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'WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA […] I.E.F. "D" Volume 28. PART I. (From 1st to 15th November 1916.)' [‎51r] (106/258)

The record is made up of 1 volume (127 folios). It was created in 1 Nov 1916-15 Nov 1916. 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. .

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appendix 64
(Dy. No. 89693)
Telegram V., No, 0.-174^ dated 3rd November 1916.
(Despatched 6-30 ?.m., received 6-15 a.m., 4th November 1916.)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D” Basrah,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
Your 23771-Cipher-S. D.-2 (Dy. No 84952) of October 12tli {asks for
■explanationfor necessity lor 300 pontoons).
Require following establishment of Pontoons,
Tigris Front, No. 2 Bridge, ISO pontoons.
Euphrates Front 85.
To supplement country boats and steel pontoons in semi-permanent
bridges on Lines of Communication 110.
For Karun 30.
Total 105.
There are now in Mesopotamia 285 serviceable pontoons.
Remaining. The remaining 180 demanded in my 0-29 (Not received)
of October 7th, were intended to replace wastage from time to time, as a reserve
to meet possible contingencies on the three river lines, and in view of distance
we are from supply.
Addressed Secretary, War Office; repeated Chief of the General Staff,
Simla.
Working copy to I). G. O.
Telegram P., No. 0.-178, dated 3rd November 1916 APPENDIX 05
(Despatched 9-15 p.m., received 8-45 a.m., 4th November 1916.) (J9y. No. 89706)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force u D, J Basrah,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
Situation normal on Tigris, Euphrates and Karun fronts, November 3rd.
This evening I returned from Nasiriyah and leave for Tigris front to-night.
Remainder of General Headquarters are already established at latter place.
Addressed India ; repeated London.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 1).
Copy to M. S. C., M. S. V., F. and PI, G. S. (M O. 3).
Telegram No. 1026, dated 3rd November 1916. APPENDIX 00
(Despatched 10-15 p.m., received 8-30 a.m., 4th November 1916.) (Dy. No. 89740)
From—The Inspector-General of Communications, Basrah,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
Reference your telegram 89100 [of November 1st. I considered that
barges for operations are more immediately important than port barges and
the first 20 should be for operations.
Should the port become (illenate*) for
the moment I should detail river barges.
(*Word undecodeable.)
Working copy to Q. M. G., A. G., A. D. (Marine).
Copy to M. S. C., M. S. V., G. S, Railway Board (M. O. 1, M. O. 2).
Telegram No. 1068, dated 3rd November 1916. APPENDIX 07
(Despatched 10-30 p.m., received 8-45 p.m., 4th November 1916.) (jDy. No. 89759)
From—The Inspector-General of Communications, Basrah,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
Reference Secretary, War Office, No. 16951-M. R.-3-379 (Dy. No. 89279)
of November 1st. We have just seen Harold who is now leaving for India. Un
derstand he will be attached to Colonel Barton when the latter arrives and
receive instructions from him. Suggest it will be advisable for Harold to be
given quite definite authority and subordinate establishment as he wants.
Working copy to A. D. (Marine), Q. M. G.
Copy to M, S. C., M. S. V., Railway, G. S. (M. O. 1, M. O. 2).

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 1 and 15 November 1916. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: letters, telegrams, notes, reports, tables, and memoranda. An index to the contents of this volume and a summary of the contents can be found at folios 3-12. The volume concerns:

  • The supply of food, equipment (e.g. body armour), and transport for Force D
  • Issues concerning Inland Water Transport, in particular transfers of vessels from India for use in Mesopotamia and recruitment of ships’ masters in British colonies
  • The movements of supply ships
  • The movement and organisation of military units
  • Reports from the fronts in Mesopotamia and Persia [Iran]
  • Combat and non-combat reinforcements for Force D from India, Egypt, the British Honduras [Belize] Contingent, Fiji, China, and Portuguese East Africa [Mozambique], in particular Labour Corps and Supply and Transport Corps personnel and artillery
  • Medical issues, including sickness among troops, sanitation measures, reorganisation of the Force D Medical Administration, the transfer of an ambulance train from Aden, and an inquiry into conditions on board transport ships
  • Statistics for personnel, casualties, supplies, and construction materials shipped on the Tigris
  • Railway construction
  • Movements of Turkish [Ottoman] forces, including in Turkish-occupied areas of Persia
  • The defence of British-controlled oil fields in southern Persia, including relations with local Bakhtiari [Bakhtiyārī] tribes
  • A Chinese theatre for the entertainment of the Chinese Labour Corps
  • Issues concerning prisoners of war, including the release of Turkish prisoners and the escape of prisoners captured by Turkish forces at Kut
  • The hostility of tribes on the Shatt-al-Hai [Shatt al-Hayy/Al-Gharraf River]
  • Offers from private firms in Karachi to supply additional labour.

The following tables appear:

  • Royal Flying Corps (RFC) reports from listing available aircraft and engines at the start of November 1916 (f 29 and f 49)
  • Distribution of Turkish forces (ff 40-41, ff 73-74)
  • The personnel of the Supply and Transport Corps in Mesopotamia (f 46)
  • Casualties for the weeks ending 14 October 1916 (f 55) and 21 October 1916 (ff 110-111)
  • Ration requirements for a 60-day period in Mesopotamia (ff 56-57)
  • Artillery in use in Mesopotamia (f 66)
  • The ration strength of Force D as of 31 October 1916 (ff 87-89 and ff 106-108)
  • Additional supplies needed for Force D (f 100)
  • The names and strength of hostile tribes on the Shatt-al-Hai (f 105)
  • Ammunition held and used by artillery forces in Mesopotamia (ff 116-117)
  • The state of supplies on the morning of 11 November 1916 (f 117)
  • Transport ships arriving in Basrah [Basra] in November 1916 (f 123).

Also included in the volume are:

  • Weekly Diary of Information No. 21 for the week ending 7 October (ff 14-24), covering issues including: climate and flooding in Mesopotamia; political affairs in the Sultanate of Masqat [Muscat]; military construction and engineering works in Mesopotamia and southern Persia such as bases, hospitals, prisons, land reclamation, and water supply; water transport; staffing; the issue of slavery in Iraq; cemeteries; prisoners of war; a copy of ‘The Voice of Truth’ No. 4
  • A map of south-eastern Mesopotamia and south-western Persia, indicating Mesopotamian tribal territories (f 25).
Extent and format
1 volume (127 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 127; 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 4-125; 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.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA […] I.E.F. "D" Volume 28. PART I. (From 1st to 15th November 1916.)' [‎51r] (106/258), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3264, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100136379065.0x00006b> [accessed 13 September 2024]

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