Skip to item: of 274
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

'Railways Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communications] Policy, Vol. II' [‎44r] (87/274)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 file (135 folios). It was created in 3 Dec 1917-24 Jun 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.

Apply page layout

/
SECRET
From D« of Railways, Baghdad
To D. of Railways.
Despatched 2.15 p.m. 15th April, 191Q
Received 11 a.m. 16th April, 1918.
X.8065. 15th
•Your 56273/U.R.2 ,a/ 450 April 15th. Extension to
Khanikin will follow approximately Dialha river via Xizilrooat.
Through Tjebel Hamrin there are about 6 miles heavy work but
no serious difficulty and where hills approach Dialha 10 miles
north of Kizilrobat about 3 miles leas heavy work. Remainder
of line quite easy and have got ruling grade ^ % throughout
except for short section of 3 miles through Gebel Hamrin,
where alternative alignments are still under survey. An
alignment crossing Gebel Hamrin further east was surveyed but
as it would involve 20 miles additional length of line 1%
graae and little compensating advantage it was rejected,
Kasrishirin to Khanikin not yet surveyed for railway but
existing surveys indicate fairly heavy work. At present
railway survey beyond Khanikin not contemplated. I foresee
that to get rails to Khanikin will take at least 9 months
but this depends on supply of local labour.
M.O.X, Copies to D.M.O.
M.0.2.
D.M.I.
C.2. Copy to

About this item

Content

The file, marked secret, contains correspondence and notes regarding rail and river transportation in Mesopotamia [Iraq] during the First World War. The papers cover several matters, including:

  • The construction, conversion, maintenance, and expansion of the railways in the region, including regular progress reports from the Director of Railways, Baghdad
  • Military operations targeting the Turkish railways in Palestine
  • Planning and progress of the Mesopotamia Transport Commission
  • Supply of railway materials, rolling stock, and personnel
  • Postwar railway policy in India and Mesopotamia
  • The question of substituting oil fuel for coal supply in river and rail transport.

Correspondents include: the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Egypt; the Chief of Imperial General Staff; Director of Railways, Baghdad; the War Office; the Commander-in-Chief, Army Headquarters, India; the Major General Sir Henry Francis Edward Freeland, Chairman of the Mesopotamia Transport Commission; the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Mesopotamia; the Chief of the General Staff, India; the Director General of Movements and Railways, War Office; and the Assistant Director of the Inland Water Transport, Mesopotamia.

Extent and format
1 file (135 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 137; 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.

Written in
English in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

'Railways Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communications] Policy, Vol. II' [‎44r] (87/274), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/5/788, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100098484043.0x000058> [accessed 15 July 2026]

Link to this item
Embed this item

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_100098484043.0x000058">'Railways Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communications] Policy, Vol. II' [&lrm;44r] (87/274)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100098484043.0x000058">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000465.0x0002ee/IOR_L_MIL_5_788_0087.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

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_100000000465.0x0002ee/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image