!['HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME IV.' [‎58r] (120/540)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100025551863.0x000001/IOR_L_MIL_17_15_66_4_0122.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME IV.' [‎58r] (120/540)")
'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME IV.' [58r] (120/540)
The record is made up of 1 volume (266 folios). It was created in 1927. 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.
INSTRUCTIONS TO GENERAL MARSHALL 87
On the 22nd November the Chief of the Imperial General
ot 3 .it sent General Marshall the following telegram i
,9 n . y°. UT ass umption of the command in Mesopotamia
I think it advisable to recapitulate the instructions
issued to your predecessor.
“ 1. The prime mission of your force is the establish
ment and maintenance of British influence in the Baghdad
vilayet. Your mission is, therefore, primarily defensive,
but, while making every possible preparation to meet
attack, you should take advantage of your central position
and of the superiority of your communications over those
of the enemy to make your defence as active as possible
and to strike at the enemy whenever he gives you an
opportunity of doing so with success.
“2. You are further charged with the protection of the
pipe lines and oil-fields in the vicinity of the Kanin river,
and with denying hostile access to the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
!
You should ensure that hostile parties do not work down
south across the line Shushtar-Isfahan.
“3. As regards the Russians, the political situation in
that country is so obscure as to make it impossible at
present to formulate any definite plans, but you should
endeavour to enlist the co-operation of the Russians in
blocking the Persian frontier, and are authorised to
supply such portion of General BaratofTs force as may
come forward to the Persian frontier, if you can do so
without detriment to the maintenance of your own force.
“4. It is important to enlist the co-operation of the
Arab tribes in your theatre, and induce them to harass the
enemy’s communications and refuse him supplies. For
this an active propaganda, which should make the most
of our recent successes in Palestine and Mesopotamia,
should be undertaken. As to this you will consult and
be guided by Sir Percy Cox.
“5. As far as it is possible to judge the situation here,
the destruction of the enemy’s advanced bases at Ramadi
and Tikrit, together with the successes gained in Palestine
and the consequent diversion of enemy’s reserves to that
theatre, make it impossible for the enemy to bring against
you this year a force sufficient to threaten you seriously,
and make it doubtful whether he can do so before the hot
weather of 1918. Much depends on the extension of the
enemy’s railway to Mosul, and it is important to obtain
all possible information as to this, as well as to get timely
About this item
- Content
The volume is the fourth volume of an official government publication compiled at the request of the Government of India, and under the direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence, by Brigadier-General Frederick James Moberly. The volume was printed and published at His Majesty's Stationery Office, London.
The contents provide a narrative of the operations of 1914-1918 in Mesopotamia, based mainly on official documents.
The volume is in one part, entitled, 'Part V. The Campaign in Upper Mesopotamia, 1917-1918 - North-West Persia and the Caspian, 1918', and consists of the following ten chapters:
- May, June and July 1917
- August and September 1917: The Capture of Ramadi
- October to December 1917 - Occupation of the Jabal Hamrin, Action of Tikrit and Death of General Maude
- January to March 1918: Dunsterville's Mission and the Action of Khan Baghdadi
- April and May 1918: Operations in Kurdistan and Arrangements to Counter the Turco-German Threat beyond our Northern Flank
- British Plans to Stop the Enemy's Advance into Persia and to Obtain Control of the Caspian
- The Fall of Baku
- British Advance up the Tigris: Actions of Fat-Ha Gorge and on the Little Zab
- The Battle of Sharqat and the Armistice
- Conclusion
The volume also includes fourteen maps, entitled:
- The Middle East
- Mesopotamia
- Map 34 - Operations near Ramadi: July and September 1917
- Map 35 - Operations in the Jabal Hamrin: October and December 1917
- Map 36 - Actions at Daur and Tikrit: 2nd and 5th November 1917
- Map 37 - Operations on the Euphrates line: March 1918
- Map 38 - Action of Khan Baghdadi: 26th March 1918
- Map 39 - Operations in the Kifri-Kirkuk area: April and May 1918
- Map 40 - The Cavalry affair of the 27th April 1918, and the action of Tuz Khurmatli, 29th April 1918
- Map 41 - Operations of "Dunsterforce", 1918
- Map 42 - Operations at Baku, August-September 1918
- Map 43 - Operations on the Tigris: 18th-30th October 1918
- Map 44 - Action by 7th Cavalry Brigade near Hadraniya: 29th October 1918
- Map 45 - Battle of Sharqat, 29th October 1918
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (266 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume contains a preface (folios 5-6), a chronological summary of the campaign in Mesopotamia (folios 7-8), a list of contents (folios 8-11), a list of maps and illustrations (folios 11-12), appendices (folios 197-232), an index (folios 233-254), and twelve maps in a pocket attached to the inside back cover (folios 256-267).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 268; 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. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME IV.' [58r] (120/540), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/4, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100049244984.0x000079> [accessed 31 March 2025]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100049244984.0x000079
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_100049244984.0x000079">'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME IV.' [‎58r] (120/540)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100049244984.0x000079"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100025551863.0x000001/IOR_L_MIL_17_15_66_4_0122.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_100025551863.0x000001/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/4
- Title
- 'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME IV.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:2v, 4r:186v, 188r:255v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence