RECOVERED FROM ROAD TO BASRA (HIGHWAY OF DEATH) 1991 1st GULF WAR**Iraqi Forces Combat Helmet With Netted Camouflage Cover & Iraqi Forces Red Beret With Cap Badge Clothing

**RECOVERED FROM ROAD TO BASRA (HIGHWAY OF DEATH) 1991 1st GULF WAR**Iraqi Forces Combat Helmet With Netted Camouflage Cover & Iraqi Forces Red Beret With Cap Badge. Sn 20502 - 20502

The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: Operation Desert Shield, which marked the military buildup from August 1990 to January 1991; and Operation Desert Storm, which began with the aerial bombing campaign against Iraq on 17 January 1991 and came to a close with the American-led Liberation of Kuwait on 28 February 1991. The Highway of Death is a six-lane highway between Kuwait and Iraq, officially known as Highway 80. It runs from Kuwait City to the border town of Safwan in Iraq and then on to the Iraqi city of Basra. The road was used by Iraqi armoured divisions for the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. It was repaired after the Gulf War and used by U.S. and British forces in the initial stages of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. During the offensive in the Persian Gulf War, American, Canadian, British and French aircraft and ground forces attacked retreating Iraqi military personnel attempting to leave Kuwait on the night of February 26–27, 1991, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of vehicles and the deaths of many of their occupants. Between 1,400 and 2,000 vehicles were hit or abandoned on the main Highway 80 north of Al Jahra. The scenes of devastation on the road are some of the most recognizable images of the war (a copy of a contemporary image of the post attack destruction is reproduced in image 1 and demonstrates the extent of the carnage). This is an original Iraqi Forces Combat Helmet & Iraqi Forces Red Beret recovered by a member of The British Army Air Corps from the road to Basra shortly after the allied forces offensive against the retreating Iraqi troops. The composite Combat Helmet with original liner & chin strap has no damage and is clean. The helmet comes with original Hessian cloth, sand coloured camo cover and net. The webbing chin strap with metal buckle is clean and intact as is its original webbing and leather lining. The rim of the helmet has a small label ‘Iraqi helmet Souvenir of the Gulf War 1991’. The helmet is approx. UK size 7. The red beret with black cloth lining is mounted with metal Iraqi army badge. The cloth beret is clean with no damage or mothing. The beret is approx. UK size 6. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 20502

£475.00