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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [71r] (146/500)
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.
Telegram P. } No. X.-6281, dated 2nd February 1918. APPENDIX 47
(Despatched 2-35 p.m., received 1 a.m., 3rd February 1918.) [By. No. 8979)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Baghdad,
To—The Secretary, War Office, London.
(Repeated Chief of the General Staff, Delhi, and General Officer Commanding, Egyptian
Expeditionary Force, Cairo.)
The upriver ice programme for fighting troops will be seriously crippled
unless ice barges arrive in Basrah by the middle of March. The first of these
which shipped last July was lost but no advice of shipment in replacement has
been received yet. Machinery has arrived for remaining 2 barges and rest of
machinery and hulls despatched from England by 44 Knight of Garter ” last
August for transhipment at Alexandria where they have been lying for some
months. D. I. W. T. has telegraphed to Egypt but has received no infor
mation yet. Can you assist by accelerating please ?
Working copy to Q. M. G.
Copy to M. S. C., M. B.
Telegram P., No. X.-6287, dated 2nd February 1918. APPENDIX 48
(Despatched 2-10 p.m., received 4-30 a.m., 3rd February 1918.) (Vy. No, 8984)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force D,” Baghdad,
To—The Chief of the General Staff, Delhi.
It is proposed that the Indian Labour Corps in this country should be
reorganized into 12 Labour Battalions each with strength of 6 British officers
including 1 non-technical, 10 Indian officers including 2 non-technical, 2
British overseers, 48 N. C. Os., 48 artificers, 10 clerks, 2 Indian overseers, 1,024
labourers, 10 private and 56 public followers; total 8 British and 1,208
Indians.
It is also proposed that the Works companies should be reorganized into 6
companies, each 3 British officers including 1 non-technical, 1 Company
Q. M. S., 86 British clerks and subordinates, 28 Indian clerks, surveyors and
sub-overseers, 600 artificers, 15 private and 28 public followers.
Former entails an increase of 12 British officers, 33 Indian officers and 84
public followers, and a decrease of 24 British subordinates, 512 Indian
artificers and 24 clerks.
. Latter means an increase of 172 British clerks and subordinates, 91
Indian clerks, surveyors and sub-overseers, 1,707 artificers and 89 public
followers, and a decrease of 3 British officers and 29 British other ranks.
The surplus Indian clerks and artificers in the former will be transferred
to the latter and thus reduce the actual increase quoted above. To meet this
increase the 200 masons and 500 carpenters asked for under A.-4578 {By.
No. 6347) will be taken.
The increases are demanded by the necessity for various works for flood
protection, hutting of troops for the summer, etc., and I am of opinion that the
proposed reorganization will make for efficiency in both Works companies and
Labour Corps.
Bo you agree ?
Working copy to A. G.
Copy to M. S. C , Q. M. G., B. G. M. W., G. S. (S. B. 1, S. D. 2).
Telegram P., No. X.-5294, dated 2nd February 1918. APPENDIX 49
(Despatehed 7-4)5 p.m., received 8 a.m., 3rd February 1918.) (Bv. No, 8986)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Baghdad,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
(Repeated London and Egypt.)
6 p.m. No change in situation.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 1).
C opy to M t S. G., M. S. V., G. S. (M. O. 3).
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.)’ [71r] (146/500), 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_100142276886.0x000093> [accessed 1 April 2025]
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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