![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [‎127r] (262/294)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001ff/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3273_0262.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.)’ [‎127r] (262/294)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 32. PART II. (From 16th to 31st March 1917.)’ [127r] (262/294)
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
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301
WAR DIARY.
Date.
29-3-17
Summary of events.
The General Officer Commanding, Force “D,” reported that all regiments of the 2nd and 6tb Turkish
Divisions, with the exception of the 6th Begiment, had been located on the East of Khanikin, thus
apparently^ leaving^ only the 6th Regiment and two local battalions still opposing the Russians, to
mu yj 10111 ^formation had been communicated, vid Rowlandson.
^ e Au ei cf ra ^^^ Cer ^ ommanc ^ n g> Egypt* forwarded information regarding troops still east of Samarra,
the Sheriat-el-Nura fords, and excess rifles, bayonets, etc., at Kirkuk.
Information regarding the reorganization of certain Turkish regiments and divisions was received from
the General Officer Commanding, Force (( D.”
The statement of guns in use and in reserve and of ammunition on charge and expended, etc., was
received from the General Officer Commanding, Force “ D.”
The Chief of the Imperial General Staff was asked regarding his views on the disposal of the personnel
of the Kite Balloon Section, which General Officer Commanding, Force <c D,” stated, could not be
employed from May to August inclusive.
Information regarding the position of the Turkish Troops on the Tigris and Khanikin lines, of the
number of aeroplanes on or expected on the former line, and of the reported location of Ajaimi at
Ahaba, 20 miles south of Najaf, was received from the General Officer Commanding, Force “ D. ,,
The General Officer Commanding, Force { ' D,” was informed that, owing to the necessity for relieving 3J
Indian battalions in East Africa, it was necessary to postpone the despatch to Mesopotamia of one of
the 13 battalions due to be sent to him, and consequently the 95th Infantry would not be sent for
3 months.
The Report on the movements of rivercraft en route to Mesopotamia was forwarded to all concerned.
The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” reported that apparently the enemy were carrying out a
converging movement towards Deltawa from the direction of Deli Abbas and the line of the Shatt-el-
Adhaim with the intention of covering the movement from Persia of the 13th Army Corps to cross
the Dialab to the line of the Shatt-el-Adhaim, and that his detached force was not strong enough to
prevent this without pressure from the Russians of whose approach nothing had been heard. He also
stated that he was taking such steps as were possible to hinder this movement but the distance from
Baghdad and supply considerations complicated matters.
Number.
Appendix.
20508
353
20528
354
20549
355
20574
356
20613
357
20662
358
20669
359
20670
360
20673
361
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.)’ [127r] (262/294), 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_100134835015.0x00003b> [accessed 3 April 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