![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [‎88r] (180/294)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3273_0180.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.)’ [‎88r] (180/294)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [88r] (180/294)
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.
This refers to the machine mentioned in last week’s rcsumd as having been
brought down.
The enemy machines have been very much less active and only three have
been brought to action during the week—on two occasions being driven on to
the ground, and one driven off.
A prisoner has since stated that the pilot of one was a Bulgarian who was
wounded by three bullets through his thigh.
The detachment on the Euphrates is now equipped with two B. E. 2cs,
vice the Henri Earmans which are being sent to Egypt.
- During the week the Squadron has flown 124 hours 48 minutes.-—
4th February—
Reconnaissances ...... 2
Patrols ........ 4
Photography , . ♦ • , • .18 plates exposed.
Combats.
One of our machines while on reconnaissance encountered an Aviatik over
Baghailah, who was 500 feet higher on the port quarter. The observer got one
drum into him at a range of 80—-120 yards. The hostile machine dived
steeply.
A Martinsyde acting as escort also sighted the Aviatik and a Fokker and
diving at the former got a drum into him from a height of about 110 feet
above. The Fokker on being pursued made off without firing a shot.
The Aviatik was observed to land in the Baghailah bend.
A prisoner has since stated that the pilot was wounded by three bullets
through the thigh.
5th February—
Reconnaissances . . .... 1
Patrols ........ 2
Artillery co-operation...... 10 targets registered.
6th February—
Reconnaissance ,
Patrols . .
Artillery co-operation
Photography
Bombing
3
11 targets registered.
18 plates exposed.
The bridge and shipping at Shumran were bombed by moonlight.
7th February—
Reconnaissances
Patrols
Artillery co-operation
Photography
8th February—•
Reconnaissances
Patrols
Artillery co-operation
Photography
Combats
2
2
20 targets registered.
18 plates exposed.
3
2
25 targets registered.
18 plates exposed.
A British machine while co-operating with artillery sighted a hostile
biplane who on being chased dived for his aerodrome. The British pilot dived
down to 4,000 feet after him firing at long range and observed him land. He
then came under heavy A. A. fire.
As a result of a very accurate and valuable reconnaissance the following
message was received from the Chief of the General Staff :—
£< I am directed by the Army Commander to express his appreciation of
the excellent air reconnaissance carried out on 8th February 1917, whereby
the new system of Turkish entrenchments spanning the extremity of the
Dahra Loop was plotted with such accuracy that the trace was practically
coincident with the trace of those works subsequently recorded by air photo
graphy.”
9th February—-
Reconuaissances
Patrols .
Artillery co-operation
1
8
7 targets registered,
5 hostile batteries silenced.
Two officers while co-operating with Boyal Horse Artillery, Cavafy
Division, had a forced landing. The machine was hauled 16 miles over-night
into safety by a nlule-team without damage and got back the following day.
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.)’ [88r] (180/294), 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_100134835014.0x0000b5> [accessed 17 January 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- 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