![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [‎115r] (238/294)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3273_0238.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.)’ [‎115r] (238/294)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [115r] (238/294)
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.
Telegram P. } No. 31625-Cipher-M. L, dated 26th March 1917. APPENDIX 331
(Despatched 1-40 p.m., received 4 a.m., 27th March 1917.) (By, No. 20167)
From—The Director, Military Intelligence, London,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force tc D.”
(Kepeated Coramander-in-Chief in India, General Headquarters, Egyptian Force.)
With reference to Egypt’s No. I. A.-3G74. (Z)y. No. 19699). We have
very reliable information that on 20th instant Enver
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
left Turkey for
Berlin.
Working copy to G. S. (M. 0. 3).
Copy to M. S. C„ G. S. (M. O. 1).
Telegram P., No. I. A.-3096, dated 26th March 1917. APPENDIX 332
(Despatched 4-30 p.m., received 1-30 a.m., 27th March 1917.) (By. No. 20175)
From—-General Headquarters, Egyptian Force, Cairo,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Basrah.
(Repeated Director, Military Intelligence, London, and Commander-in-Chief in India.)
Information from an absolutely reliable source states (1) Mosul reported
to (? Samarra) on March 25th that for the transport of a division 15,000
sheepskins for rafts would be required. Assigning sheepskins for this purpose
would interfere with supply of food and stores as there was already a scarcity
of sheepskins. In view of this it was therefore suggested that since for about
half a month from now the season permits troops to march by land the division
mentioned above should march via Nesibin. (2) On March 24th instructions
were issued from Mosul to Samarra that as Ras-el-Ain traffic was becoming
important 2 officers with some of the “ unarmed men who had arrived n were
to be detailed to assist 6th Army supplies one at Derbisia and other at Ras-el-
Ain.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 3). \
Copy to M. S, C., G. S. (M. O. I),
289
Telegram P., No. I. A.-3103-Cipher, dated 26th March 1917. APPENDIX 333
(Despatched 10 p.m., received 4-30 a.m., 27th March 1917.) (i)y. No. 20179)
From—General Headquarters, Forces in Egypt,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force D,” Basrah.
(Repeated to Director of Military Intelligence, London, and Commander-in-Chief in India)
From an absolutely reliable source it is stated that (a) on the evening
(?) As telegraphed ° f 25th March ( ? ) H - Q' 6th Army in-
stmcted (?) 13th Army Corps (?) 18th
Army Corps (?) and 14th Division (?) as follows. (1) (?) 18th Army Corps
will try to advance in the direction of Sindiat Deltawa. (2) The l^th Divi
sion will (word missing) the Diala and advance to the Deltawa Karnabit line.
(3) The 13th Army Corps will endeavour to take advantage of its success of
to-day.
(6) Two ships laden with ammunition have been sent to Hit from
Rimadia.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 3).
Copy to M. S. C., G. S. (M. O. 1).
Telegram No. K.-5-352, dated 27th March 1917. APPENDIX 334
(Despatched 5-30 a.m., received 7-30 a.m.) (Ity. No. 20183)
From—The Cable Censor, Karachi,
To—The Chief of the General Staff, Delhi.
Following from General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” addressed Chie
of the General Staff, repeated by Candler to London.
Begins .—Shahroban March 23rd, Our column moving direction Khanikin
is in touch with Turkish army which has been retiring westwards before Bara-
toff over Persian border. This morning after artillery action we occupied
Shahroban 56 miles north-east Baghdad left bank Dialah capturing some
fs! i
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [115r] (238/294), 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_100134835015.0x000023> [accessed 1 January 2025]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100134835015.0x000023
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100134835015.0x000023">‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [‎115r] (238/294)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100134835015.0x000023"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3273_0238.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
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