The Anglo-Iraqi War was a British-led Allied military campaign during the Second World War against the Kingdom of Iraq under Rashid Ali, who had seized power on 1 April in an Iraqi coup d’état. The coup received assistance from Germany, Italy and Vichy France. Fighting started on 2 May when the besieged British forces of RAF Habbaniya attacked the besiegers.
The Allied ground offensive closed in on Baghdad and on 29 May, Rashid Ali’s government fled to Germany and on 31 May an armistice was signed. On 1 June Prince 'Abd al-Ilah returned to Baghdad as the Regent and the monarchy, and a pro-British government were put back in place.

During this short campaign, the Royal Iraqi Air Force (RIrAF) flew a mix of aircraft including a number of Gladiators received in 1937 and 1938 (16 delivered with five having been written off by 1940).
The Gladiators were used in 4 Squadron, which in May 1940 was based at Hurriyah and had 10 operational aircraft.

Iraqi Air Force use of the Gloster Gladiator during the Second World War