‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’

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 March 1917. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, tables, and memoranda containing instructions and reports.

The volume mostly relates to:

• Reinforcements and labour requirements of Force D
• Supplies for Force D, including: river craft, weapons, ammunition, rations, trains, and railway construction materials
• Lists of sick and wounded soldiers
• Prisoners of war
• Updates from the Tigris line, especially at Baghdad, Samarrah [Samarra], and Bakuba [Baqubah, also rendered in text as Bakubah]
• Updates from the Khanikin [Khanaqin] front, especially at Khanikin, Shahroban [Al Miqdadiyah], and the area around the Dialah [Diyala, also rendered in text as Dialha] river
• Updates from the Euphrates line, especially at Samawah [As Samawah] and Fallujah [Al Fallujah, also rendered in text as Felujah]
• Updates from the Russo-Turkish fronts in the Caucasus region and in Persia [Iran]
• Turkish [Ottoman] forces: movements; intelligence from deserters; reported difficulties with supplies and communication; details of commanders; re-organisation of troops; and distributions on week ending 20 March (ff 39-40) and week ending 27 March (f 120)
• Discussions about co-operating with Russian forces on certain operations
• Discussions about Force D’s priority being the consolidation of their position in Baghdad, including: planned communications with the population; approaches to taking over from the Turkish administration; and the completion of railway connections to the city
• Possibility of advancing along Euphrates to Samawah
• Intelligence provided by the Caucasus Military Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
• Intelligence about German troops
• Reports of the Royal Flying Corps
• Progress of railways construction
• Situation in Persia, particularly discussions around the decision to return the Bushire [Bushehr] force to the command of the Commander-in-Chief in India.

The volume also contains:

• Appreciations [reports] from the Directorate of Military Operations summarising the situation in Mesopotamia on 18 March (ff 21-24) and on 25 March (ff 76-77)
• Two diaries of information from 3 March (ff 83-99) and 10 March (ff 100-111), covering: climate and floods; prisoners of war; inland water transport; the Army Ordnance Corps (Basrah [Basra]); aviation; sanitary reports; tribal confederations of the Tigris; customs duties in Iraq; photographs; and railways in Mesopotamia.

A summary and index to the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3272.

Whilst the volume contains copies of earlier material dating from 15 January 1917 onwards, the bulk of the material dates from March 1917.

Extent and format

1 volume (143 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 145; 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 3-143; 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

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

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.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3273

Former external reference(s)

Volume 32. PART II.

History of this record

Date(s)

15 Jan 1917-31 Mar 1917 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

RailwaysReportsMilitary suppliesMilitary operationsMilitary intelligence

Places

MesopotamiaPersiaBaghdad

People & organisations

Mesopotamia Expeditionary ForceChief of the General StaffCommander-in-ChiefWar OfficeWar Office, Director of Military IntelligenceGeneral Officer Commanding, Egypt

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Cite this record in your research

‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3273, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff> [accessed 29 December 2024]

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