File 5655/1918 Pt 2 'Mesopotamia: Refugee Camp at Baqubah (1920 – papers)' [‎442r] (894/946)

7^ if
CHAPTER III.
THE FORMATION OF A REFUGEE CAMP AT BA’QUBA, MESOPOTAMIA.
The site for the Concentration Camp was chosen on the right bank of the River Diala, about
three miles from the town of B'a’quba which lies 33 miles N.N.E. from Baghdad. Ba’quba stands
on the main caravan route from Baghdad to Hamadan, and on the railway from Baghdad to the
Persian border. Thus, water and food supply presented no difficulty.
Towards the end of August, 1918, the Refugees started to pour into Ba’quba, exhausted and
suffering from dysentery and almost every other known disease. Their death rate at this time was
about sixty a day. For the next two months the stream of refugees continued steadily until about
the end of October some 40,000 people had been accommodated in E.P. Tents and mat shelters.
Later this number was increased to about forty-live thousand.
The whole camp which covers roughly an area of one square mile has been divided into three
Areas,* A,” B,' and C” respectively. Each of these Areas are subdivided into Sections,
varying from 11 to 13 in number in each Area. Over each Area there was a British Officer, and
•each Section had a British Officer looking after it assisted by 3 or 4 British Soldiers. This per- *
sonnel were responsible for the cleanliness, welfare and discipline of their Section.*
*Note.—S ince the above was written, sections are now administered by the Refugees themselves, and the
British personnel have except in a "few cases been dispensed with.
Each Section has, roughly 50 E.P. Tents accommodating approximately 1,250 refugees, its own
■chlorinated water supply pumped up from the river, latrines, incinerators and cooking sheds. Thus,
the camp consists of a series of self-contained tented villages about 300 yards by 135, while the
whole is a small town, at the present moment sheltering some forty thousand souls, the majority
being women and children.
The refugees brought down with them many thousands of animals, and accommodation had
to be arranged for these,—ponies mules, cattle and donkeys besides flocks of goats and sheep. A
•considerable number of these died however, from exhaustion and disease. A large number were
sent away to grazing districts since no grazing land is procurable in or near the Camp. Many were
sent away for agricultural purposes while the remainder formed the camp transport.
As a result of the diseased condition of the refugees on their arrival here, every man, woman
and child had to pass through a disinfecting area before being allowed to proceed to an open
Section. Hospitals had to be erected quickly to cope with nearly almost every known disease from
which the people were suffering at this time.
The difficult question of feeding the people was met by a large Supply Depot fed from Baghdad
being opened alongside the Baghdad—Table Mountain railway which runs through the camp.
Rations are issued in bulk to Area Commanders, from them to Section and so to tent representatives.
A bazaar was opened in October, 1918, which was promptly filled by Refugee shopkeepers who
have done a flourishing trade during the past year. •
About the same time an Orphanage was,started and some eight hundred Armenian and Assyrian
orphans accommodated.
Close on three thousand E.P. Tents “were issued and pitched for the refugees ; all mat shelters
having of necessity to be replaced by these, on account of the winter. These tents were issued by
a Quartermaster’s Stores which was . opened in the camp shortly after its commencement ; many
thousands of blankets, calico and material, pannikins, garments and boots were also issued to the
people.
Labour being necessary for work on the roads and railway, a Labour Office was opened which
controlled and payed the Refugee labour, this, being the only labour available.