'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.' [‎60v] (120/248)

118 PART XIL—FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
B. RecomxMendations.
must be created, if this latent force was for the future to be considered a real and not a
mere paper reserve.
We do not think that we have travelled outside our province in calling attention to
these important points, or in suggesting that into them and other germane matters investi
gation should be made by the Secretary of State for India and the Secretary of State
for War.
It is in our judgment most undesirable that the standard of efficiency in the Indian
Army should in any sense become inferior to that of the Army at home, or that the popu
larity of the Indian Army should be allowed to deteriorate through an excess of economical
zeal or a questionable system of supervision and-control.
Royal Indian Marine.
33. We feel strongly that the Royal Indian Marine Department requires reorganisation
frith a view to giving its Director a higher status and a staff adequate to his work.
Medical Reform.
34 The evidence put before us indicates the necessity for certain immediate changes in
the existing system of medical organisation in India, which we propose to enumerate.
35. We are of the opinion that:—
(а) The Director of Medical Services in India, in war-time especially, should have
far greater powers, than he at present possesses, to authorise expenditure and make pur
chases, and to delegate such power to his subordinates. The present elaborate system
of financial check and counter-check, and correspondence with other military depart
ments, before what is wanted can be obtained, has proved from its dilatoriness a real
danger in war-time.
(б) Whenever an expedition is sent overseas from India, responsible officers
should at once be located at the port of embarkation, with wide power to act. We
have referred elsewhere to the fact that the Commander-in-Chief never visited Bom
bay during the crisis of the campaign. Some of his staff did do so, but their visits
were spasmodic, and in no case had these officers power to give orders or settle impor
tant questions without further reference to Simla or Delhi. Further, all power being
concentrated at Headquarters the ruling authorities deprived themselves of the
value of being in constant touch with those going to, or returning from, Mesopotamia.
If it was true, as alleged, that the Headquarter Staff at Simla were tied to their secre
tariat work there, the Bombay Government was on the spot, and common-sense would
have suggested the delegation of authority to a Government so conveniently situated,
(c) At the port of embarkation the embarkation staffs should be responsible for
seeing that the equipment and personnel of each medical unit should not be separated
in different vessels, but embarked together in the same vessel. This rule was frequently
neglected at Bombay.
(d) There should be an immediate and general improvement in the whole standard
of comfort and accommodation in the hospitals for British troops in India. Surgeon-
General MacNeece stated “ even now there are practically not more than two or three
up-to-date military hospitals in India.” We are glad to note that the new war hospitals
in Bombay are reported by the Vincent-Bingley Commission as bearing favourable
comparison with any similar hospitals in the United Kingdom. This shows what can
be done in India when there is impulse to reform. We think it discreditable to the
Indian Government that the general standard of hospitals in India should fall below
the standard of efficiency now demanded in Military Hospitals at home. To assist in
reforming this state of things, we think that the R.A.M.C. or a corps on similar lines
should be available for service in all British Hospitals in India, and that a better and
more complete female nursing service should also be organised.
(e) As regards the medical treatment of Indian troops, no time should be lost in
substituting a Station Hospital system, for the present regimental treatment, “ I doubt,”
one I.M.S witness says to us, whether you gentlemen would consider that the Sepoys’
hospitals in peace-time in India are hospitals at all.” Sir Havelock Charles described
*hem as “a disgrace to the Government of India.” Surgeon-General MacNeece
states “ there are no well-equipped operating theatres, X-ray rooms, laboratories, etc.” ;