![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [‎82r] (168/500)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x000213/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3293_0168.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.)’ [‎82r] (168/500)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [82r] (168/500)
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.
1 4 J
Telegram V.> No. 51549 Cipher, dated 2nd February 19 IS. APPENDIX 08
(Despatobed 12»25 a.m. s drd February 1918 ; received 12-30 a m s 4tk
-February 1918.) (P y . No, 9167)
From—The Director, Military Intelligence, London,
To—The Caucasus Military
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
.
(Repeated India and Mesopotamia.)
Please let (us f ?) know early the stations you are in wireless commumi-
v . . . cation with from Baku and Tiflis. Can
y c ^geo guie. you receive from Basrah and Baghdad and
can you send to those places ?
Working copy to G. (M. O. S).
Copy to M. S. C., G. S (M. Q. 1),
Telegram P., No. X.-606, dated 3rd February 1918. APPENDIX 63
(Despatched 12 noon, received 11-55 p m.) (Zty No. 9168)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force ^ D,” Baghdad,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
(Repeated to the Inspector General of Communications, Force “ D/' Basrah.)
Your 8324 of 31st January.
We consider it important that an officer who possesses all our experience
in Mesopotamia and knows conditions required in this country should be
attached to the very extensive branch at the War Office, which is concerned
with Inland Water Transport all over the world. It would also be of great
advantage to us to know what kind of materials of every description can be
procured under conditions at present obtaining in England. Further many
needless enquiries and suggestions resulting from misunderstandings which
arise from time to time would be obviated by the presence at War Office of an
officer from here. Although our programme may be completed this year it
will constantly be necessary to make additions and replacements
Working copy to Q. M. G.
£5opy to M. S, C , A. G., M. B., G, S. (M. 0. 1, S« D. 1).
$2
1918.
Telegram F., No. 51573-Cipher, dated 1918,
(Received 2-15 a.m,, 3rd February 1918.)
From—The Chief of the Imperial General Staff, London,
To—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Baghdad.
(Repeated Gillman, Basrah, and Commander-in Chief in India.)
5IB50, January 31st (Dy. No. 3448),
APPENDIX 76
(Dy. No. 9172)
The War Cabinet is very desirous of taking up operations against Turkey
with a view to its elimination from the War.
The desirability of this cannot be questioned. It is a question of sense
w hich requires careful investigation.
Seutz is being sent to Egypt at once by War Committee to confer with
General Allenby and your representative on whole question.
Main operation, to carryout wishes of War Cabinet, would probably take
place if found practicable in Palestine. Co-operation on your part might
consist either in detaching troops to reinforce Allenby or in offensive opera
tions in Mesopotamia in co-operation with Allenby or possibly a combination
of these two.
Your representative should be fully informed as to your views as to what
troops you could spare if any, and as to wffiat offensive operations you could
carry out. He should therefore he fully acquainted with problems of supply,
and transportation and possible railway developments, and what these would
entail in the provision of labour and material. He should also know your
defensive requirements and possible developments on Persian frontier. In
short he should he able to advise both as to your minimum requirements defen
sively an i what you can undertake with your present force offensively. Ends.
Please acknowledge.
s*
0
I
6
3
11
12
O
Working copy to G, S. (M. 0. 1).
Copy to M. S. C., Q. M. G., A. G., G, & (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.)’ [82r] (168/500), 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_100142276886.0x0000a9> [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