![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 20. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1916.)’ [‎112r] (228/458)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001e7/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3249_0228.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 20. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1916.)’ [‎112r] (228/458)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 20. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1916.)’ [112r] (228/458)
The record is made up of 1 volume (225 folios). It was created in 17 Jan 1916-31 Mar 1916. 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.
It is regretted that another regular company of Sappers and Miners is not
available.
Record copy to G. S. (M. 0. 2),
Copy to A. G., Q. M. G., G. S. (M. 0. 1).
Telegram No. 1455-8-Q., dated 23rd March ]916. APPENDIX 601
(Despatched l]-50 received 12-45 p.m., 24th March 1918.) {Dy. No. 45136)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Basrah,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
In continuation of my telegram (Dy. No. 44696), March 21st, the 4 teak
motor boats offered in your telegram March 15th (Dy No. 43392) are accepted
and will take the place of 4 of the 8 steam pinnaces asked for in my telegram
February 13th, 1238-9-Q. (Dy. No. 38749), as there appears difficulty in obtain
ing this type of craft and the demand is a very pressing one.
Working copy to Q. M. G.
Telegram No. 45157, dated 24th March 1916. APPENDIX 602
(Despatched 6 p.m.) (Zty. No. 45157)
From—The Chief of the General Staff,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force u D,” Basrah.
Reference your 2360-Ord. (Dy. No 44680), March 21st.
Manufacture of observation ladders is being hastened as much as possible
and they will be despatched in consignments as ready.
Your further requirements are noted.
Record copy to D. G. 0.
Memorandum No. 1394-3-A., dated 12th March 1916. APPENDIX 603
(Received 24th March 1916.) {Dy. flo. 45159)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force, “D / 3 General Headquarters, Basrah,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
I forward herewith a scheme which has been put forward by my Brigadier
General, Royal Engineers, for the revision of the organisation of the Engineer
services at Basrah and on the lines of communication. I have had the
proposal under careful consideration, and in view of the magnitude of the
works to be undertaken and in progress, as well as the large expenditure
involved, I have formed the opinion that a smaller organisation would not
meet the requirements of the situation.
Pending receipt of sanction to the scheme, which I request may be
accorded at an early date, I have instructed the Brigadier General, Royal
Engineers, to commence work on the lines indicated.
2. The question of the provision of the extra officers required to carry
out the scheme is being dealt with in a separate communication.
Working copy to I) G. M. W.
Copy to M. S. G, G. S. (M. 0. 2).
Memorandum No. 180-5-E., dated 11th March 1916. {Enclosure to
From—The Brigadier General, Royal Engineers, Force “ D,” By. No. 45159)
To—The Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General.
Owing to the large addition to the force and the consequent increase in the
number ot Engineer officers, it has become necessary to revise the organisation
of the Engineer services at Basrah and on the Lines of Communication.
2. The scheme I propose is as follows :—
The Deputy Director of Works will have 4 Assistant Directors under him,
t?is , (i) Base, (ii) Engineer Field Park, (m) Advanced Base, (it?) Lines of
Communications. These officers should be Lieutenant Colonels. Also 3
About this item
- Content
The volume contains a chronological list of brief summaries of papers relating to the activities of the Indian Expeditionary Force D (also known as the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force) between 16 and 31 March 1916. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, letters, tables, and memoranda containing instructions and reports.
The volume mostly relates to:
- Reinforcements and supplies for Force D, including: weapons; ammunition; river craft; land vehicles; airplanes; animals; clothing; hospitals; chemicals; and tents
- Staff movements, salaries, promotions and status (e.g. sick, wounded, discharged, dead)
- Prisoners of war
- Situation in Turkey, in particular the anti-German feeling and Russian advances
- Updates from the Tigris line, especially around Kut [Al-Kut] and Hannah [Umm al Hannah] and with particular attention paid to the impact of flooding
- Updates from the Euphrates line
- Operations by the Russians in the Caucasus region
- Details of Turkish [Ottoman] forces, including: proposals for negotiations; distributions (ff 65-66); changes in command; and movements of troops
- Supply of weapons to Bin Sa’ud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Āl Sa’ūd]
- Lines of communication and requests for more detailed intelligence
- Discussions about Sharif [Al-Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī, Sharīf of Mecca], including: his plans; requests he has made of Great Britain; whether his policies for Arabia and Syria should be adopted in Mesopotamia
- Proposals for the formation of a Base Depot at Basrah [Basra]
- Articles published in England and in the Gulf.
The volume also includes:
- Distributions of Force D: on 5 March (ff 10-12); 12 March (ff 101-104); 26 March (ff 149-152); as of 29 March (ff 185-191); at 19 March (ff 199-202)
- Appreciations [reports] by General Charles Townshend (ff 15-16) and General George Gorringe (f 22)
- Appreciations from the Directorate of Military Operations summarising the situation in Mesopotamia on 20 March (ff 55-56) and 27 March (ff 147-149)
- Announcement by the Maharajah [Mahārājā] of Kolhapur in support of soldiers eating horse meat (f 161)
- ‘Statement showing the strength of reinforcements and details for Basrah which embarked at Bombay [Mumbai] and Karachi’ (ff 211-225).
The vast majority of material in the volume dates from March 1916, with the exception of quoted excerpts from a newspaper, dated 17 January 1916.
A summary of the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3248.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (225 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
The foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 227; 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 also present in parallel between ff 3-225; these numbers are printed and are located in the bottom centre of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Dimensions: 21 x 33cm
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 20. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1916.)’ [112r] (228/458), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3249, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100131645836.0x00001d> [accessed 4 October 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3249
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 20. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1916.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:160v, 161v:226v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence