‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 41. PART I. (From 1st to 31st December 1917).’ [240r] (484/556)
The record is made up of 1 volume (274 folios). It was created in 30 Aug 1917-5 Dec 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
_ In response to this request, I received a visit from Colonel Bernardo, the
Senior Medical Officer in Bombay, who showed me his files and demonstrated to
me that all the arrangements rested in Basrah and that ships were ordered to
be sent up as circumstances called for, the balance of the ships lay in Bombay
waiting orders.
He also explained to me that no one in Bombay could forecast the prob
able requirements in any given month and showed me from his file that the
Army Commander in Mesopotamia had forecasted 16,000 cases for August
whereas only 7,000 had been carried in that month.
I realised that none but the Army Commander was in a position to make
any forecast and that even any forecast he made must, of necessity, be uncertain
of accomplishment. Under these circumstances, I deferred reporting to you
until after I had visited Basrah.
When in Basrah I consulted with Colonel Pell, the Senior Medical Officer
there, he was both friendly and sympathetic in the matter. He showed me the
returns showing the cases evacuated and explained that now that they had
15,000 beds (I think he gave 15, OuO as the number of beds) in Basrah and
Amarah the numbers evacuated were falling as orders had been issued that no
cases that could be cured in a month were to be evacuated and that this was
the reason of the reduction in the numbers evacuated.
It seemed to me that all the medical officers with whom I discussed
matters realised that tonnage was lying idle and, to a certain extent, were sym
pathetic in the matter of reduction of hospital ships, but I also got the impres
sion that the aftermath of the various enquiries into things out here was that
all were inclined to be over cautious and that no one cared to take the respon
sibility ’of recommending or even supporting the reduction in the number of
these ships. The above are only the impressions I formed and I state them
for what they may be w r orth.
On my return to Bombay I found that orders had been issued to convert
the seven small hospital ships into ambulance transports and that one is al
ready under process of conversion, also that it is intended to try the experiment
with this one for a voyage before proceeding with the conversion of the others
As this conversion of hospital ships into ambulance transports is not only
the best but the most effective of the suggestions that I have seen made, it seems
to me that it might be as well to leave it at that for the present at any rate.
Releasing of large tonnage steamers.—1 have still to report to you as to
how far large tonnage steamers can be released by China coasters. This is
somewffiat a difficult if not an impossible question to answer for it all depends
upon how much heavy aw 7 kw ard cargo has to be shipped and this is constantly
a varying quantity. For the present, all the China tonnage is fully employed
and only such of the large tonnage steamers as are required to make up the
necessary total tonnage, are retained. I will, hovrever, after the mail closes, go
more fully into the figures. The number of barges, launches, railway rolling
stock including locomotives to be shipped, continue in undiminished quantities
and whilst this goes on a certain number of steamers with large hatches are
necessary.
I have pressed both in Karachi and also in Bombay the necessity of
utilising the deck space in the China coasters as far as is possible for these
awkward packages even though it means placing the packages across the hatch
ways and to the extent that this can he carried out, large steamer tonnage can
be released.
This letter, I am sorry, has run into some length, I have tried to keep it
short but it is difficult to explain the position without going into some details.
I only hope I may have made myself clear.
I propose sending you a telegram after having discussed matters with
Colonel Thomson stating what has been arranged and I will end that telegram
by mentioning that I propose, unless otherwise instructed, returning to England
by the S. S. “Mslwa 55 leaving Bombay about 22nd October so that unless
otherwise ordered I should be home shortly after this letter and explain
verbally any matters that I may have failed to make clear.
I would have deferred writing this letter until after my interview with
Colonel Thomson but for the fact that the mail leaves to-morrow morning
whereas Colonel Thomson does not reach Bombay till to-morrow* evening.
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 1 and 15 December 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 folios 3-17. The volume concerns:
- Appreciations [reports] and intelligence summaries from the Directorate of Military Operations dated 2 December 1917 (ff 49-50), 9 December (ff 156-157)
- Reinforcements for Force D, including supplies of medical officers, horses, mules, and railway staff
- Captured arms and ammunition (ff 159-165)
- Movements of Turkish [Ottoman] and German troops
- Exchange of prisoners with Turks at Berne
- Supplies to Force D, including the problems of supplying petrol
- Attack on the enemy on 3 December on Jebel Hamrin [Jabal Hamrin]
- The possibility of postponing the dredging of the Shatt-el-Arab [Shatt al-Arab]
- Transfer of the 7th division in Mesopotamia to Egypt
- Occupation of Qurah Tappah [Qarah Tapah], Qizil Robat [As Sa‘diyah], and Khanaqin
- Supply and transport ships
- Reports from the Royal Flying Corps of machines in service and pilots available
- Concerns over supplies reaching the Turks from Koweit [Kuwait]
- A scheme to supply frozen meat to British troops
- Correspondence between Mr A Monteath and the Admiralty on the subject of the Thomson Cherry Commission enquiring into shipping between India and Mesopotamia
- A proposal to form a Directorate of Irrigation
- Post offices and returned letters
- Sentences given to members of the Ghadr [Ghadar] party captured in Baghdad.
The following tables appear:
- Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of: lines of communication; general organisation; and names of General Officers and Brigade Commanders (ff 18-31)
- Ration strength of Force D on 3 November 1917 (ff 42-46), 17 November (ff 111-113), 10 November 1917 (ff 137-140)
- Weekly return of sick and wounded dated 17 November (f 65), 24 November (ff 152-153)
- Distribution of the Turkish Army on 4 December 1917 (ff 70-72), 11 December 1917 (ff 180-182)
- Distribution of Force D on 11 November 1917 (ff 76-80)
- State of supplies on 1 December 1917 (ff 86-87, 116-117), 8 December (ff 187-189), 9 December (ff 268-269)
- Monthly distribution report of motor vehicles on 1 October 1917 (ff 128-134)
- Strength return for Force D on 27 October 1917 (ff 97-99), 9 December 1917 (ff 190-192), 3 November (ff 262-264).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (274 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 276; 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. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 3-274; these numbers are printed and are located in the bottom centre of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Dimensions: 21 x 33cm
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 41. PART I. (From 1st to 31st December 1917).’ [240r] (484/556), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3289, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100140786961.0x000055> [accessed 27 August 2024]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3289
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 41. PART I. (From 1st to 31st December 1917).’
- Pages
- 222r:227r, 230r:240r, 243r:244r, 257r:261r, 261r:262r
- Author
- Monteath, Alexander McLaurin
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