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'Railways Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communications] Policy, Vol. II' [100r] (199/274)
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.
/
23 A]
/
SECRET,
R r R A T I Q N S.
Handed in 23/1/18. C.p.-n.
Prom:- c. in C. India. Ren ° lv0d 2 W18. IC.S.p.m.
-o - C . I. G. S.
6864.
/
reference Freeland's X 6004 and G.O.C.Meeopotania 'o X 6005
both January 13th. The reasons adduced ^ Freeland and Marshall
for embarkinc on an additional line of railway in Mesopotamia
-re in my opinion open to strong objection both from an administra
tlVO &nd nllitary aspeot * «y reasons for expressing my dissent
from former point of view will be sent you in detail in: the course
of the next fev days. i ma ke the following remarks on the
military aspect (a) Marshall's ocinion tv^t* „„
pinion that no appreciable increai
in defence troops will be necessary for the adequate protection
of the railway he proposes fails to take into account that the
political control he claims to maintain over tribeamen on both
oidco of Euphrates may be materially weakened in the event of the
enemy moving in force towards us. The possession of 2 lines of
uni -ation might then Drove an embarrassment father than an
assistance if it became necessary to have strong detachments for
thoir protection, (b) Freeland's instructions conveyed in your
4YD«1 of December 14th laid down that a larger force was not
neoer eary during 1318. The date proposed by Marshall for comple
tion of the new lino viz September 1st, seems to ignore the above
*nd in fact to have been chosen on the basis that by that date he
HI roquir* a large increase to his fore. There is no evidence
at present to support thia.
Z'
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
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'Railways Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communications] Policy, Vol. II' [100r] (199/274), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/5/788, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100098484043.0x0000c8> [accessed 17 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/5/788
- Title
- 'Railways Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communications] Policy, Vol. II'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:136v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence