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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 37. PART II. (From 16th to 31st August 1917).’ [‎96r] (196/546)

The record is made up of 1 volume (260 folios). It was created in 22 Mar 1917-31 Aug 1917. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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WAR DIARY.
Date.
23-8-17
Summary of events.
The Director, Military Intelligence, London, reported that certain information he had forwarded regarding
the construction of the Baghdad Railway, etc., was presumed to date about last May.
The General Officer Commanding, Eoroe “ D,” was informed that for the 17th Division the 200th and 221st
Brigades of Field Artillery with Ammunition columns were to be sent from India, and sufficient
ammunition would be sent to fill all vehicles of batteries and artillery columns.
Information regarding the machine guns of the 17th Division was received from the Caucasus Military
Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. through the Director, Military Intelligence, London,
The Director, Military Intelligence, London, forwarded information received from the Caucasus Military
Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. to the effect that on August 7th, an Army Corps, said to be the first, arrived at Kharput, from
Constantinople eu route to the Caucasus where it was to relieve the 4th Army Corps, but the latter,
without waiting for the former, was to leave that front on August 18th, handing over its position to
the Kurds. .
The Commander-in-Chief again urged the completion of the Baqubah-Baghdad raTway, which was rejected
on the ground that it involved reliance on two lines of communication, because (i) such reliance was
shown by the General Officer Commanding, Force ‘ s D,” to exist already, (ii) the policy was sound
from an economic point of view, (m) General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” had represented that
the completion of all outstanding demands for rivercraft was essential, and (iv) the ration strength of
Force “ D” had approximately doubled during the past ten months, the rate of increase per month
being 10 per cent, and no diminuition in this rate of increases w^as anticipated in the immediate
future.
The General Officer Commanding, Egyptian Expeditionary Force, reported that on August 19th, Schultze
at Tekrit stated that on that date there was only sufficient benzine for one long flight.
The General Officer Commanding, Force f£ D,” reported the despatch to Egypt of 3,062 Egyptian
labourers * •
Thp Director 'Military Intelligence, London, informed the General Officer Commanding, Force tc D,”
that the estimated rifle strength of the enemy forces in Mesopotamia, including Engineers but exclud
ing garrison and Line of Communication troops, was 35,000.
Number
57269
57278
57279
57281
57283
57288
57292
57303
Appendix.
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
298

About this item

Content

The volume contains a chronological list of brief summaries of papers relating to the activities of the Indian Expeditionary Force D (also known as the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force) between 16 and 31 August 1917. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: letters, telegrams, notes, reports, tables, and memoranda.

An index to the contents of this volume and a summary of the contents can be found at IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3282. The volume concerns:

  • Appreciations [reports] and intelligence summaries from the Directorate of Military Operations dated 19 August 1917 (ff 53-55), 26 August 1917 (ff 162-164)
  • One diary of information dated 28 July 1917 (ff 84-86) covering climate, floods, and the Christians of Mesopotamia
  • Reinforcements for Force D
  • Movements of Turkish [Ottoman], Russian, and German troops and German officials, including General Erich von Falkenhayn
  • Reports from the Royal Flying Corps of machines in service and pilots available
  • Provision and movements of river craft
  • Progress of railway constructions and future railway policy, including Turkish [Ottoman] railway construction
  • The composition of the committee of enquiry into port congestion at Basrah [Basra]
  • A scheme to stimulate cultivation by clearing the canals of the Euphrates area and providing advances of seed and cash
  • Investigation of postal arrangements
  • A fodder production scheme using local labourers
  • A discussion of whether the French Consul at Basrah, Monsieur Roux, should be permitted to use a cipher and locked bag, and proceed beyond Basrah
  • Trade between Basrah and Baghdad
  • The appointment of Sir Percy Cox as Civil Commissioner, Mesopotamia
  • A proposal to terminate the agreement between HM Government and the Newspapers Proprietors’ Association employing Edmund Candler as Official Eyewitness
  • A new Indian General Hospital
  • The appointment of R G Garrow as recognised irrigation expert for Mesopotamia.
  • Proposed co-operation with the Russians.

The following tables appear:

  • Distribution of troops 29 July 1917 Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force (ff 8-12)
  • Weekly return sick and wounded w/e 28 July 1917 (ff 23-24), 4 August 1917 (f 72)
  • Ration strength of MEF 14 July 1917 (ff 26-29), 21 July 1917 (ff 102-105), 4 August (ff 136-138), 28 July 1917 (ff 181-184), 11 August (ff 199-201)
  • State of supplies 18 August 1917 (ff 69-71 and 88-89), 25 August (ff 188-190 and 210-211)
  • Distribution of the Turkish Army 21 August 1917 (ff 75-77), 28 August 1917 (ff 194-195)
  • Strength return for IEF D 30 June 1917 (ff 118-135)
  • Monthly distribution report of motor vehicles 1 July 1917 (ff 202-207).

The file also contains a ‘Report on the conservancy of the Shatt-el-Arab [Shatt al-Arab] River from the Port of Basra to the Persian Gulf’ by Brigadier-General George Buchanan, Director of Port Administration and Conservancy, dated 22 March 1917, including nine maps of the Shatt-el-Arab River, the port of Basra, Mohammerah [Khorramshahr] bar, and the channel from Fao [Al-Faw] down the river.

Extent and format
1 volume (260 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.

Physical characteristics

The foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 262; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Multiple additional mixed foliation/pagination sequences are also present in parallel; these numbers are printed.

Dimensions: 21 x 33cm

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 37. PART II. (From 16th to 31st August 1917).’ [‎96r] (196/546), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3283, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100137829832.0x0000c5> [accessed 6 November 2024]

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