![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [‎181r] (366/500)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x000213/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3293_0366.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.)’ [‎181r] (366/500)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 43. PART I. (From 1st to 14th November 1917.)’ [181r] (366/500)
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 No. 145-W., dated 7th February 1918.
(Received in War Section, 8 th February 1918.)
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign
ment, >
To—The Civil Commissioner, Baghdad.
APPENDIX 210
{Dy. No. 11378)
and Political Depart-
(Repeated to the Deputy Civil Commissioner, Basrah.)
My endorsement 1221-W., December 25th, 1917 (See By. No. 11377}
Director, Royal Indian Marine, reports inability to ship wheat from Karachi or
Bombay by hired transport in January, and no prospect of shipments in
February. Tonnage allotted is barely sufficient for military requirements
Arrangement with B. I. is suggested. 1
Record copy to Q. M. G.
Copy to M. S. C.
Telegram P., No. 82, dated iOth Februarv 1918. APPENDIX 211
(Despatched 6 p.m., received 9 a.m., 11 th February 1918.) (l)y. No. 11382)
Erom—Lieutenant-Colonel Rowlandson, Hamadan,
To—London.
(Repeated Baghdad, India and Tehran.)
Your 51899 {Dy. tfo. 10915).
1° TWe is shortage of guns here as units are taking them back to Russia.
Baratoff ^ °^ cers 6(30 men and 10 guns constitute number of troops with
Estimated by Bicharakhov that at least 500 of his men will remain,
eturns are not in from 2 recruiters but they will probably only supply few
y en * Baratoff has wired to Northern Caucasus Governments, reply to which
i s i l 9“ yet been received, to send us 10 squadrons 2J battalions and 10 guns
th’ fl Uary If the staff and senior regimental officers were British I
mk that more volunteers could be raised and far better troops formed,
nssian soldiers distrust their own officers who are badly chosen, lazy and I
incompetent. British Cavalry Regiment at Hamadan would not improve
recruitment.
2. (a) Not more than line Enzeli Kasvin inclusive could be held
securely by Russian Force of 1,000 men. 4 Battalions 4 squadrons and 10
guns exclusive of any striking force, would he required to hold as far as
Kermanshah. These would garrison Kermanshah, Hamadan, Kasvin and
Kesht and Enzeli while British armoured cars would patrol roads.
(b) At least one year would elapse, in my opinion, before the Persian
Cossacks even with British officers could be trusted to hold road, and even then
without a backing of European troops they would be unreliable.
(c) For safety of road armoured cars are essential. For the garrison of
‘ •Omission. the * 1 rec0m m<3nd nucleus of British
. ’ # troops with contingents of Persian Cos
sacks and Russians, all under British command and British officers.
As Russian and Persian Contingents increase and improve/British troops
could be reduced.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 1).
Copy to M. S. G, A. G., Q. M. G., M. S. V., G. S. (M. O. 1).
Telegram P., No. X.-6463-M.-9-2, dated 10th February 1918. APPENDIX 212
(Despatched 12-30 a.m., 11th February 1918 ; received 11-45 a.m., 11th (Zty. No. 11384)
February 1918.) 1
From—The General Officer Commanding, Baghdad,
To—The Director, Military Intelligence, London.
(Repeated Chief of the General Staff, Delhi.)
It is reported by an Afghan deserted from Druffel that Fasting was to
leave Mosul for Kifri on February 9th.
Working copy to G. S. (M. 0. 3).
Copy to M. S. C„ G. S. (M. 0. 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 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.)’ [181r] (366/500), 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_100142276887.0x0000a7> [accessed 7 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