![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [‎102r] (212/294)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3273_0212.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.)’ [‎102r] (212/294)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [102r] (212/294)
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.
Coal and Oil Depdt Report .—In addition to the building of piers which
will of necessity be about 170 feet long to enable colliers to be berthed alongside,
arrangements have been made to shift the
coolie
A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory.
labourers further back which
will give space for another coal stack along the river front. To create the
necessary reserve more labour is required which should, if possible, live in the
dep6t. This means that additional accommodation for labour, huts for super
visors, etc., will have to be arranged. Resudding the bund is very necessary
and should be taken in hand as soon as the Barge Dep6t is completed, in any
case, it should be done before the floods come down.
Arrangements have also been made to lay moorings for two large swim-
ended barges which can be used as a temporary floating depbt and from which
all harbour tugs and, in many cases, paddlers can coal diiect; this will mean a
great saving of tonnage and labour. Paddlers on arrival down will, after drop
ping their barges, be ordered to go up to the floating dep6t and coal before tak
ing up their berth in the tier and drawing fires.
Indian coal is being used as much as possible in the place of Welsh, the
Welsh coal on hand being retained as a reserve.
The arrival of the steam barge “ Yenang Young ” solves the difficulty of
supplying petrol and case oil up-river by taking the up-country supplies direct
from Abadan, thus reducing the risk of fire in Basrah, also a saving in double
handling. This vessel, with one barge, making two trips per month, it is hoped,
will be able to meet all present demands.
The A. P. Oil Company regret they cannot meet the request of supplying
“ Palm Tree ” oil at the same rate as “ Qualyan,*’ but state they can supply in
tins all the “ Qualyan ” that the Porce may require.
AVIATION.
{Report for period 11th—17th February 1917.)
During the week the British Porce has captured 2,005 prisoners and
cleared the enemy from the Dahra Bend on the right bank of the Tigris.
The enemy still hold the Sannaiyat position on the left bank of the river
more than 20 miles downstream of our force on the right bank.
There has been heavy rain with strong south-easterly winds.
The aerodrome at Nasiriyah has been under water preventing machines
leaving the ground. The condition of the aerodrome at Aircraft Park, Basrah,
has also been impossible for the testing of machines. The aerodromes at Sinn
and Arab Village became very marshy but flying was only impossible on one
day on the Tigris Pront.
llth February —No flying owing to heavy weather.
12th February —Low clouds.
Reconnaissances .....•£
Patrol 1
13th February —Low clouds.
Reconnaissances • •
Patrols * . . •
1
3
Idth February —
Reconnaissances •
Patrols . . .
Artillery co-operation .
Photography
18 Targets registered 2 N
Fs.
11 Plates exposed.
Bombing. —A 3B6 lb. bomb was dropped on a column cf cavalry at Imam
Mahdi. It exploded well between two formations about 100 yards apart.
They scattered in all directions. Later in the day 4 O. Ks were got with 20 lb.
bombs on the Turkish Plying Corps Camp,
15th February. — British Porce attacked and cleared Dahra Bend capturing
2,005 prisoners.
R( e mnaissances ...... 1
Patiol 1
Artillery co-operation .
Photography .
3 N. F. targets engaged.
3 Pontoons with enemy
crossing the river sunk.
2 Pontoons damaged.
5 G. F. targets engaged.
7 Plates exposed.
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.)’ [102r] (212/294), 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_100134835015.0x000009> [accessed 23 March 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