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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [91r] (190/396)
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.
APPENDIX 77.
DIARY No. 9242.
Telegram P., No. X‘5276^ dated 4tli January 1919.
(Despatched 6-35 p.m., received 11 a.m.,1 5th January 1919.)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D ”, Baghdad,
To—The Secretary, War Office, London.
(Repeated to the Chief of the General Staff, Delhi.)
With reference to Secretary of State’s telegram to Foreign, Delhi, dated
January 24th (Diary No. 6989), repeated here in reply to Political, Baghdad’s
11464, dated 22nd December (Dairy No. 102207). After consultation with
Civil Commissioner, I proposed the following organisation for engineering
services in this country.
1. The appointment of a Chief Engineer who will also be ex-officio to the
Civil Commissioner in the Public Works Department. This official will also
be the engineering adviser to the Commanderdn-Chief, in this way rendering
unnecessary the appointment of Chief Engineer and Deputy Chief Engineer
as proposed in my X-5091, January 20th (Diary No. 5541).
2. The Directors of the following departments would be under this Chief
Engineer: (1) Irrigation, (2) Military Works buildings, (3) Civil Works roads
and buildings, (4) Electrical and Mechanical.
6. For the present I consider the Chief Engineer proposed should be an
officer of the Royal Engineer with rank of Brigadier*General. The Civil
Commissioner thinks he should be an officer with Egyptian or Soudan ex
perience. I do not consider this point of special importance. At a later date
possibly he might be purely Civil.
4. Director, Military Works, should be a Colonel.
5. The above organization, I consider, would be the one least likely to lead
to friction and would place all engineering works in this country under one
head with the exception of railways and ports and for which see my telegram
dated January 23rd, No. X-5127 (Diary No. 6381).
6. I shall be prepared to submit the names of officers for the various ap
pointments if the above is approved.
Working copy to G. S. (S. D. 1) with D. G., M. W.
Copy to*M. S. C., G. S. (M. 0. 1), A. G., Q. M. G.
APPENDIX 78.
DIARY No. 9273.
Telegram P., No. X-5263, dated 4tli February 1919,
(Despatched 10-40 p.m., received 3 a.m., 5th February 1919.)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D ”, Baghdad,
To—The Secretary, War Office, London.
(Repeated Chief of the General Staff, Delhi, and Inspector-General of Communication and
Director^ Inlaud W ater Transport, Basrah).
Your 35962-M. R. 3--10369, August 3rd, 1917 (Diary No. 52892).
Following are deadweight requirements from India for March
Rations
• • •
Tons.
6,530
Gram
• • *
• • •
2,000
Fodder ... ...
• • •
5 • •
9,000
Supply and Transport Miscellaneous Stores
• • •
5,000
Railways Miscellaneous Stores
...
...
1,200
Works General Stores
...
t • •
400
„ Special Timber
§ • •
• ••
275
„ Cement
...
...
1,100
Coal I. W. T.
• • t
• • t
7,000
„ Railways ...
...
• • •
4,500
,, Ocean Steamers
...
...
1,000
„ Works
• • •
• • •
1,500
I. W. T. Stores ...
• • •
• • «
500
Y. M. C. A.
...
• • •
100
Transport Military* Authorities
...
• • •
150
Ordnance stores and clothing
• • •
• • •
2,750
%
Total
• • •
43,005
* 1 change.
By 1 change.
Working copy to Q. M. G.
Copy to M. S. C., G. S. (M. 0.1), M. B.
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.)’ [91r] (190/396), 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_100143579001.0x0000bf> [accessed 30 March 2025]
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- 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