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'Railways - Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communication] Policy' [90r] (179/204)
The record is made up of 1 file (100 folios). It was created in 18 May 1917-21 Dec 1917. 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.
2 ,
V
October to work off these shortages and every effort is
being mads to obtain the men, schools having been started for
several categories. Points-men have not been included as it
is understood that these are being trained in Mesopotamia,
we are sending all that are forthcoming. Officers aro
available to meet all present known demands. As regards
last paragraph of (?) your telegram please bear in mind
uhat unless you soxvo unloading problem at Basrah provision
here of personnel and materi©.! will not achieve result hoped
for. In conceiving that allotment of 7,000 tons freight a
month will suffice for all your railways and I.W.T.needs,
you much underestimate in our opinion the weights of permanent
way and rolling stock. For standard gauge 260 tons per
road
mile of raod must be allowed without rolling stock. We
await your reply on that point to telegram 50444 of July 25th
we note that on July 22nd and July 23rd respectively Basrah
unloaded but 2,134 and 2,384 tons.
Aadressed G.0.0.Mesopotamia, repeated War Office.
Copies to:- ARMY COUNCIL
D.M.O
M.R.l
M.R.2A
D.I.W.D
M.0.2A
S.R.l
D.G.M.R
About this item
- Content
The file, marked secret, contains correspondence and notes regarding rail and river transportation for the Mesopotamian campaign during the First World War. The papers cover a number of matters, including:
- Strategic considerations of the use of rail and river communications
- Supply of railway materials, rolling stock, and personnel to Mesopotamia [Iraq] from India, other parts of the British Empire, and allied territories
- Problems with unloading and shipping congestion at Basra
- Progress of railway construction, including weekly reports from the General Officer Commanding or Director of Railways to the War Office, starting from August 1917
- Capacity estimates (for troops, food, ammunition, and materials) and efforts to increase it
- Complaints of shortages of railway stock and personnel in India due to the demand in Mesopotamia
- Preparations for a commission, led by Sir Henry Francis Edward Freeland, to be sent to review rail and river transportation in Mesopotamia
- Questions of flooding and damming of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Correspondents include: the Commander-in-Chief, India; the Chief of the Imperial General Staff; the General Officer Commanding, Mesopotamia; the War Office; the Director of Railways, Mesopotamia; the War Section, Army Department, Government of India; and Major General Sir Henry Francis Edward Freeland.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (100 folios)
- Arrangement
The file is arranged in chronological order, from the rear to the front.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 102; 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; these numbers are written in coloured crayon and pencil; where they have been written in pencil and circled, they have been crossed through.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Railways - Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communication] Policy' [90r] (179/204), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/5/787, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100098482356.0x0000b4> [accessed 9 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/5/787
- Title
- 'Railways - Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communication] Policy'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:101v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence