from that you mention ?

Is it possible to ascertain which between the Imtiaz or Liakat Medals (Turkey), did he received ?

Again

Many thanks to All

All the Best

Lilo

P.S. Do you have other photos of General Jafaar in uniform ? If yes please post them here.

Edited June 30, 2008 by lilo

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

The list comes from a photo taken some time between the award of the GCVO and his assassination in 1936. The image I have is too large and I will try and reduce it in order that it can be uploaded.

The Two Rivers is Military and not Civil.

The ASM clasp is fixed to the medal and not loose - see my recent article in the OMRS Journal - from my experience the SK clasp was affixed to the ASM - all other clasps I have seen have been loose - this is not 100% but an educated guess. (At a push it could be Barzan 1932......but unlikely that Jafaar would have been involved/present at this relatively small campaign.)

With regard to the Turkish (Ottoman) award the picture will allow the correct identifcation of this medal.

Regards,

Owain

Edited July 1, 2008 by oamotme

[Ed_Haynes]

Yes, Owain has some excellent recent articles that touch on this subject. Sometimes you have to read . . . paper.

[oamotme]

Ed,

I'll e-mail the image to you - perhaps you can tweak it for uploading?

Thanks,

Owain

[Ed_Haynes]

Happy to, Owain.

[Ed_Haynes]

From Owain (and WHAT A PHOTO!):

[Ulsterman]

From Owain (and WHAT A PHOTO!):

Indeed! Bravo!!!!

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch: Any other photos of somebody wearing awards from BOTH sides in the SAME war?

That is certainly a Liakat Medal on the end of his medal bar, with the Sabers Bar created in 1915. As a typical Ottoman Wunderkind General (at the age of a Captain in any other army), I'd expect it to have been the Gold class, but from the nasty little suspension, I suspect it was an as-issued recycled tunafish tin "Silver."

This one (on right) has a "close enough" German ribbon--

He should also have had the Ottoman War Medal star, worn on the lower right abdomen, which is not being worn.

I am amazed that

1) he wore the Liakat at all, and

2) he had NOTHING higher.

For an Ottoman general, that was excessively lackluster by the time he went over to the other side in 1917.

[Ed_Haynes]

For an Ottoman general, that was excessively lackluster by the time he went over to the other side in 1917.

He was, after all, an ARAB and not a Turk and there was pretty systematic discrimination against them. This is one reason a fair number switched sides (also to get out of POW camp).

[lilo]

He should also have had the Ottoman War Medal star, worn on the lower right abdomen, which is not being worn.

I am amazed that

1) he wore the Liakat at all, and

2) he had NOTHING higher.

For an Ottoman general, that was excessively lackluster by the time he went over to the other side in 1917.

Hello Rick,

He indeed wore the Liakat medal !

Can you let me know from what you deduce that He should wore the 'GALLIPOLI STAR' ??

As in the above photo He wears all his medals, Why He should not wear also the Gallipoli Star if He was entitled to it ?

Regards

Lilo

[oamotme]

Gentlemen,

If I recall correctly he wears the Liakat medal on the basis that he was decorated with this medal for his services in the Ottoman military with regard to the campaing against the Senoussi in the Western Desert. I would suspect that he never received the star nor in light of his services with the Hijaz military that he felt entitled to it. I believe the awards are still in the possession of his family.

Again if I recall correctly this photo was taken in London after he was awarded the GCVO during the state visit of King Faisal in 1933 - the King died in Swiitzerland on the way back to Iraq.

Owain

[lilo]

I would suspect that he never received the star nor in light of his services with the Hijaz military that he felt entitled to it.

Owain

Hi Owain,

Have I well understood what you have above stated ?

In other words you think that General Jafaar - although He (Jafaar) had thought to be entitled because his services with the Hijaz military - really didn't received the Gallipoli Star : isn't it ?

All the Best

Lilo

[oamotme]

Lilo,

My comments are just assumption - I don't know the regulations for the award of the star - hoewever I feel it to be highly unlikley that he either received it or was entitled to it. In his autobiography I do not recall any mention being made of this award. You could infer that he was happy to wear the Liakat as the campaign for which it was awarded was not aganist the Allied Fiorces but the Senoussi in what is now Lybia.

Owain

[lilo]

Lilo,

My comments are just assumption - I don't know the regulations for the award of the star - hoewever I feel it to be highly unlikley that he either received it or was entitled to it. In his autobiography I do not recall any mention being made of this award. You could infer that he was happy to wear the Liakat as the campaign for which it was awarded was not aganist the Allied Fiorces but the Senoussi in what is now Lybia.

Owain

Hi Owain

Many thanks for all the informations.

All the Best

Lilo

[Guest Rick Research]

The (British name) Gallipoli Star/(German name) Iron Half Moon/ properly Ottoman War Medal:

was the basic, lowest Ottoman decoration bestowed 1915-18 and had nothing to do with any specific front or time period.

Liakats, Imtiazes etc went back into the 19th century, but the Sabers Bar for them was a creation of the Great War. To have the Liakat with Sabers Bar and NOT the War Medal would be like a German in similar position getting an Iron Cross 1st class without an Iron Cross 2nd Class, or a British soldier having a "Wilfrid" without a "Squeak."

As in any army ever, the higher the rank, the more automatic the cascade of awards. I cannot imagine ANY General in the Ottoman forces-- even minding some depot back in the capital--without a War Medal star by 1917. While the average Anatolian draftee could not even dream of being presented one of these stars, it was nothing more than a de facto campaign medal for Ottoman officers-- and certainly, the senior ones. The lowliest German Leutnant der Reserve had authority to bestow Ottoman War Medals on his platoon, so an Ottoman General without one is inconceivable!

Can't explain "why" he'd have worn one "enemy" award without the other, but then presumably an officer of his accelerated rank also had other Ottoman Orders from BEFORE the war which were also put aside. No General likes to wander around wearing "nothing." :cheeky:

[oamotme]

Rick,

All good stuff for which many thanks. On looking at his autobiography - "A Soldiers Story" (2003 - English edition Arabian Publishing GBP25) there is a picture of him from 1910-12 in the uniform of the Badische Leibgrenadierregiment 109 with one award - Order of Mejide 5th Class! I will try and scan and post.

Owain

[lilo]

Hi Rick,

Many thanks for the very informative replay you have given to my question.

Owain - with his above answer - should have also solved the question about Jafaar other turkish awards before WW1 :

it appears from the photographic evidence that He received only the Order of Mejide 5th Class.

lilo

[oamotme]

Lilo, Rick,

It also appears that when he visted the Ottoman General Staff in Jerusalem in 1916 prior to the final campaign when he was captured, he was prometed to the rank of General and awarded an Iron Cross 1st Class. Apparently when he was later awarded his CMG it is reported that he wore his Iron Cross. Unfortunately I have no photo of him wearing this decoration!

Owain

[lilo]

Hi Owain,

Well done !

To recapitulate General Jafaar full medal entitlement should be :

1. UK, Royal Victorian Order (GCVO), breast star, sash & sash badge;

2. UK, Order of St. Michael & St. George (CMG), neck badge;

3. Iraq, Order of Two Rivers, Military Division, breast badge + breast star;

4. Hijaz, Order of Independence, breast badge + breast star;

5. Hijaz, Order Renaissance, breast star;

6. Active Service Medal (Iraq)with clasp - probably "Southern Kurdistan";

7. Hijaz, Ma'an Medal;

8. Hijaz, Independence Medal;

9. UK, WW1 BWM;

10. UK, Victory Medal + MID Emblem;

11. Turkey, Liakat Medal;

12. Turkey, Ottoman War Medal (known also as Gallipoli Star);

13. German, Iron Cross, 1st class.

Owain, please, can you confirm that Gen. Jafaar received the :

- 1st type [Reign 1921-51] with ?Abdullah I? chypher of the Order of El Istiqlal (Independence) ?

- 1st type (i.e. Kingdom of the Hijaz) of the Order of Al Nahada ?

- That the Order of Al Nahada was suspended from the 1st type of ribbon (?green? inward)?

Many thanks again

All the Best

Lilo

[oamotme]

Lilo,

From the picture and even if I could see the award you could not tell whether the Order of Independence is Hijazi or from Transjordan - both versions have the inscription Hussain Bin Ali. ( I do know that the very early issues made locally have a painted rather than enamelled centre.) The Order of the Renaisance from its shape is the first type however as discused in separate correspondence one cannot tell from the award alone when it was awarded but as Jafaar along with Nuri Said were the senior non-royals of the Hijaz military I feel it safe to assume that the award is Hijazi. I have no picture of Jafaar wearing the sash of either of these orders.

Regards,

Owain