'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [‎5r] (9/248)

PART I.—PREFACE.
7
A. Procedure.
In addition evidence was also obtained from the following :—
Mr. E. A. Ridsdale, F.G.S., Red Cross Commissioner, Member of the Vincent-
Bingley Commission.
Sir Robert Carlyle, K.C.S.I., C.I.E., late Member of the Council of the Viceroy in
India.
Sir Mackenzie Chalmers, K.C.B., C.S.I., late Member of the Council of the Viceroy
in India.
Sir John Hewett, G.C.S.I., late Member of the Council of the Viceroy in India,
Chairman of Indian Soldiers’ Fund, Member of the Joint War Committee of the
British Red Cross and Order of St. John.
Sir William Clark, K.C.S.I., late Member of Council of the Viceroy in India.
Mr. J. B. Brunyate, C.I.E., C.S.I., I.C.S., Financial Secretary to the Indian
Government.
We have, in addition, heard or received statements from a large number of officers of
all ranks, and wherever possible, have obtained the testimony of non-official witnesses.
A complete list of our witnesses will be given in an Appendix. We have also had before us
many hundreds of statements of evidence taken by the Vincent-Bingley Commission,
both in Mesopotamia and India.
8 . A great body of evidence, oral and written, has thus come before us. Amongst
the evidence are included a number of written statements by witnesses which were sworn
to, but not made the subject of oral examination. Where a witness’ written statement
only corroborated what had already been amply established in our evidence, we did not
think it necessarv to cross-examine him, but we required him to attend before us and swear
to his written statement, in order t lat it might be in the same position as other sworn
evidence. These statements thus partake of the nature of affidavits.
9 . In accordance with the Statutory obligation imposed upon us by the Act of Parlia
ment by which we were constituted a Commission, we present our Report for publication
to both Houses of Parliament. There is no similar legal obligation upon us to publish
the evidence which we have taken. We therefore leave to the discretion of His Majesty’s
Government the question of its publication.
10 . We must here refer to what is known as the “ Vincent-Bingle^ Commission.”
In March, 1916, the Indian Government appointed a Commission, composed of the Hon.
Sir William Vincent, Kt., I.C.S., Major-General Bingley, C.B., C.I.E., and Mr. E. A.
Ridsdale, F.G.S., with instructions to proceed to Mesopotamia and to make enquiry under
the following Terms of Reference :—
“ ( 1 ) The Government of India have appointed you Commissioners for the pur
pose of investigating and reporting upon the arrangements for dealing with the wounded
and sick in Mesopotamia, in accordance with the Terms of Reference attached.
“ ( 2 ) You will proceed to Basra where you will report to the General Officer
Commanding, Force “ D,” who will give you every facility in the execution of your
duties.
“ ( 3 ) Copies of all war diaries, reports, despatches, books and maps, and other
information that you may require will be provided both by Army Headquarters and
General Officer Commanding, Force “ D.”
“ ( 4 ) You are entitled to call and examine any witness whose evidence you con
sider necessary.
“ ( 5 ) All communications, including your report, will be addressed to the Secretary
to the Government of India, Army Department, Simla.
Delhi. “ B. IIoLLOWAsq Major-General,
“ Secretary to the Government of India,
Army Department.”
Terms of Reference.
“ ( 1 ) The Commission is appointed with the object of inquiring into and recording
the arrangements made for the collection, treatment and removal of the sick and
wounded during the operations in Mesopotamia to the date of your departure from
Mesopotamia.