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'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [‎550v] (1111/1386)

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The record is made up of 1 file (687 folios). It was created in 1915-1918. 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. .

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Lahore Division will probably commence embarking about llth .Decembei, but I
Avill keep you informed.
Question of a 5th Division presents difficulties, and I cannot reply uni d W ar
Office have examined the problem. Troops cannot be diverted Irom hast Af rica.
Xo. 7.
Telegram to the Government of India,
dated Sth December 11) I d.
3192. Reference your telegram of 6 th instant, 11. 96b). Am 1 correct in
supposing that the additional Division pressed for by Dixon is required only for the
eventual advance on Baghdad ?
No. 8 .
Telegram from Sccrctamj of Stale for India to 1 tecroij(dated
3191. Essential that we should receive full information regarding situation in
Mesopotamia for consideration by War Committee. Please instruct Nixon to telegraph
his own and Townshend’s views regarding measures to be adopted, feasibility of
holding Nut pending reinforcement, or intention to retire to some other selected
position. Would latter course mean grave loss of stores and inanitions ?
(2) Are communications now threatened or likely to lie interrupted (faringpassage
of reinforcements or retirement, and, if so, in what area?
3) What troops are now at Amara and en route? Also at Kurna, Basra,
Nasiriyah, and Ahwaz ?
( 4 ) Please indicate intrenched position at Kut with reference to Tigris, Shatt, Nut
town and Sinn, and have we boat bridge giving command of both banks ?
(o) Have we accumulated supplies and munitions at Amara or elsewhere en line,
tliu facilitating reinforcement ?
( 6 ) Have Turks heavy guns superior to ours?
(7) Besides ‘‘Firefly ” and “Comet” have Turks captured or destroyed ships,
barges, and aeroplanes, and how many ? Enemy boasts many captures.
( 8 ) Any other points elucidating situation such as health/'troops, temper of
population, state of river/and weather, number of steamers/and flats available for '^
transporting troops. , . ' C/
No. 9.
Telegram from Viceroy to Secretary of State for IndiaAdated
9/h December 1915. -
If. 9658. Your telegram of the 6 th instant, 3185. We are sending Force “ D,”
N <s. 72 and 77 Heavy Batteries, Royal Garrison Artillery. These are armed with
four fWnch B.L. howitzers per battery. No more heavy guns or howitzers can be
soured from India ; if any can be sent from England they would be very useful.
Vl/vA'A-
No. 10.
Telegram from Viceroy to Secretary of Slate for India,Dialed
9th December 1915. >«.—

Mi. 9687. Reference to your telegram of the S'h December regarding 5th
f it* General Nixon. This 5th Division is required in any ease.
i hvisiont
No. 11.
Telegram from Secretary of State for India
Wt'k December 1915.
320 a Your telegram of the 9th instant, IT. 9687. Request for 5th Division for
Nixon. Having regard to the pressing demands for i coops in other theatres it will ! e
most difficult for War Office to comply. Further, experience shows that newlv-fornird
divisions of now armies must not be suddenly thrust into active operations without
gradual training under lire among older troops.
teerpy
cd

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Content

This file contains working drafts of confidential prints, correspondence and telegrams from the room of Sir Edmund Barrow, Military Secretary in the 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. , collected for the Mesopotamian Commission which was convened to examine the causes of the besieging and surrender of the Indian Expeditionary Force in Kut-el-Amara [Al Kūt].

The papers cover a range of topics and include the following: General Townshend's assessment of the situation after the Battle of Kut-el-Amara; a précis of correspondence relating to the origins and development of the Mesopotamia expedition; and a collection (ff 396-399) of private telegrams between the Secretary of State for India and the Viceroy, prior to the outbreak of war with Turkey.

The file also includes some tables showing the strength of General Townshend's force at Ctesiphon (folio 111) as well as the Indian Expeditionary Force 'D' (In Mesopotamia) Troops of the 6th Poona Division (folio 114).

Correspondents include: General Sir John Nixon; Major-General Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend; the Viceroy of India; officials of the Admiralty; officials of the War Office.

Extent and format
1 file (687 folios)
Arrangement

The entries are recorded in chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 686; 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. Multiple additional mixed foliation/pagination sequences are present in parallel; these numbers are written in crayon and pencil; where they are written in pencil and circled, they are crossed through.

The file has one foliation anomaly, f 374A.

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English in Latin script
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'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [‎550v] (1111/1386), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/5/768, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100116195933.0x000072> [accessed 27 February 2025]

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