!['Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [‎16v] (32/248)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000912.0x0000b2/IOR_L_PS_20_257_0032.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [‎16v] (32/248)")
'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [16v] (32/248)
The record is made up of 1 volume (122 folios). It was created in 1906-1918. 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.
30
PART VL—THE ADVANCE FROM KUT TO CTESIPHON.
7. Notwithstanding the deficiencies of medical equipment and of transport, all the
wounded were evacuated and all the prisoners were taken to Kut. This was a remarkable
military achievement, carried out during a hazardous retreat against overwhelming odds
and with lines of communication threatened and at times cut by marauding Arabs. Great
credit is due to the medical officers for their devoted work in thus evacuating their wounded,
but many of those so moved suffered terribly, as the two prepared steamers could only
accommodate* a small proportion of them. (Later on we will particularise the nature of
these sufferings.) The remainder had to be put in any craft that was available and so
hurriedly that, as on. other occasions when vessels carrying up animals were utilised,
there was not time to clear them of their accumulation of filth and dung. General Town-
shend and his force in these exceptionally trying circumstances fully maintained their
previous splendid reputation, and if for the first time defeat instead of victory attended
their efforts, this was due to the exceptional difficulty of the military task imposed upon
them, for the numerical odds and adverse conditions with which they had to contend were
too much even for their fighting superiority.
8 . After full consideration, Sir John Nixon and General Townshend agreed that Kut
should be held by General Townshend and that his relief should be effected as quickly as
was possible with the reinforcements on the way from France and elsewhere. This decision
received the assent both of Simla and Whitehall. The sick, wounded, and prisoners
were evacuated and sent downstream to Basra. On the 6 th December the Cavalry
Brigade left Kut, and on the 7th the Turkish investment of that place was complete.
About this item
- Content
A signed proof, folios 1-100, plus additional material, folios 101-124. The cover bears the signature of Sir Arthur Hirtzel, Assistant Under-Secretary of State. The report has been annotated in blue pencil at various points.
Contents:
- 'Part I. Preface.
- 'Part II. Origin of Mesopotamia [Iraq] Expedition.'
- 'Part III. Advance from Basra to Kurna.'
- 'Part IV. The Advance to Amara [Al-'Amārah] and Kut [Al-Kūt].'
- 'Part V. Correspondence and Telegrams as to Advance on Baghdad.'
- 'Part VI. The Advance from Kut to Ctesiphon.'
- 'Part VII. Operations for Relief of Kut.'
- 'Part VIII. Armament, Equipment, Reinforcements, &c.'
- 'Part IX. Transport.'
- 'Part X. Medical Breakdown.'
- 'Part XI. Causes Contributing to the Errors of Judgement and Shortcomings of Responsible Authorities.'
- 'Part XII. Findings and Conclusions. Recommendations.'
- 'Separate Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP.'
- 'Appendix I. Vincent-Bingley Report.'
- 'Appendix II. Memorandum by Sir Beauchamp Duff.'
- 'Appendix III. Colonel Hehir's Account of the Siege of Kut-el-Amara.'
Additional material:
- Folio 101. Manuscript note [by Arthur Hirtzel] on net military expenditure.
- Folios 102-109. Copy of the East India (Army Administration), Further Papers regarding the Administration of the Army in India , 1906.
- Folios 110-115. Manuscript notes, titled 'Suggested redraft & amplification of second half of parag 1' [unknown hand].
- Folio 116. A clipping from the Daily Telegraph , Wednesday 4 July 1917, featuring an article titled 'Mesopotamia. Ex-Viceroy's Statement. The Medical Breakdown.'
- Folios 117-124. An expanded typescript version of Hirtzel's manuscript notes (folio 101).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (122 folios)
- Arrangement
A table of contents can be found at folio 4v.
An index can be found at folios 93-97.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 124; 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 present in parallel between ff 110-115; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume comprises a stitched pamphlet, and other stitched and loose-leaf material.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [16v] (32/248), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/257, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036338403.0x000021> [accessed 15 November 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100036338403.0x000021
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100036338403.0x000021">'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [‎16v] (32/248)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100036338403.0x000021"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000912.0x0000b2/IOR_L_PS_20_257_0032.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000912.0x0000b2/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/257
- Title
- 'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:115v, 117r:124v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence