'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [‎590r] (1191/1386)

V ' Extract from Letter from Mr. Chamberlain to the Viceroy, ^
For
i'revious
v'opoi't see
List of
Casual^/ .
- X
/,
dated 2nd March 1916.
<5b
Ju
Will in gd on writes to me that the resources of Bombay are being a good
eal strained by the arrival of so many wounded. I wish you would jwess
upon the Commander-in-Chief the desirability of visiting Bombay himself,
ii that be possible, or if not, of sending down some high officer of the
requisite authority and possessing his confidence who would report to him
iidly on the condition of affairs there. 1 think that such a report should be
oi great use, not merely in relation to the hospitals but in regard to all the
arrangements existing at Bombay for the supply and transport of the troops,
it does seem to me a very strange thing that no visit of the kind should have
been paid to Bombay since the war began.
rr* -
thought it frelt to tolegrapfi to you yesterday" w
the contents of a private telegram from Lake to
Beauchamp Duff, since it gave a co/riprehensive view
of the situation as regards medical comforts in
hesonotarnia and quite a reasonable erolanation of
how the shortage of medical equipment and personnel
had occurred, which 1 fear, has been the cause of
so much suffering amongst the troops. Lake appears
to be quite hooeiuly for the future and to consider
that there is an ample supply of medical requisites.
1 hope that he is correct m hi a anticipations;
but, of course, much will depend on the number of
our casualties, and I anticipate that these will be
heavy if we succeed in striking home.
N
&r c y\GijkJt .— rvvn t -'*i ^
K
(s'
3rd Larch 1916.
Since river transport is the crux of the whole
^ situation in Mesopotamia, it may interest jrcu
to see the accompa.nying monthly report, that is
supplied to me by the Army Department, of the pro-
Kress made in procuring steamers, tags, barges", &c #
It shows that every effort is being made out" here
wo cope with the situation, and, although the critic
ray ask why these steps had not been taken earlier,
the obvious reply is that till the end of November
Iasi we had only two divisions in Mesopotamia with
no hope of more, while now we have seven divisions
i n ai ^‘ ere certainly was absolutely no reason
last boyember to anticipate that we should have
seven divisions in Mesopotamia. —
A
loth Larch 1916.
Ju.
You may be interested to see the terns of
„ reference given to Sir ..illiam Vincent and
ueneral Bindley, who have been sent to investigate
and report upon the organisation for dealin* with
the wounded and sick in 1 ; esopotamia. I enclose
them herewith.
These are two very first-class officers, and
i am confident that the work will be well done. I
have no hesitation in saying that I was greatly
disappointed over Sur-eon-General KacNeece’s
mission to Basrah. He was evidently "got round" by
Nixon, who told him that all the members of the
Hoyal Army Medical Corps had behaved splendidly,
and that there was no cause for complaint. He‘,
being a Hoyal Army Medical Corps man himself, was
nalurally delightwd to accept this. This, I happen
to know, is what actually took place.