![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [‎94r] (192/276)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001db/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3237_0192.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [‎94r] (192/276)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [94r] (192/276)
The record is made up of 1 volume (134 folios). It was created in 14 May 1915-30 Sep 1915. 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.
In the telegram forwarded with your letter under reply, it is intimated that
two flights are necessary for the operations at present being carried out in
Mesopotamia.
This view is concurred in, and the Army Council are prepared to equip
and maintain two flights in Mesopotamia on the lines suggested in War Office
letter, number as above, dated 14th ultimo.
Is is proposed that these two flights shall be part of No. 30 Squadron,
Royal Hying Corps, and, if this is concurred in, Major S. D. Massy, 29fch
Punjabis, Commanding No 30 Squadron, Royal Ely in g Corps, in Egypt, will
be transferred to Mesopotamia with his Headquarters, and the flight in Egypt
will then become a detached flight of the Squadron in Mesopotamia A state
ment “A” is attached showing the establishment of a squadron, less one
flight, together with a section of an Aircraft Park suitable for this unit “ B.”
2. At the same time it is necessary to place the status of officers of the
Indian Army serving with the Royal Plying Corps, during txie present war,
on a clear basis.
, At present the Army Council draw officers from all the Imperial services
for instruction as pilots and employ them wherever their services may be re
quired, and for whatever work they are best suited
It is proposed that all Indian Army officers who are qualified pilots shall
be placed on the roll of the Royal Plying Corps in the same way, and employed
wherever their services can be of most use.
3. As regards the payment of officers, whether belonging to the Indian
Army or any other service, serving in Mesopotamia and in India, the Army
Council adhere to the views expressed in War Office letter 0164-3195 (P.-2),
dated 28rd June 1915 except that there will be no objection to the payment
of the Equipment Officer (previously described as “Officer Flyer and Engi
neer ”) at Rs. 900 (nine hundred
rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
) a month, as proposed in the enclosure
to your letter, No. M.-14997, dated 1st May 1915. They concur in the payment
of the Squadron Commander at Rs. 1350 (one thousand three hundred and fifty
rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
) a month as proposed in the enclosure to your letter under reply.
When serving elsewhere with the Royal Plying Corps, such officers come
under the existing rules governing service on the British establishment during
the present emergency.
4. The proposal to form an instructional flight in Bombay is welcomed by
the Army Council, but it is urged that pilots should receive preliminary training
only in this establishment, and that they should be sent to England to complete
their instruction, being available for general service at its conclusion.
5. The Army Council are averse to the proposal of purchasing Curtiss
biplanes in America, on account of the difficulty of carrying out efficient
inspection during manufacture in that country.
They are prepared to equip the two flights in Mesopotamia with aeroplanes
and all other equipment suitable to the local conditions.
6. If the India Council agree to the foregoing proposals, I am to request
that the following information be submitted as early as possible :—
^«) Names of officers already appointed for gazetting to the Royal
Plying Corps.
(5) List of equipment necessary to complete establishment of two flights
in accordance with the proportion laid down in the attached
Army Form G.-1098-33-C. (Mobilisation Store Table).
(c) List of personnel necessary to complete establishment shown in
attached statement “ A. ”
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Sd.) B. B. CUBITT.
The Under Secretary of State for India,
Military Department,
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.
,
S. W..
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 30 September 1915. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, letters, memoranda, lists and tables.
The volume mostly relates to:
- Reinforcements and supplies for Force D, including: river craft; aeroplanes; road vehicles; personnel; food; weapons; and ammunition
- Staff appointments and details of injured and sick officers
- Updates on progress at the Tigris line, especially at Sinn, Sannaiyat [As Sina‘yat] and Kut-al Amarah [Al-Kut]
- Proposals to advance on Baghdad after taking Kut-al Amarah
- Distributions of Force D (f 50) and of the Turkish [Ottoman] troops (f 123)
- Russo-Turkish operations at Van
- Discussions of the situation in Persia [Iran], including the impact that the withdrawal of British Consul, Thomas George Grahame, from Isfahan to Ahwaz [Ahvaz] has had on employees of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company
- Conversations between Sir Percy Zachariah Cox, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and the Shaikh of Muhammareh [Khorramshahr] with regards to negotiating with leaders of the Bakhtiari [Bakhtīyārī] tribal confederation to protect the oil fields and ‘maintain order’ in Arabistan [Khuzestan]
- The rejection of Turkish forces from Najaf [An-Najaf] by the local population
- Discussions about how to govern holy places between the Basrah [Basra] Vilayet [a province under the Ottoman Empire] and Baghdad in anticipation of them coming under British control, and the extent to which the Persian Government should be consulted on this matter.
The volume also includes:
- Appreciations [reports] from the Directorate of Military Operations summarising the situation in Mesopotamia on 20 September (ff 47-48) and 27 September 1915 (f 113)
- A ‘Brief report on the possibilities of the Development of Irrigation in the Basrah District’ by Lieutenant P A Stoddard, Indian Army Reserve Officer (Special Irrigation Officer), (ff 64-71), which is accompanied by comments from Cox and Brigadier-General Joseph Cameron Rimington, Royal Engineers
- Copies of correspondence between Edmund George Barrow, Military Secretary, 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. , and Bertram Blakiston Cubitt, Under-Secretary of State for India, on the subject of aviation units for service in India and Mesopotamia, which include tables of personnel and vehicles required (ff 91-96)
- The Quartermaster General’s Embarkation Statement, listing reinforcements and details for Force D which embarked at Bombay [Mumbai] and Karachi (ff 128-134).
The vast majority of material in the volume dates from September 1915, with the exception of a small amount of material which dates from May, June and August 1915.
A summary of the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3236.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (134 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 136; 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 3-134; 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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [94r] (192/276), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3237, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100132734283.0x0000c1> [accessed 20 August 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100132734283.0x0000c1
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100132734283.0x0000c1">‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [‎94r] (192/276)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100132734283.0x0000c1"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001db/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3237_0192.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001db/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3237
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:136r
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence