![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [‎35r] (74/294)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3273_0074.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.)’ [‎35r] (74/294)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [35r] (74/294)
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.
c
Russians occupied Varabi 12 miles west-south-west of Oghnat as the
result of a small engagement in Oghnat sector.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 3).
Copy to M. S. C , G. S. (M. 0. 1).
Telegram P., No, 31249-Ciplier, dated 19th March 1917. APPENDIX 249
(Despatched 8 p.m., received 10-45 a.m., 20th March 1917.) (Dy. No. 18640)
From-—The Director, Military Intelligence, London,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Basrah.
(Repeated Commander-in-Chief in India.)
Reference my 28990 {Dy. JNo. 8158) 3 dated 5th February.
Caucasus Military
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
\ures as follows:— Begins, T. L.-838, 16th
March. Deserter, who deserted at Kharput and was taken near Sivas Chausee,
states he belonged to 2nd Regiment 24th Division, and that regiment arrived
at Kharput from Dardanelles early in January, having railed to Bozanti Khan
and marched thence via Malatiyeh. Ends.
Reference my 29328 (Dy. No. 9725) Caucasus Military
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
wires
March 17th that agent reports railway completed Mosul (Asia Minor) to
Erbil and being continued to Rowanduz. One pair of trains running daily.
Working copy to G. S. (M 0. 3).
Copy to M. S. 0, G. S. (M. O. X).
Word Cod© telegram No. Inwater-1103, dated 19th March 1917. APPENDIX 250
(Despatched 5-5 p.m., received 12-30 p.w., 20th March 1917.) (Dy. No. 18690)
From—The Director, Inland Water Transport, Force " D/' Basrah,
To—The Director, Inland Waterways and Docks, London.
(Repeated Chief of the General Staff.)
For the week ending March 17th, sick and vrounded carried down the
River Tigris 729, prisoners of war 1,980.
Basrah to Baghdad. —Troops 3,038, followers 781, animals 81, supplies
1,154, ordnance stores 14, tons of coal 1,000, oil fuel 1,000, total 3,168
tons.
Azizieh. —Tons of coal 630, oil fuel 693, total 1,323 tons.
Sheikh Sa'ad. —Supplies 20.
Amarah. —Troops 172, followers 415, supplies 2,027, ordnance stores 3,
tons of coal 1,371, total 3,401 tons.
Narrows control. —Supplies 42 tons, 90 miles.
Abu Bran. —Railway materials 649 tons.
Qurnah. —Troops 403, followers 24, supplies 832 tons.
Abadan — Basrah. —Oil fuel 213 tons, 32 miles.
Baghdad to Army. —Supplies, etc., 500, 20 miles.
Azizieh — Baghdad. —Supplies, etc., 3,119 tons, 111 miles.
Arab Village—Baghdad. —Supplies 265 tons, 243 miles.
Sheikh Sa'ad — Baghdad —Supplies 1,148 tons, 255 miles.
Ali Gharbi — Baghdad. —Supplies 15 tons, 287 miles.
An.arah — Baghdad. —Troops 1,354, followers 81, animals f, supplies 335
tons, 346 (miles ?).
Amarah — Azizieh. —Coal 879 tons, 235 miles.
Kurnah — Amarah. —Supplies 39 tons.
Basrah — Ahwaz. —Troops 113, followers 24, animals 3, supplies 75
tons.
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.)’ [35r] (74/294), 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_100134835014.0x00004b> [accessed 17 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