![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [‎79r] (166/396)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x00022b/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3317_0166.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [‎79r] (166/396)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [79r] (166/396)
The record is made up of 1 volume (194 folios). It was created in 23 Nov 1918-15 Feb 1919. 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.
Working copy to A. G.
Copies to M. S. C. a M. S. V., Q. M. G., D. G. 0., C. W. C., G. S. (S. D. 1,
M. 0. 1).
Summary of Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, dated the 23rd November 1918.
Total British personnel ....
Oversea Contingent, Local Levies and Local Labour
„ „ Australian « . •
Indian Troops . ' . . •
Coloured Labour . ....
Enemy Prisoners of War* . • •
Total reinforcements available, whether trained or
untrained, in the theatre of war.
Total Effective Strength
•
• «
War establishments
•
«
Surplus .....
•
• •
Deficiency .....
•
•
Temporary non-effectives, including permanently unfit
temporarily unfit, sick, wounded and prisoners
under detention. *
Drafts advised up to and including War Office cable
No. S. R. I.-A. 974-E. as having sailed but not
yet arrived.
Total
Officers.
Other ranks.
Officers.
Other ranks.
7,040
76,980
...
« • •
84
32,614
...
...
9
330
...
...
2,417
260,310
...
•t*
• ••
6,616
...
...
661
20,485
••
...
10,111
387,335
...
...
397
17,889
...
...
...
...
10,508
405,224
•••
...
11,571
400,009
...
...
...
5,215
...
• ••
1,063
...
425
20,439
...
...
28
373
-
...
453
20,812
...
* Prisoners of 'War will be shown with a War Establishment equal to their actual strength.
1
Mesopotamian Expeditionary force, British Contingent, dated the 23rd November 1918.
—
Officers.
Other,
ranks.
W. A. A. C.
Coloured
Native
Total.
Total Effective Strength
.. *
7,040
76,980
...
6,615
90,636
War Establishment ... ...
8,099
73,867
...
6,591
*•-
3,113
25
Surplus ... ••• «•
...
Deficiency
...
-
1,059
...
...
•••
Other
*
Officers.
ranks.
Reinforcements available-—
Trained
319
7,161
Partly trained ...
• ••
...
Total
7,480
319
7,161
319
7,161
...
Actual Surplus ...
...
...
...
1C, 274
...
26
...
Actual Deficiency ... ..
...
#• •
740
...
...
...
Not included in above—
i
Officers in Hospital «;.
...
361
...
1
Patients, other ranks
««»
...
7,687
Permanently Unfit Personnel* ...
2
5,161
Temporary Unfit Personnel
...
...
3
374
- ...
...
29,764
Prisoners under detention ...
...
....
56
Prisoners of War
...
561
20,485
Awaiting Pass. Ex. Mes. ..
...
...
24
>
•••
Total of Contingent
...
...
...
...
870
y 0 te .—Any General Headquarters or Corps pool troops should be shown under reinforcements or in the strength
of units if borne against an establishment.
79
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 February 1919. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, memoranda, and tables.
An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 1-9. The volume concerns:
- Military personnel issues, including: equipment; the transfer and retirement of officers; nominations for Staff College; granting of leave; and demobilisation of troops
- Supply of food, construction materials, and other items to Force D
- Reductions of planned supply shipments to Force D
- Proposal for a new kind of emergency ration for Indian troops
- Preparation for demobilisation of Force D, including: disposal of animals used by Force D; withdrawal orders for specific units; and disposal of surplus ammunition
- Provision of ships to carry troops from Mesopotamia to the United Kingdom
- Proposed expansion of the jurisdiction of 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.
- Proposed changes to the Army Chaplains’ Department
- Employment of ‘Imported’ labourers in Mesopotamia and the growth of ‘Considerable local prejudice’ against these workers
- The post-war occupation and government of Mesopotamia
- British assessments of Mesopotamian public opinion
- Construction of railways in Mesopotamia
- Vaccination of animals shipped to Mesopotamia
- Arrest of thirteen Turkish [Ottoman] ‘ringleaders in recent political intrigue’ by British forces in Baghdad
- Turkish military presence at Joziret Ibn Omar [Cizre]
- British use of petroleum wells at Zakhd [Zakho]
- British arming of ‘Turcomans’ to fight the Bolsheviks on behalf of the Transcaspian Government
- Intelligence suggesting the presence of the former Ottoman leader Enver Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. [Enver Pāshā] in the Caucasus
- British military actions in Persia [Iran] including: occupation of key roads; maintenance of roads; and discussion of a ‘most virulent form of malaria’ affecting British troops in North Persia.
The volume also contains:
- Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of lines of communication, general organisation, and corrections (ff 63-73)
- State of supplies on 27 January 1919 (f 25), 31 January 1919 (ff 162-163), 7 February 1919 (f 168)
- Distribution Report showing number and condition of motor vehicles with Force D, 1 December 1918 (ff 27-42)
- Ration strength of Force D on 21 December 1918 (ff 124-130), 28 December 1918 (ff 130-136), 4 January 1919 (ff 182-187), 11 January 1919 (ff 75-78), 18 January 1918 (ff 149-152)
- Strength return of Force D on 23 November 1918 (ff 79-90)
- Weekly return of sick and wounded dated 4 January 1919 (ff 99-100), 11 January (ff 188-189)
- Ammunition return of Force D on 2 January 1918 (ff 110-111)
- Programme for February despatch of British troops from Mesopotamia and India (f 112).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (194 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 (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 192; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.
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 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [79r] (166/396), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3317, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100143579001.0x0000a7> [accessed 9 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3317
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1r:192v, ii-r:ii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence