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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. VOLUME 51. PART I. (From 1st to 15th October 1918.)’ [23r] (50/208)
The record is made up of 1 volume (100 folios). It was created in 13 Apr 1918-15 Oct 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
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2
Telegram P., No. X.-2653, 2nd October 1918. APPENDIX 16 *
(Despatched 1 20 A.M., received 5-30 P.M., 2nd October 1918.) (Diary No. 79112.)
From—The General Officer, Commanding Force “ D,’' Baghdad,
To—The Chief of the General Staff, Simla.
^Repeated London and Egypt.)
Priority.
Operations 9 A.M., 2nd October 1918.
No change in situation on Mespotamian Front,
Working copy to G.S. (M.O. j).
Copy to M.S.C.
Telegram P., No. X.-2643, dated the 1st October 1918. APPENDIX 17 .
Despatched 4-50 P.M., received 4-30 P.m., 2nd October 1918. (Diary No 79133.)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D/' Baghdad,
To—The Secretary, War Office, London.
(Repeated India.)
Your 67116, September 25th.
Following is thp repetition of a telegram, dated September p.oth, No. C.-i i r
from General Gilman. ’
Begins.
This morning went with Cox to interview Vosugh. The latter was anxious
lest Turks should advance against Teheran and that we should be unable to
prevent them doing so.
He was reassured by me on this point and I explained that the retirement
of one small detachment w^as merely the case of a reconnoitring party falling
back on its main body and that in my opinion our troops north of Zinjan are
competent to stop further advance of the lurks as at present situated; that
one-third of Turks in the Caucasus were being withdrawn owing to our success
in Palastine while our forces between Hamadan and Enzeli had been reinforced
and that any attempt at a further advance by Turks was more than ever
importable. Situation on Caspian and at Enzeli was also explained by me and
I reassured him of our intention to prevent hostile control.
Regarding Jangalis he feared treachery as result of Turkish intrigue and I
said they consisted of only 1,500 irregulars that we have already frightened
by our aeroplanes and by the Gurkhas at Resht and that we had now brought
up another battalion of Gurkhas who would deal severely with them if they
give us trouble. By our retirement from Baku and Mianeh a considerable
amount of alarm seems naturally to have been raised at Teheran for feer the
Turks would break through. The Cossacks under Staroselski are the only
Persian troops available for protecting their front. These apparently are trained
to retire when they meet an enemy as exemplified by action of Wirba de
tachment who recently came back through Zinjan in disorder.
If Persia was to come in as nn Ally the only troops she could call in are these
Cossacks and the Bakhitaris. Conversely as an enemy, the above are all she
could bring against us. The former are of doubtful value and considered by
British Military AttaclA to be fit only for work on L. of C. The latter would
take a very long time to concentrate ; Persia cannot carry out the maintenance
and financing of these troops, which w^ouid therefore devolve on either Baghdad
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 October 1918. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, tables, and letters, containing instructions and reports.
An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 3-7. The volume mostly relates to:
- Ration and ammunition supplies for Force D
- Turkish [Ottoman] forces: movements; intelligence from deserters and intelligence agents; possible advance on Teheran [Tehran]; possible conclusion of peace; changes in command; reported massacre of Armenians at Baku; possible plans to form a ‘Mahommedan [Islamic] state’ in Caucasus region
- Discussions about armistices and possible conclusions of peace with Turkey
- Content of a protocol signed by Germany and Turkey
- Intentions of the Azarbaijan [Azerbaijan] Government
- Proposals and reports concerning Georgia, as well as the wider Caspian and Caucasus regions
- Railway and port traffic reports
- Lenkoran Mission
- Lack of shipping facilities at Abaden [Abadan]
- Reports on the situation in Persia [Iran] by the General Officer Commanding, Force D, and the Special Commissioner, Teheran
- Operations along the Tigris
- Matters relating to the port at Basrah [Basra]
- Proposals for a Musketry school at Baghdad
- Matters relating to the Dunsterforce
- Discussions about propaganda in Mesopotamia, as well as Persia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
- Discussions about the administration of Mesopotamia
- Railways construction progress
- Returns of personnel strength across numerous departments
- Concerns regarding Colonel Lazar Bicharakov [Bicherakov, also rendered in text as Bicharakoff]
- Suggestions and reports made by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. on numerous matters, including: the Jewish community in Mesopotamia; Mr Roux, French Consul at Basrah; and a proposed Commercial Mission
- Intelligence provided by Harry St John Philby regarding: the arms traffic from the Hedjaz [Al-Hijaz]; relations with Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Āl Sa’ūd] and Ibn Rashid [Saʿūd bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Rashīd, Emir of Ha‘il]; and a recent attack on Khorma
- Updates from the Mianeh area
- Lists of sick and wounded soldiers
- Information regarding German troops at Elezabotopol [Elisabethpol, former governorate under the Russian Empire].
Whilst the volume contains copies of earlier material dating from April 1918 onwards, the bulk of the material dates from October 1918.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (100 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 102; 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 3-100; 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 51. PART I. (From 1st to 15th October 1918.)’ [23r] (50/208), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3309, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100140959211.0x000033> [accessed 6 April 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3309
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. VOLUME 51. PART I. (From 1st to 15th October 1918.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:101v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence