![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [‎135r] (274/500)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x000213/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3293_0274.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [‎135r] (274/500)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [135r] (274/500)
The record is made up of 1 volume (246 folios). It was created in 4 Jan 1918-14 Feb 1918. 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.
The total number of men examined on January 7th and 8th, 1918. was
594—
Class A
Class (A )
Class B
Class C
145
247
93
109
Since August 1917, the 49th Bengali Battalion has been camped on the
outskirts of Baghdad on a well drained site near the river, sheltered by palm
trees. They have been housed in E. P, tents without overcrowding. They
have had a scale of rations specially laid down for them. Extra milk, and
extra fresh vegetables, beyond that allowed to other Indian troops, have
been issued to them. The battalion has had a carefully regulated training
during the time they have been in Mesopotamia, and the men have been given
no severe test of physical endurance.
In spite of the good conditions under which these troops have been living,
the sickness rates have been high. Thus, since their arrival in August 1917,
502 men have been sent from the battalion into the stationary hospitals in
I. E. E. “ D.”
The average daily rate of men reporting sick to the regimental medical
officer has been high. Thus for December 1917, apart from inoculation and
vaccination attendances the average daily attendance, was 63.
The infectious disease figures have been high. Thus, the figures have
been for :
Chicken pox
Cerebro-spinal fever
Small-pox
Measles
Mumps
and the camp has been placed in quarantine since December 20fch, 19X7*
Signs of pyorrhoea were present in 121 men.
i, ....
62
9
2
11
o
i
Signs of anaemia were present in 58 men.
Apart from actual fighting, the battalion is not in our opinion, from a
medical point of view, fii to undergo the physical hardships of men at the
front or undergo conditions such as they would be called upon to face during
operations, e.g., no tents, operation scale of rations, and frequent marching,
the sickness rate would be likely to become very high, and a large proportion
of the men would probably be invalided to hospital.
Taking the battalion as a whole, at the time of the examination, the men
are not likely to become fit for active service at the front.
W. H. WILLCOX, Colonel, A. D. M. S.,
Consulting Physician, I. E. E- “ D.”
C. SHEPHERD, Captain, R. A. M. C.
& M. 0. Garrison.
Word Code telegram No. Q.-S359, dated 6th February 1918. APPENDIX 151.
(Despatched 6-30 p.m., received 7 a,m., 7th February 1918.) (Tty. No. 10205)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D/* Baghdad,
To—The Secretary, War Office, London.
(Repeated Chief of the General Staff, Delhi, and Inspector General of Communications,
Basrah.)
In view of your 63317-M, R.-3-46 of 2nd February (Dy. No, 9136), I
should prefer to retain Ratsey for the present.
Working copy to M. S. C., Q. M. G.
Copy to A. G., M. B,, G. S. (M. 0. 1, S. D. 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 1 and 15 November 1917. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: Tables, telegrams, memoranda, and letters.
An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 3-17. The volume concerns:
- Military personnel issues, including: recruitment, training, and promotions
- The supply of food, ordnance, oil, construction materials, and other items to Force D
- British ‘punitive actions’ against the ‘offending tribes’ of Al Abbas near Samawah [As Samawah] and Albu Jassim [Al Bu Jasim] near Bani Said [Bani Sa‘id]
- British raiding and aerial bombardment of villages in Mesopotamia, including Shirwan Sakhal [Shakal] and Kelar [Kalar]
- River traffic in Mesopotamia
- Preparations for a meeting between Lieutenant-Generals Jan Smuts, Edmund Allenby, and William Marshall in Egypt, to discuss the ongoing war against Turkey [Ottoman Empire]
- Matters relating to Dunsterforce, including: the selection of officers and NCOs to join Dunsterforce; the dispatch of an Armoured Car Unit; and the movements of Major-General Lionel Dunsterville
- Railway construction in Mesopotamia
- Arrest of Sullaiman Mirza [Sulaymān Mīrzā A title of honour originally applied to princes, later to military leaders, and later still to secretaries, chieftains, and other ‘gentlemen’. ] and Isa Mirza [‘Īsá Mīrzā A title of honour originally applied to princes, later to military leaders, and later still to secretaries, chieftains, and other ‘gentlemen’. ] by British troops near Khanikin [Khanaqin]
- Intelligence concerning the activities of the Turkish [Ottoman] and German militaries
- A report on the military readiness of the 49th Bengal Infantry
- Unreliability of Bolshevik-influenced Russian troops in Persia [Iran]
- German propaganda campaigns in Persia
- A proposal for British officers to take command of the Persian Cossack Brigade
- Matters relating to the Caucasus, including: British attempts to create a local military force; British influence on the relationship between Armenians and ‘Tartars’ in the region; and problems caused by the ‘decidedly Bolshevik’ Russian fleet in the Caspian Sea
- Civil war in Russia.
The volume also contains:
- Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of: lines of communication; general organisation; and names of General Officers and Brigade Commanders (ff 18-30)
- Distribution of the Turkish Army dated 12 February 1918 (ff 208-211)
- Report of number of pilots, balloon officers, and aircraft available for service in Mesopotamia, 31 January 1918 (f 39), 7 February 1917 (f 141)
- State of supplies on 26 January 1918 (ff 43-44), 2 February 1918 (f 120, f 142-143), 9 February 1918 (ff 232-233)
- Strength statements of Force D, 24 November 1917 (ff 48-61), 29 December 1917 (ff 107-108)
- Ration strength of Force D, 31 January 1918 (ff 72-73), 12 January 1918 (ff 84-86), 29 December 1917 (ff 87-90), 19 January (ff 177-180), 5 January 1918 (ff 195-198)
- Supply requests for Force D, dated February 1918 (ff 62-63), March 1918 (f 149)
- Returns of sick and wounded dated 2 February 1918 (f 72), 19 January 1918 (ff 76-77), 26 January 1918 (ff 159-160)
- Proposed War Establishment for an Indian Infantry Battalion (ff 173-177)
- Distribution Report showing number and condition of motor vehicles with Force D, 1 December 1917 (ff 218-231).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (246 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 commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 248; 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 3-246; 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 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [135r] (274/500), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3293, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100142276887.0x00004b> [accessed 6 April 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3293
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:247v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence