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File 5655/1918 Pt 2 'Mesopotamia: Refugee Camp at Baqubah (1920 – papers)' [268r] (544/946)
The record is made up of 1 volume (464 folios). It was created in 27 Dec 1919-30 Dec 1920. It was written in English and French. 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.
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SJLSJL 0 Z . .TJLLi E. fi R A I / C ^ 9
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From Baghdad.
Dated 20th June, 1920.
(Received 21st June, 4.30
(R). Clear the Line.
7450. Your telegram of June 13th,
Requirements of rifles have been substantially met.
j^o
hrr l ^-
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/own
Owing to the delay in arrival of Howitzers from England,
mountain guns which Military Authorities anticipated would
be surplus in the Springy are not yet available, but General v
officer Commanding in Chief is prepared to hand (corrupt grouo)
guns to Refugees immediately after arrival of new howitzers
m country, if so authorised by War Office. I beg that the
war Office may be moved to grant necessary authority. Refugees
will then be informed accordingly and I^(hop'e^ that 'the
promise of guns within few months will/induce them to continue
to move. x / —
As regards the objections of the Persian Government
please see Tehran telegram of June 6th to Foreign. Office. I
agree with Sir P. Cox uhat we should inform Persian Government
tnat the matter has now gone too far to admit of retreat. I
greatly deprecate making "any concessions to Persian
Government in this connection; to do so appears to me
inconsistent with our/good name and can only have effect of
strengthening the forces of disorder in North lest Persia
which are in no way under control of the Persian Government.
I consider geiieral situation in Mosul Vilayet will not
deteriorate so rapidly as to prevent repatriation being success
fully effected, provided that"no further delay occurs and I
a ** do not consider either of the above objections need affect
accomplishment of scheme. General Officer Commanding in
Chief whom I have fully consulted is strongly in favour of
the scheme being pushed through energetically both on
, financial and general grounds and in order to reduce what
constitutes very serious commitments and a heavy tax on his
supply organisation.
Present ration strength of refugees between one fourth
and one fifth of the whole ration strength of the forces out
* here. As regards ttye opinion of Refugees themselves if left
; to their own devices they wish for nothing better than to
'■ remain for ever guests of British Government, fed, clothed,
and protected by us.
It is impossible for them to settle down in this country,
and the only alternative to repatriation this year, that I
or they can see, is indefinite retention at Baquban under
canvas, renewal of which will cost some two hundred thousand
pounds, if required next financial (? year).
We ha..ve worked up the Refugees under the skilful leader
ship of one enthusiast vis: Agha H^os to a point at which the
majority are anxious for repatriation and are willing to see
it through.
These leaders I have again consulted fully and discussed
the subject of your telegram.
Their
About this item
- Content
This volume contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, telegrams and minutes. It mainly covers conversations between British and French officials regarding the Christian (mostly Assyrian and Armenian) refugees in the refugee camp at Baqubah [also written Ba’qubah, Ba’quba and Baquba] in Mesopotamia [approximately corresponding to present-day Iraq], and their possible repatriation.
Related matters of discussion include the following: the health of the refugees; background; labour capacity; expenses and payments of the refugee camp; administration of the camp and its economic challenges; transportation for repatriation. Included in the correspondence are letters from Surma Khanin D’Mar Shimun describing the situation of the camp and asking for changes to the camp, and for the return of the Assyrians and Armenians. In addition, there are some inquiries received by British officials from Christian Assyrians. Also mentioned are the following: the ‘Christian Army of Revenge’, French propaganda among the Assyrians, Assyrio-Chaldean [Assyro-Chaldeans] refugees in Russia, and the American Mission.
In addition, the volume includes the following:
- Details of the numbers of Armenian refugees in the camp at Baqubah on 7 December 1919 (f 462)
- Memoranda on the Armenian refugees present in the camp 1919 (ff 436-459)
- Notes on the Assyrian refugees in the camp, dated July 1920 (ff 199-210)
- List of the number of Armenians in the camp (ff 104-105)
- A memorandum on the Assyrian and Armenian refugees in Mesopotamia (ff 95-97)
- A map showing a ‘Proposed Nestorian Enclave’ (f 466).
The principal correspondents are: Civil Commissioner, Baghdad; British High Commission, Constantinople [Istanbul]; British Embassy in Washington; British Consulate, Tabriz; War Office; Lord Curzon, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, British Delegation, Paris; officials at the refugee camp at Baqubah; French Embassy, London; Board of Foreign Mission of the Presbyterian Church in the United States; the Mar Shimun family.
The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (464 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
The subject 5655 (Mesopotamia) consists of 3 volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/773-775. The volumes are divided into 4 parts, with part 1 comprising the first volume, part 2 comprising the second volume, and parts 3-4 comprising the third volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 468; 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 present in parallel between ff 197-462; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 5655/1918 Pt 2 'Mesopotamia: Refugee Camp at Baqubah (1920 – papers)' [268r] (544/946), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/774, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100184391544.0x000046> [accessed 6 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/774
- Title
- File 5655/1918 Pt 2 'Mesopotamia: Refugee Camp at Baqubah (1920 – papers)'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:6v, 9r:19v, 24r:35v, 36ar, 36r:70v, 72r:78v, 80r:88v, 90r:122v, 123ar, 123r:133v, 136r:153v, 154ar, 155r:158v, 160r:177v, 181r:183v, 185r:187v, 192r:192v, 194r:197v, 199r:203v, 204ar, 204r:231v, 234r:242v, 244r:271v, 277r:278v, 279ar, 279r:282v, 284r:293v, 294ar, 294r:310v, 312r:332v, 334r:349v, 353r:364v, 367r:383v, 389r:389v, 391r:397v, 399r:408v, 418r:465v, 467r:467v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence