‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART II. (From 16th to 28th February 1919.)’ [86r] (180/254)
The record is made up of 1 volume (123 folios). It was created in 11 Jan 1919-28 Feb 1919. 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.
APPENDIX 371.
DIARY No. 14766.
Word Code Telegram No. 0.-532, dated £5th February 1919.
(Despatched 8-25 p.m., received 5-50 p.m., 25th February 1919)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force a D”, Baghdad,
To—The Secretary, War Office, London.
(Repeated Chief of the General Staff, Delhi.)
Reference War Office 47-698 (S. D. 4) (N. R. W. S.), January 9th.
P. and B. T. School is now being closed temporarily. I propose to send
Acting Captain Ashley Smith, Superintendent (vide Secretary, War Office,
1781 M.S.I.A. (N. R. W. S.) January 28th) to Aldershot to learn latest
methods of instruction in Physical Culture returning to Baghdad by Ootober
when Physical Training School will reopen. Ashley Smith is officer of
Indian Army on probation and has not completed period of 10 months’ pro
bation though as an A. R. O. he has served over one year at Depot and
over 1 year with Unit in Mesopotamia, his C. O. reports that he is suitable
for retention in Indian Army. Please wire approval.
Working copy to M. S. 0.
Copy to G. S. (M. T. 1).
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 28 February 1919. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, memoranda, tables, and letters.
An index to the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3317. The volume concerns:
- Military personnel issues, including the granting of leave, promotions, nominations for Staff Officer positions, and conditions for garrison units
- Supply of food, artillery, construction materials, and other items to Force D
- Reductions of planned supply shipments to Force D
- Matters relating to the demobilisation of Force D, including: shipment of troops from Mesopotamia to India and the United Kingdom; provision of civilian clothing for demobilised troops; and the disposal of surplus stores and motor vehicles
- Repatriation of non-Turkish prisoners of war
- Nomination of Indian officers for honorary ranks in the British Indian Army
- Discussion of conflict between Bin Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Āl Sa‘ūd] and King Hussein [Al-Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī]
- Discussion of coordination of British policy in Mesopotamia, South Persia [Iran] and Maskat [Muscat]
- Arrangements for financing the army of occupation in post-war Mesopotamia
- Discussion of future political system of Mesopotamia, including need to ‘prevent Arab nationalism from being drawn into opposition to British control’
- Construction of railways in Mesopotamia
- British assessments of Mesopotamian public opinion
- Appointment of a Commercial Secretary in Mesopotamia
- Testing and disposal of malfunctioning ammunition
- Reports of ‘dissatisfaction’ among soldiers in Force D regarding pace of demobilisation
- Withdrawal of British forces from Trans-Caspia [Turkmenistan] to Meshed [Mashhad]
- British occupation of Krasnovodsk [Turkmenbashi]
- Arming of ‘friendly Turcomans’ in Trans-Caspia
- Dispatch of naval vessels from India for service in northern Russia
- Construction and maintenance of roads in Persia
- Supplying of captured Turkish [Ottoman] ordnance to the Persian Government
- Tensions between the Persian Government and the Jangali [Jangalī] Movement.
The volume also contains:
- Strength return of Force D on 11 January 1919 (f 23)
- Ration strength of Force D on 11 January 1919 (ff 109-114), 25 January 1919 (ff 32-35), February 1 1919 (ff 106-109)
- Programme for March despatch of British troops from Mesopotamia (f 48)
- Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of lines of communication, general organisation, and post-war garrison units (ff 53-62)
- State of supplies on 17 February 1919 (ff 64-65)
- Firing test results and summary for 18-pounder shrapnel ammunition (ff 90-97)
- Weekly return of sick and wounded dated 18 January 1919 (ff 98-99).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (123 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 121; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.
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 55. PART II. (From 16th to 28th February 1919.)’ [86r] (180/254), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3318, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100141313468.0x0000b5> [accessed 27 March 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3318
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART II. (From 16th to 28th February 1919.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1r:121v, ii-r:ii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence