![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [‎75r] (154/294)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3273_0154.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.)’ [‎75r] (154/294)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [75r] (154/294)
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.
Word Code telegram No. 19954, dated 25tli March 1917. APPENDIX 313
(Despatched 7 p.m.) {Dy- No. 19954)
From—The Chief of the General Staff,
To—The Inspector-General of Communications, Force “ D/* Basrah.
(Repeated Director, Inland Water Transport, Force {f D/' Basrah.)
Towing programme being concentrated on Calcutta and Eangoon to
enable vessels recently taken up to get through Bay of Bengal before bad
weather sets in. This will cause temporary delay to craft now on Bombay
side where fair weather conditions hold good to later date. Arrangement gives
more certainty larger fleet eventually by reducing risk of loss en route.
Record copy to Q. M. G.
Copy to M. S. C. } M. B., A. D. (Marine), I. W. T., G. S. (M 0.1).
Telegram P., No. A.G.-M205-2, dated 25th March 1917. APPENDIX 314
(Despatched 12 noon, received 8 p.m., 25th March 1917.) No. 19997)
From—The Assistant Adjutant General, 3rd Echelon, Basrah,
To—The Secretary, War Office, London,
(Repeated Chief of the General Staff, Delhi.)
On March 24th approximate ration strength of the force was :—
British. Officers.
Indian Officers. British other ranks.
Indian other ranks.
Followers,
4,991
2,112
67,486
81,733
121,476
Total
. 277,798.
Working copy to A. G.
Copy to Q. M. G., M. S. C., C. W. C., G. S. (M. 0. 1).
Telegram P., No. 31572-Cipher, dated 24th March 1917. APPENDIX 315
(Despatched 11-40 p.m., received 8 p.m., 25th March 1917.) (I/y. No. 19998)
From—The Director, Military Intelligence, London,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force “D.”
(Repeated to the Commander-in-Chief in India.)
With reference to Egypt’s telegram No. I. A.-3074 (Dy. No. 19699),
In the first paragraph it appears that 52nd Division is intended. The
connected story then shows move of 52nd Division from right to left bank at
Samarrah and thence covered by cavalry squadron down stream to Adheim,
leaving 51st Division, remaining on right bank. March 23rd is the date we
are now brought up to.
Working copy to G. S. (M. 0. 3L
Copy to M. S. C., G. S. (M. O. 1).
Telegram P., No. 31593-Cipher-A. G.-2, dated 25th March 1917. APPENDIX 316
(Despatched 1 p.m., received 8-30 p.m.) (_Dy. No. 19999)
From—The Secretary, War Office, London,
To—The Commander-in-Chief in India.
(Repeated to the General Officer Commanding, Force {< D,” Basrah.)
Clear the line.
Chief India’s No. 18854 and General Basrah’s X.-1380 (Dy. No. 19199)
of 22nd.
Your proposal to retain in India, till August, as many as possible of drafts
now being sent, is agreed to. From your No. 18310, dated March 18th, we
understand that you wdsh the partially trained men to go to India and the
fully trained direct to Basrah and that you will then complete the units in
Mesopotamia to establishments by end of May from dep6ts in India. If this
is so, please wire priority, as it will be necessary for us to separate from the
drafts of partially trained men going to India, the fully trained men going
direct to Basrah.
Working copy to A. G.
Copy to M. S. C., Q. M. G., D. M. S., G. S. (M. 0. 1, S. D. 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 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.)’ [75r] (154/294), 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_100134835014.0x00009b> [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