‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 41. PART I. (From 1st to 31st December 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 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

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/17/5/3289

Former external reference(s)

Volume 41. PART I.

History of this record

Date(s)

30 Aug 1917-5 Dec 1917 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Military suppliesMotor transportBattlesPetrolMilitary logisticsShippingMilitary occupation

Places

MesopotamiaEgypt

People & organisations

War OfficeMesopotamia Expeditionary ForceDirector of Military IntelligenceCommander-in-Chief, IndiaChief of the General Staff, India

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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 41. PART I. (From 1st to 31st December 1917).’, 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_100000000112.0x00020f> [accessed 8 July 2024]

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