Indian Expeditionary Force 'D', General Routine Orders (incomplete) [‎349r] (714/774)

( I ■
No General Routine Orders issued (
on 17 th, 18th and 19th March.
General
Routine
Orders 21457
BY
LIEUT.-GENERAL W. R. MA
COMMANDING-IN-CHIEF, MESOPOTAMIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.
K.C.B.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20th, 1918
Adjutant General’s Branch.
Corrigendum
298. In General Routine Order, No. 279 of 13th March after “soldier” insert
" reverts to a lower grade or.”—A-1398.
Discipline 299. (a) Ex-Sultan Awal Mirza Ali Dashti, late of the 1st Infantry, South Persia
Rifles, was convicted of selling government ammunition for purposes of private gain and
sentenced to imprisonment which will expire on 28th April next, in the event of this*
individual seeking employment in the Force, he is to be refused.
(b) The undermentioned individual dismissed as Interpreter is not to be
re-employed in any capacity in the Force.
Hanna ibn Nasouri (Chaldean).
, (c) Sub-Inspector Agha Yahyia has been dismissed from the Civil Police for
misconduct.
He is not to be re-employed in any capacity in the Force.—A-2229.
Discipline Followers 300. With reference to General Routine Order No. 915 of 1917, a Disciplinary
Camp has now been established at Kut-el-Amara.
Non-combatants sentenced to three months’ rigorous imprisonment or less are in
future to be committed to this establishment to undergo their punishment. Form " B,”
page 315, Manual of Indian Military Law, is to be used as the warrant of commitment,
and pending supply by Advanced and Base Stationery Offices this form will be made
out in manuscript.—A-2155.
Discipline
Economy
301. Attention has been directed to the fact that in many cases the period which
elapses before an accused is brought to trial is too great.
It is recognised that in war time it is difficult to bring an accused to trial with the
same celerity as in time of peace, but frequently it has been found that the delay is
excessive even after all allowances have been made. This applies both in the case of
officers and soldiers, and it is pointed out that when the charge is not of a very grave
character the detention in arrest awaiting trial may be actually a more severe punish
ment than the offence itself merits, even if the accused is found guilty, while if the
accused is acquitted, arrest for an excessive period amounts to a great hardship.
Delay of this nature has always been contrary to the traditions of the Army, and
stringent provisions designed to secure a speedy investigation and trial are contained in
the Rules of Procedure, and Sections 21 and 45 (1) of the Army Act. While the
provisions of the latter sub-section (so far as they refer to reports of the necessity of
delay) are inapplicable to officers and soldiers on active service : nevertheless it is
considered that the principle of a speedy trial must be insisted on even in existing
circumstances and the provisions of Rule of Procedure 17 (c) must be strictly complied
with. In cases where delay has occurred an explanation is to be forwarded with the
proceedings—A-1772.
302. On account of the necessity of preserving woollen articles of clothing every
economy in the use of such articles is to be practised.
It has been observed that followers sometimes walk about in socks without boots,
and that articles such as shirts, drawers, jerseys or cardigans, authorised under the
winter scale and intended for use as underclothing only, are worn without upper
garments.
As such action tends to reduce the life of these garments, these practices are to
cease. Any garments worn out through improper. usage will only be replaced on
payment, and such replacement will only be made if stocks permit after all legitimate
demands have been complied with.—A-2001.