![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [‎69r] (142/500)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x000213/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3293_0142.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [‎69r] (142/500)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [69r] (142/500)
The record is made up of 1 volume (246 folios). It was created in 4 Jan 1918-14 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.
f
r
WAR DIARY.
Date.
Summary of events.
Number.
Appendix.
3-2-18
The General Officer Commanding, Eorce “ D,” intimated that unless ice barges arrived in Basrah by
the middle of March the upriver ice programme for fighting troops would he seriously crippled and
requested acceleration of shipments.
8979
47
The General Officer Commanding, Eorce “D,” forwarded proposals for the reorganization of Indian
Labour Corps into Labour Battalions and Works Companies into 6 companies with certain fixed
personnel and requested approval.
8981
48
The General Officer Commanding, Eorce C< D,” reported no change in the situation on 2nd February
8986
49
The Director, Medical Services, Eorce “ D,” reported the number of beds and casualties in Hospitals, etc.,
and on sea voyage.
8996
50
The General Officer Commanding, Force “D/ 5 reported, with reference to the complaint of the French
representative, that no order suspending the registration of postal packages had been issued.
9051
51
The Ration Strength of men and animals in Eorce “ D ” at the end of January 1918 was received from
the General Officer Commanding, Eorce “ D
9087
52
The Director, Inland Water Transport, Eorce “ D/ requested that 21 buoyage launches might be fitted
with carburetters, petrol and kerosine.
The Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, Eorce “ E,” reported the sailing of S. S. “ Karagola ” from
Suez on 31st January for Bombay ard her contents, including British officers and 135 th Boot
Repairing Company and certain Mechanical Transport Companies.
9093
( 9112
i 9113
53
| 54
The General Officer Commanding, Eorce “ D,^ reported the daily consumption of supplies in tons .
9118
55
The Civil Commissioner at Basrah reported that there were detachments of Eorce “ D ” on road making
operations at Pai Tak and Surkhu Dizak where there was a wireless station.
9122
56
t
The General Officer Commanding, Eorce “ D,” forwarded a report on the Caucasus situation as given in
letters from Colonel Stokes and Major Clutterbuck giving Bicharakhov and Baratov’s proposals and
views as to rallying men in their command and raising a new force.
9127
57
The General Officer Commanding, Eorce “ D,” forwarded information given by Colonel Rowlandson
regarding movements of Major Clutterbuck and Bicharakhov and as to prospects of the latter raising
volunteers from his old troops and the formation of new troops.
9128
58
39
/
/
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 1917. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: Tables, telegrams, memoranda, and letters.
An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 3-17. The volume concerns:
- Military personnel issues, including: recruitment, training, and promotions
- The supply of food, ordnance, oil, construction materials, and other items to Force D
- British ‘punitive actions’ against the ‘offending tribes’ of Al Abbas near Samawah [As Samawah] and Albu Jassim [Al Bu Jasim] near Bani Said [Bani Sa‘id]
- British raiding and aerial bombardment of villages in Mesopotamia, including Shirwan Sakhal [Shakal] and Kelar [Kalar]
- River traffic in Mesopotamia
- Preparations for a meeting between Lieutenant-Generals Jan Smuts, Edmund Allenby, and William Marshall in Egypt, to discuss the ongoing war against Turkey [Ottoman Empire]
- Matters relating to Dunsterforce, including: the selection of officers and NCOs to join Dunsterforce; the dispatch of an Armoured Car Unit; and the movements of Major-General Lionel Dunsterville
- Railway construction in Mesopotamia
- Arrest of Sullaiman Mirza [Sulaymān Mīrzā A title of honour originally applied to princes, later to military leaders, and later still to secretaries, chieftains, and other ‘gentlemen’. ] and Isa Mirza [‘Īsá 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]
- Intelligence concerning the activities of the Turkish [Ottoman] and German militaries
- A report on the military readiness of the 49th Bengal Infantry
- Unreliability of Bolshevik-influenced Russian troops in Persia [Iran]
- German propaganda campaigns in Persia
- A proposal for British officers to take command of the Persian Cossack Brigade
- Matters relating to the Caucasus, including: British attempts to create a local military force; British influence on the relationship between Armenians and ‘Tartars’ in the region; and problems caused by the ‘decidedly Bolshevik’ Russian fleet in the Caspian Sea
- Civil war in Russia.
The volume also contains:
- Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of: lines of communication; general organisation; and names of General Officers and Brigade Commanders (ff 18-30)
- Distribution of the Turkish Army dated 12 February 1918 (ff 208-211)
- Report of number of pilots, balloon officers, and aircraft available for service in Mesopotamia, 31 January 1918 (f 39), 7 February 1917 (f 141)
- State of supplies on 26 January 1918 (ff 43-44), 2 February 1918 (f 120, f 142-143), 9 February 1918 (ff 232-233)
- Strength statements of Force D, 24 November 1917 (ff 48-61), 29 December 1917 (ff 107-108)
- Ration strength of Force D, 31 January 1918 (ff 72-73), 12 January 1918 (ff 84-86), 29 December 1917 (ff 87-90), 19 January (ff 177-180), 5 January 1918 (ff 195-198)
- Supply requests for Force D, dated February 1918 (ff 62-63), March 1918 (f 149)
- Returns of sick and wounded dated 2 February 1918 (f 72), 19 January 1918 (ff 76-77), 26 January 1918 (ff 159-160)
- Proposed War Establishment for an Indian Infantry Battalion (ff 173-177)
- Distribution Report showing number and condition of motor vehicles with Force D, 1 December 1917 (ff 218-231).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (246 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 248; 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 3-246; 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 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [69r] (142/500), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3293, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100142276886.0x00008f> [accessed 12 August 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3293
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:247v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence