![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [‎28r] (60/294)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3273_0060.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [‎28r] (60/294)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [28r] (60/294)
The record is made up of 1 volume (143 folios). It was created in 15 Jan 1917-31 Mar 1917. 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.
to left bank and we occupied successively Buhriz and Baqubah, the enemy
falling hastily back towards Khanikin. We took some prisoners and inflicted
a few casualties. Baqubah, which will be a useful addition for supply pur
poses is a prosperous town 32 miles north-east of Baghdad and spreads over a
mile or more of river bank. The inhabitants are ready to trade and were
friendly. The Turkish bridge is repairable, though partly under water and
in the meantime we are erecting a pontoon bridge there.. Another column ot
ours moving from right bank of the Tigris towards Falujah, which is on the
Euphrates, drove in some hostile patrols which they met. Fine weather
prevails.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 1).
Copy to M. S. C., M. S. V., G. S, (M. 0. 3).
Telegram P., No. X.-1340, dated 18th March 1917. APPENDIX 23o
(Despatched 5-40 f.m., 18th March 1917 ; received 11 a.m., 19th March (%. No. 18426)
1917.)
From—-The General Officer Commanding, Force a D,” Basrah,
r The Director, Military Intelligence, London.
To The Chief of the General Staff.
Persia. 1,200 Turks at Kizil Bobat, probably 16th or 18th Begiments,
were crossirg Dialah, probably moving via Deli Abbas-Bifii road, statement
by deserter.
Tigris line. Prisoner, pilot of Samana under British who escaped from
Kut-el-Amarah, states that no new troops arrived Samarrah up to March Uth ;
another reliable prisoner states from 30 to 40 guns counted at Samarrah on
March 12th.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 3).
Copy to M. S. C., G. S, (M. O. 1).
Telegram P., No. J. E.-23-50, dated 18th March 1917. APPENDIX 236
(Despatched 2-35 p.m., received 12-15 p.m., 19th March 1917.1 ( %. No. 18441)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Egyptian Expeditionary Force,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Basrah.
Repeated Intelligence, Army Headquarters, Delhi*.)
Probably 8 . A. Z. was with detached force on Euphrates on night lOth-llth
instant at Museyib. Its present location is uncertain. Probably S. D. L.
now at Kasr-i-Shirin with 13th Corps.
Working copy to G. S. (M. 0. 3).
Copy to M. S. C., G. S. (M. 0.1).
• Incorrect address caused delay in receipt.
Telegram P., No. X.-1316, dated 15th March 1917. APPENDIX 237
(Despatched 10-10 a.m., received 7-10 a.m., Idth March 1917.) (Dy. No. 18463)
(Received in War Section on 19th March 1917.)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Basrah,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign and Political
Department.
(Repeated to the Secretary of State for India.)
Before dealing with telegram dated 13th (Py. No. 17322), from Secretary
of State, addressed to you in reply to my request for officers, you may perhaps
wish to have my views. It is quite understood that policy of His Majesty’s
Government may not contemplate direct British administration of Baghdad
Vilayet after termination of war. Whilst war is in progress, however, I would
submit that matter can only be dealt primarily from standpoint of security and
essential needs of this force and secondly, from aspect of local possibilities. At
present our troops are fully occupied with operations against Turks and this
situation is likely to continue. However, we have neither time nor men for
handling Arab population except by pacific means.
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 1917. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, tables, and memoranda containing instructions and reports.
The volume mostly relates to:
- Reinforcements and labour requirements of Force D
- Supplies for Force D, including: river craft, weapons, ammunition, rations, trains, and railway construction materials
- Lists of sick and wounded soldiers
- Prisoners of war
- Updates from the Tigris line, especially at Baghdad, Samarrah [Samarra], and Bakuba [Baqubah, also rendered in text as Bakubah]
- Updates from the Khanikin [Khanaqin] front, especially at Khanikin, Shahroban [Al Miqdadiyah], and the area around the Dialah [Diyala, also rendered in text as Dialha] river
- Updates from the Euphrates line, especially at Samawah [As Samawah] and Fallujah [Al Fallujah, also rendered in text as Felujah]
- Updates from the Russo-Turkish fronts in the Caucasus region and in Persia [Iran]
- Turkish [Ottoman] forces: movements; intelligence from deserters; reported difficulties with supplies and communication; details of commanders; re-organisation of troops; and distributions on week ending 20 March (ff 39-40) and week ending 27 March (f 120)
- Discussions about co-operating with Russian forces on certain operations
- Discussions about Force D’s priority being the consolidation of their position in Baghdad, including: planned communications with the population; approaches to taking over from the Turkish administration; and the completion of railway connections to the city
- Possibility of advancing along Euphrates to Samawah
- Intelligence provided by the Caucasus Military Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
- Intelligence about German troops
- Reports of the Royal Flying Corps
- Progress of railways construction
- Situation in Persia, particularly discussions around the decision to return the Bushire [Bushehr] force to the command of the Commander-in-Chief in India.
The volume also contains:
- Appreciations [reports] from the Directorate of Military Operations summarising the situation in Mesopotamia on 18 March (ff 21-24) and on 25 March (ff 76-77)
- Two diaries of information from 3 March (ff 83-99) and 10 March (ff 100-111), covering: climate and floods; prisoners of war; inland water transport; the Army Ordnance Corps (Basrah [Basra]); aviation; sanitary reports; tribal confederations of the Tigris; customs duties in Iraq; photographs; and railways in Mesopotamia.
A summary and index to the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3272.
Whilst the volume contains copies of earlier material dating from 15 January 1917 onwards, the bulk of the material dates from March 1917.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (143 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 145; 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 3-143; 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 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [28r] (60/294), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3273, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100134835014.0x00003d> [accessed 1 January 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3273
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:144v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence