![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [‎126r] (256/276)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001db/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3237_0256.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.)’ [‎126r] (256/276)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [126r] (256/276)
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.
, . f^•7 0ur C f alr y and naval gunboats took up pursuit of the'
de eated Turkish force early on morning of 29th. On 30th General Townshend
will follow with leading Infantry Brigade in steamers (?).
On morning of 29th aeroplane observed enemy’s troops retreating in
C . r^ n m eS m i en " th ^P ^ bank of the Tigris about tea miles above
Sutt (. Kut) as cr °w flies. Bombs were also droppet by aeroplane on large
steamer believed to be the “Khalifa, ” which immediately made for the bank
and is believed to have been damaged. ^
The battle field is being cleared up by one brigade. So far the total
prisoners captured number 1,650 and more are coming in.
An inspection of captured position shows that the defences were constructed
and designed on the latest and most approved principles, and with remarkable
thoroughness and study of detail. Ranges were marked by flags, communication
trenches extended for miles, and arrangements had been made for embarkino*
and covering retirement of troops. There was an elaborate system of contact
mines and observation arrangements. Our engineers exploded a number of
these mines without any accident, but they caused several casualties during
the action. Every where the field of fire was absolutely open and flat.
During this battle Nur-ed-Din’s force consisted of six squadrons of cavalrv
guns and 35th and 38th Infantry Battalions (? Divisions), together with
certain other formations amounting to about four extra battalions. His total
estimated to have been between seven and eight thousand regular troops
aided by a very large number of tribesmen.
General Headquarters are one mile down stream of Kut-al-Amrah (?).
During the last two days the weather has been very much cooler. A
arge number of our wounded are only suffering from slight injuries, and all
are going well. Troops are in excellent health and spirits.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 3).
Copjr to M. S. G, M. S. V., G. S. (M. 0. 1, M. 0. 2).
Telegram No. 8.-22948, dated 30th September 1915. APPENDIX 440
(Despatched 9-0 r. m ) (J)y No 22948)
From—The Chief of the General Staff,
To The General Officer Commanding, Porce “D/ J General Headquarters, through Basrah.
Your telegram dated 29th August, No. 1746 {By S-19722), to Eoreign
and Bontical Department. There aie difficulties about sending Indian civilians
holding commissions in the Indian Army Reserve out of India. Some of the
appointments you suggest could be filled by Indian civilians without military
Gaining or by police officers. Please give details of the semi-civil posts you
. refer to and your recommendation for filling them, i. e , whether by Indian
civilians belonging to the Indian Army Reserve of Officers or by Indian civilians
without military training or by police officers. As an age limit of 30 limits
the choice of men available to you therefore wish to raise the limit to 35 years.
Record copy to M S C.
Copy to A. G.
Telegram P., No. S.-1000, dated 29th September 1915. APPENDIX 441
(Beceived in War Section, 30th September 1915.) [Dy. No. 22949)
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign and Political Department,
To—The Political Besident,
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
, Basrah.
Basrah Branch Eastern Bank. Please see your telegram 2052-B. {By.
No. S.-21900), 18th September. The terms of agreement appear to be as
follows:—
1 Government accounts to be kept by Bank free of commission.
2. Government balance with Bank between equivalents of 35 and 65
thousand pounds free of interest minimum to be 35,000:
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
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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [126r] (256/276), 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_100132734284.0x000039> [accessed 29 July 2026]
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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