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File 4722/1918 Pt 8 'Mesopotamia: Situation' [209r] (428/995)
The record is made up of 1 volume (491 folios). It was created in 28 Jun 1920-11 Feb 1921. 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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Telegram.
From—Civil Commissioner, Baghdad.
-L " 0 Politieal Officers in charge of Divisions (except Arbil and Snlaimaniyah).
No. 8260.
Dated 9th July, 1920.
Please intimate to Senators and Deputies in your Division whose names
have already been given to you by me, that in accordance with the Notification
they are hereby invited to present themselves at Baghdad at a date not later
than July 31st for the purpose named.
Travelling and detention allowance will be paid to them on the scale
authorized by the late Turkish Government to which 50 per cent, will be
added owing to increase of cost of living since then.
Ask them to acknowledge and intimate their acceptance of invitation.
If other Deputies or Senators come to light please report by telegraph.
Telegram—Priority A.
From—Secretary of State for India, London.
To—Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, repeated Viceroy (Foreign Department').
No. Nil.
Dated 8 th and received 9th July, 1920.
War Office consider present situation in Mesopotamia is such that it may
possibly be necessary to reinforce garrison. They ask that one complete divi
sion on Mesopotamian scale and such auxilary troops as may be necessary may
be held in readiness for early despatch to Mesopotamia. Can you comply?
Please telegraph reply. I am asking War Office for appreciation of situation
on which request is based.
Have you any remarks on above which was sent to Viceroy (Army Depart
ment) July 2nd.
Addressed Baghdad, repeated Viceroy (Foreign Department).
Telegram—Priority A. E.
From—Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, repeated Foreign, Simla.
To—Secretary of State for India, London.
No. 8312. 4 * 6
Dated 10th July, 1920.
Your telegram July 8 th. Additional Indian Division for Mesopotamia.
1 . I submit brief appreciation of situation which please read in the light
of my previous official telegrams on the subject which I have no reason sub
stantially to modify. Lou are aware that General, Baghdad, lias asked that
•a Brigade may be‘held in readiness as a first instalment against possible
•eventualities.
2. As in 1918, so now, the military position in Mesopotamia is condition
ed by external rather than by internal situation.. The principal external
factors are Bolsheviks, Turks and Syrians, in order named.
3 Bolsheviks cannot in my opinion be adequately dealt with by force
based on Mesopotamia. The proper military means of dealing with them
appears to me to be (if I may venture an opinion) from Batoum, by a force m
Caucasus and on the Caspian. H.M.G. found themselves compelled to
.abandon this line last year and the results have reacted unfavourably on us m
Persia.
4 I am not well informed as to the Turkish situation but so far as I can
judge action Allies are taking on European side is likely if sustained to pre
clude any serious Turkish offensive against Mesopotamia.
5. Syrian situation is I venture to think susceptible of improvement by
‘diplomatic rather than by military means I incline to the view that if
Svrian affairs were now detached completely from Egypt and Palestine and
were dealt with by Consular Officer at Damascus with subordinate at Aleppo
working directlv under Whitehall and devoting his whole time to Syrian
problems we should have less trouble than we are now having and I respectfully
submit this proposal for consideration. French have Consul at Baghdad and
have a Vice Consulate at Basrah (at present vacant) and there seems no reason
why we should be less well represented in Syria.
6 The internal situation in Mesopotamia is threatening but will very
• o T eatiy improve so soon as the external situation has been stabilised 1 resent
troubles and those likely to occur m the near future arise firstly from fact
that those who fish in troubled waters are taking advantage of instability of
-external situation to cause disturbances here, whilst minds of population at
large are confused by declarations of His Majesty’s Government which so
widely diverge if I may be allowed to say so from the realities of life m Meso
potamia that they find no degree of popular acceptance outside the towns and
have hitherto done little but arouse disunion even there.
About this item
- Content
The volume consists of correspondence, memoranda, drafts, and departmental notes relating to rebellion against British mandatory rule in Mesopotamia [approximately corresponding to present-day Iraq], later known as the Iraqi Revolt of 1920.
The volume covers the period from the start of unrest in May 1920 to British imposition of control in October of the same year. The majority of the volume comprises reports from political officers across Mesopotamia on the situation in their respective divisions and districts.
Other matters discussed within the volume include:
- The suspected causes of the uprising, including fears of ‘Bolshevik’ and pro-Turkish influence
- Settlement of the border between Syria and Mesopotamia
- Military strategy and operations, including the need for reinforcements
- The severing of British lines of communication, particularly rail
- The efficacy and principles of the use of armoured cars and air raids as means of control following numerous cases of misidentification and disproportionate force that resulted in the deaths and injuries of innocent people
- Political and civil policy in the region
- Identification and arrest of some of the leaders of the rebellion
- The prominence of events in Mesopotamia in the British press
- The question of disarming the tribes following the suppression of the rebellion.
Principal correspondents include officials at: the 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. ; the Office of the Civil Commissioner in Mesopotamia (from November 1920, the High Commissioner); the War Office; General Headquarters of the military in Mesopotamia; and the Government of India, Foreign and Political and Army departments.
The volume contains cuttings from several publications, including: The Times , The Statesman , The Observer , The Daily Herald , The Daily Mail , The Baghdad Times , and The Near East .
The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence. A second divider is included, for File 4722/1918 Part 7, entitled ‘Mesopotamia: Sir A. Wilson’s invitation to Syrian Baghdadis’. This was transferred to File 5268/20 Parts 1 and 2 (see IOR/L/PS/10/913).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (491 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged in approximate chronological order, from the rear to the front.
The subject 4722 (Mesopotamia) consists of ten volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/755-764. The volumes are divided into twelve parts, with parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 comprising one volume each. Part 10 is missing. Part 7, entitled ‘Mesopotamia: Sir A. Wilson’s invitation to Syrian Baghdadis’, was transferred to File 5268/20 Parts 1 and 2 (see IOR/L/PS/10/913).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 489; 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. Multiple intermittent additional foliation sequences are also present. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves. The sequence contains one foliation anomaly, f 89a.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 4722/1918 Pt 8 'Mesopotamia: Situation' [209r] (428/995), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/761, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100137804987.0x00001d> [accessed 10 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/761
- Title
- File 4722/1918 Pt 8 'Mesopotamia: Situation'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1r:89v, 89ar:89av, 90r:113r, 114v, 118v:120r, 121v, 127v:169v, 173r:192v, 194r:211v, 213r:223v, 225r:227r, 229r:261v, 262v:263v, 266r:279v, 280ar, 280r:293v, 294v, 295v:317v, 318ar, 318r:333v, 334v:341v, 342v:359v, 360v:400v, 404r:424v, 425ar, 425r:489v, ii-r:ii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence