'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.' [‎91v] (182/248)

176
^exclusive of beef available from 78 bulls of bullock
battery—each bull yields 600 lbs., ergo 18 additional
days’ rations at 3,000 lbs. per diem are available.)
Potatoes (at 6 oz. per diem.) ... ... I month
Onions (at 4 oz. per diem.) 1 month.
Tea and sugar, full supply.
Wood, deficiency, less than one month. (Troops put
on short rations already.)
Medical comforts—with economy one month. (Abun
dance of tinned milk.)
“ A.D.S. has purchased all tinned provisions (fish,
sausages, etc.), procurable in bazars and from Sas
soon & Co.”
118. A large quantity of dates were found in the town,
collected and issued from time to time, and served a very
useful purpose when all sugar and butter were exhausted.
An issue of 3 ounces twice a week was made from Decem
ber 18th, 1915, and of 11 oz. daily from March 1st until
they were exhausted about March 20th, 1916.
Eirom December 18th, 2 ounces of rice were given to
British and Indian troops twice a week.
119. “December 29th. Had a long conversation with
the A.D.S. as to how the rations were holding out. There
are the following :—
“ Abundance of flour, atta, ghi, dhall, bacon, butter,
cheese ; onions and potatoes (6 oz.) about 8 days. There
is no more fresh meat so that from to-morrow tinned meat
has to be issued. A certain number of animals are kept
for the sick and wounded.
“ There is over 14,000 lbs. condensed milk, abundance
oatmeal, jam, dates, 48 lbs. Bovril, and a certain amount
of stimulants.
“ British troops have been receiving 12 oz. of fresh
meat up to date daily; Indian troops have only had 3
issues. Beer has been issued to British troops up to
date, but is now exhausted. A ration of rum can be issued.
This is done at discretion of the G.O.C. Brigades.”
120. Green vegetables were procurable in the bazars
until the middle of January, but the regular issue of these
to troops and followers had to be discontinued towards
the end of December.
“ January 20th, 1916. As tea is running short, issue to
Indian troops and followers has been stopped and British
troops put on half allowance (£ oz.) daily. The deprivation
of tea was greatly felt by the Indian units and specially
by the weak men in hospital.” An issue of coffee was
made every third day to British troops in lieu of tea from
February 9th. Small supplies of tea for the sick and
wounded were obtained a few days later, amd whenever
it appeared in the bazars it was bought by the C.O.’s
of Medical Units.
121. The beef of the 2 heavy battery bullocks and horse
flesh were commenced on January 29th on alternate days.
There was a prejudice against eating horse-flesh amongst
all Indian troops except Gurkhas, who ate it from the
first day of issue ; gradually other classes of Indians began
using it, especially Mohammedans ; it was with difficulty
that Mahrattas and Sikhs were induced to take to it ;
Rajpoots and Mahrattas held out longest and ran down
most.
Under the G.O.C. Division’s instructions, I issued the
following:—
“ Kut, February 5th, 1916. It has unfortunately
become necessary to employ horse-flesh in the rations,
and the following remarks are published with the view
to remove any prejudices that may exist against it as
an article of food.
“ The horse is a clean animal, and essentially a vege
table feeder. It will not eat unclean food nor drink
impure water. Its flesh is wholesome, digestible and prac
tically in every respect as nutritious as that of any animal
we are accustomed to eat. It contains all the nutritive
principles or chemical constituents that the flesh of other
edible mammalia does, and those troops who have a’ready
eaten it here, like it. In the absence of flesh food, troops
will run down, be more susceptible to disease, especially
to scurvy and beriberi. Both of these diseases have
already given rise to a certain amount of inefficiency.
In the case of Indian troops the absence of dhall and gur
from the rations will have a detrimental effect on their
condition in due course.
“ It is natural that everything possible should be done
to keep our troops in good health, and the use of horse
flesh is one of the means which will considerably aid in
this direction.”
122. On January 7th, I spoke to the A.D.S. again re
rations. “ The only fresh vegetable being issued was
beans. 1 recommended that British troops receive
pickles and that all Indian troops and followers get £ oz.
lime-juice everj' second day.
123. On January 22nd, the rations consisted of:—
British.
Bread
Meat
Butter or cheese ...
Potato meal
Pickles
Jam
Dates
Tea
Sugar
Salt
Ginger
Fuel
12 oz.
8 „
3 „
2 „
1 ,,
3 „
2 „
* „
i „
* »
2 lbs
Atta
Rice
Gur
Ghee
Ginger
Dhall
Chillies ...
Garlic
Dates
Potato meal
Salt
Fuel
Indian.
8 oz.
8 „
1 >.
2 „
A „
2 „
i »
l „
3
2
i »
1 lb.
“February 5th, 1916. Yesterday afternoon in con
sultation with the A.Q.M.G. and A.D.S., arranged that
the cereal food for troops should consist of —British
£ wheaten flour, £ atta and £ barley at once, and Indians
| atta, £ barley.”
124. Great difficulty was experienced over fuel for
cooking rations. After all brushwood had been cut, and
all available timber of houses used, we had to employ
crude oil (there was a large stock of this), for which special
stoves had to be constructed.
An issue of J lb. of barley meal was made to Indian
troops and followers from February 6th. This was in
addition to that in the rations.
125. On February 8th I noted in my diary : “ A few
days ago, 367 kerosine oil tins full of ghi were found
walled up in one of the Native Officers wards of the Indian
General Hospital—taken over by Supply Service. Another
ward is full of barley—directed attention of A.D.S. to
this.”
From February 10th, British troops’ bread was made
from A wheaten flour and half atta. This continued
for 24 days, after which the bread consisted of A wheaten
flour, and half barley flour for another 24 days.
From February 14th, Indian troops and followers
received A lb- atta and A lb- barley flour; from February
19th, they received 1 lb. of barley flour only.
126. “February 14th, 1916. At present about 28
days jam in stock for British troops at 2 oz. per diem.
As we have worked out the staple articles on a 48 days’
further siege, I recommended that jam be reduced to 1A
oz. for a week, and then to 1 oz. They are getting no
sugar.”
“ February 21st, 1916. Two ounces of oatmeal issued
every second day to British troops.”
“February 21st, 1916. The further decrease of the
cereal ration for Indian troops is being considered. The
position appears to be that the present issue amounts to 160
maunds a day, and we can only grind 120 maunds per diem;
there is a stored capital of (I understand), some 20 days’
supply of ground cereals. This latter is now being ex
pended to make up the difference between 120 and 160
maunds. If this arrangement continues the A.Q.M.G
says he can carry on up to the end of March on the present
ration. He does not hope to be able to grind more than
120 maunds per diem by any further improvements
in mechanisms.
127. “ In the original message sent by the G.O.C. to
Corps Headquarters he stated that we had grain to carry
on to April 17th. Personally I am strongly of opinion
that the cereal ration cannot further be reduced without
material deterioration in the ’physical condition, health
and resisting power to disease in our Indian garrison.