![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART II. (From 15th to 28th February 1918.)’ [‎29r] (62/442)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x000214/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3294_0062.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART II. (From 15th to 28th February 1918.)’ [‎29r] (62/442)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART II. (From 15th to 28th February 1918.)’ [29r] (62/442)
The record is made up of 1 volume (217 folios). It was created in 12 Jan 1918-28 Feb 1918. 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. 52426 -Cipher-M. B. 3-469, dated 16th February 1818. APPENDIX 334
(Despatched 6-40 p.m., received 10-16 a.m., 17th February 1918.) (Dp. No. 13012)
From—The Secretary, War Office, London,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Paghdad.
(Repeated to the Inspector General of Communicatiocs/ Basrah, Director,^Inland Water
Transport, Basrah, Commander-in-Chief in India, Delhi.)
Your X.-6281, February 2nd (Dy. No. 8979).
“ Seapool ” which sailed February 6th Port Said to Bombay has on board
ice barges Nos. 2 and 3. On point of transhipment to Basrah am addressing
D. B. I. M., Bombay, “ Moyune ” sailing in a few days Suez to Basrah direct,
will ship one water-tank barge.
Working copy to Q. M. G.
Copy to M. S. C., M. B.
Word Code telegram No. A.-4875, dated 14th February 1918. APPENDIX 335
(Despatched 9-40 p.m., received 11-50 a.m., 15th February 1918.) (Dy. No. 13019)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force <f D/' Baghdad,
To—-The Chief of the General Staff, Delhi.
Your telegram 2nd February, 8895.
On January 26th, I forwarded the new railway war establishment under
0.-1235-23-778 (Dy No. 11116), D. A. G., 3rd Echelon, Basrah’s telegram-
B.-3519 (Dy. No. 8340), was based on this and thus gave you advanced inform
ation of this increase. Increase necessary.
A. No provision has been made yet to meet any unforeseen works such as
flood protection.
B. Necessity of now raising general standard of lines which had been
pushed through hurriedly, personnel asked for under (A) will be suitable for
i
(B) when not required for unforeseen work. I have explained the procedure
as regards war establishment generally in my A.-217-155, February 12th, by
post.
Renunciation of definite units such as Labour Corps, Works Companies
and M. T. Companies, are referred to you. I respectfully submit that after
a railway policy has been concurred in by you I should sanction the war
establishment to give effect to it and that in all cases, unless change of policy
or far-reaching alterations are involved, I should continue as at present.
Working copy to A. G.
Copy to M S. C., Q. M. G., G. S. (S. D. 1, S. D. 2).
Telegram P., No. X.-0579, dated 16th February 1918. APPENDIX 336
(Despatched 9-45 p.m., received 10-15 a.m., 17th February 1918.) {By. No. 13027)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “D/ ;
To —The Director, Military Intelligence, London.
(Repeated Chief of the General Staff, Delhi.)
Our previous information is confirmed by the details given in your 52247
of February 14th (Dy. No. 12400 }, which are therefore very acceptable. The
direct route Quwair to Altun Keupri, it is believed, was completed after publi
cation of the map you quote. This road was fit for motors in January 1918,
according to the statement of a deserter. When the pamphlet was compiled
the information about the railway was probably correct but my telegrams
X.-5973 of January 18th (Dy. No. 4973) and X.-6434 of February 9th (Dy.
No. 11222) give the latest progress.
*4!
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 3).
Copy to M. S. C., G. S. (M. O. 1).
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 15 and 28 February 1918. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, tables, memoranda, and letters.
An index to the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3293. The volume concerns:
- Military personnel issues, including: recruitment, reinforcements, and promotions
- The supply of food, construction materials, oil, ordnance, and other items to Force D
- Shortages of copper, brass, and iron in India
- River and road traffic in Mesopotamia
- Evacuation of sick and wounded Force D soldiers
- Attitudes of the residents of Basrah [Basra] to British occupation
- Approval of a scheme to dredge Lake Hammar
- British aerial bombardment of enemy camps near Hit
- Arrest of Sulaiman Mirza [Sulaymān Mīrzā A title of honour originally applied to princes, later to military leaders, and later still to secretaries, chieftains, and other ‘gentlemen’. ] by British troops near Khanikin [Khanaqin]
- Movement of Turkish [Ottoman], Austrian, and German military units
- Conversion of Mesopotamian river fleet and railways to use oil instead of coal
- Proposal for Force D to adopt a ‘purely defensive role’ in Mesopotamia and support the British offensive in Palestine
- Construction of telegraph lines and railways in Mesopotamia and Persia [Iran]
- Location and number of prisoners of war captured by the Russian Army
- Matters relating to Dunsterforce, including: departure of officers, soldiers, and motor vehicles from Baghdad to join Dunsterforce; retreat of Dunsterforce to Hamadan due to Bolshevik and Jangali [Jangalī] opposition; and proposals for British military action against the Jangali forces in Gilan
- Proposed occupation of key roads in Persia by British troops
- Negotiations between British representatives and the Persian Government
- Efforts by the British to ‘secure co-operation between Kurds and Armenians’ in Persia
- Reports of ‘disorders and small massacres’ between Muslims and Armenians in the Caucasus, and Armenian concerns about imminent ‘massacres on a large scale’.
The volume also contains:
- Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of: lines of communication; and general organisation (ff 171-176)
- Strength return of Force D on 1 December 1917 (ff 136-142), 8 December 1917 (ff 145-151), 15 December 1917 (ff 206-213), 5 January 1918 (ff 6-8), 12 January 1918 (ff 16-18), 19 January 1918 (ff 48-50), 26 January 1918 (ff 155-156)
- Report of number of pilots, balloon officers, and aircraft available for service in Mesopotamia, 14 February 1918 (f 11), 21 February 1918 (f 97)
- Returns of sick and wounded dated 2 February 1918 (ff 19-20), 9 February 1918 (ff 83-84)
- State of supplies on 9 February 1918 (ff 20-22), 16 February 1918 (ff 76-77, 118-119), 23 February 1918 (ff 195-196)
- Ration strength of Force D, 12 January 1917 (ff 30-36), 19 January 1918 (ff 157-160), 26 January 1918 (ff 36-39), 2 February 1918 (ff 152-154)
- Distribution of the Turkish Army dated 19 February 1918 (ff 66-68), 26 February 1918 (ff 185-187)
- Distribution Report showing number and condition of motor vehicles with Force D, January 1 1918 (ff 108-117).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (217 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 219; 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 3-217; 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 33 cm
- 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 43. PART II. (From 15th to 28th February 1918.)’ [29r] (62/442), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3294, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100140957926.0x00003f> [accessed 1 April 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3294
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART II. (From 15th to 28th February 1918.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:218v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence