‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 15. Part 1. (From 1st to 15th October 1915).’ [‎129r] (262/272)

Regarding Indian officers and Indian troops similar information will
follow.
Cases of enteric fever have been few ; actual numbers will follow later.
Reports up to the end of April shew health of British and Indian troops to
be excellent. Bor whole force incidence of sickness was only 363 per cent.,
chief diseases being dysentery and malaria.
Health of troops has been bad since June; heat stroke, dysentery and
malaria have been the most prevalent. Percentage of sick for whole force on
2nd September was lO^, 8*5 per cent, of which was among British troops.
Preventive measures adopted are :—Supply to all troops, both British and
Indian, of mosquito nets and treatment of mosquito breeding places ; prophylac
tic issue of quinine and purification of water by chlorination, clarifying or
boiling.
For the whole force a Central Sanitary Committee has been formed as
under:—
President.
Deputy Director of Medical Services.
Members.
Commanding Royal Engineer, Officer Commanding, Sanitary Section. In
Basrah, Ashar, Amarah and Nasiriyah sanitary organisations under committees
have been established through this agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. . The Officer Commanding, Sanitary
Section, assisted by officers with expert experience are carrying out a general
malaria survey.
At Basrah the British and Indian General Hospitals, although not suitable
for use of gauze netting, are provided with electric fans and lights and each bed
has a mosquito net.
The above has reference to your telegram No. 3079 (Dy. A 7 o. 23321-A.),
dated 9 th October.
Record copy to D. M. S.
120
APPENDIX 238
{Dy. No. 24346)
Telegram P., No. §082, dated 14th October 1915.
(Received in War Section, 15th October 1915.)
From—The Secretary of State for India.
To—The Viceroy (Army Department).
One thousand five hundred of the reinforcements referred to in my tele
gram of 30th August 1915, No. 3035 (Dy. No. S-19854), have now been
diverted to the Mediterranean.
Their replacement as quickly as possible has however been promised by
the War Office.
Working copy to A. G.
Copy to M. S. C„ G. S. (M. O. 1, M. O. 2).
Telegram P., No. S.-24347, dated 15th October 1915. APPENDIX 239
(Despatched 6-30 p.m.) (Dy- No. 24347.)
From—The Chief of the General Staff,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D”, General Headquarters'(through Basrah).
Arrangements are being made for the supply of twelve motor cycles with
side cars for machine guns. Please state for what pattern machine gun they
should be adopted. Supply of personnel being arranged. There are no mobile
kitchen cars, which can also be utilised for making ice, available in India. In
kitchen cars used by 'War Office the outturn of ice is only five pounds per
hour, which during the hot weather in Mesopotamia, would be useless. If you
require portable ice making plant it would probably be preferable to use a good
sized plant mounted on lighter or barge. If mobile kitchen car is required,
please say what is the permissible weight of the vehicle, and for how many
persons it should be able to cook.