‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 52. PART I. (From 1st to 15th November 1918.)’ [‎124r] (256/558)

In giving his app A oxaI to the above the General Officer Commanding-in-
Chief ^ has amipulated that .he scheme is liable to suspension should military
situation demand , and that prisoners of war so released should not ordinarily
for the present be repatriated to Kut or Nasiryah. There will be no difficulty
about either of these points.
If considered desirable I can depute special officer to India to arrange
details with Commandants of Prisoner of War Camps.
Working copy (advance copy for information) to G. S. (M. 0.1) with A. G.
Copy to M. S. C., G. S. (M. 0. 3), Q. M. G.
APPENDIX 101.
DIARY No. 89298.
Telegram No. 9427, dated 3rd November 1918.
(Received, 5th November 1918, received in War Section, 6th November 191^.)
From—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. and Civil Commissioner in
Mesopotamia, Baghdad,
To—The Secretary of Slate for India, London.
(Repeated to the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign and Political Depart
ment, Simla, Teheran )
Circular .—Following is text of speech by General Officer Commanding-
in-Chief on November 2nd to assembled notables and populace of Baghdad.
Begins. When rather more than 18 months ago the late General Sir
Stanley Maude entered Baghdad at the head of his victorious troops almost his
first act was to issue a proclamation to the citizens of Baghdad, and through
them to the peoples of Iraq, the message which that proclamation contained
was one of reassurance for the present and of hope for the future. There must
be many here present who remember General Maude’s words and who have
copies of his proclamation. He told you that the British Army had come,
not as conqueror but as deliverers, and that, under British rule, there would
he no interference with any man’s religion or his private affairs, but there
would be equal justice and opportunity for all; he promised that he we ? would
do our best to encourage trade and increase prosperity, and would devote our
selves as well to the promotion of liberty as to the advancement of your
material interests, that promise as you know, Gentlemen, General Maude did not
lire to redeem, he laid the foundation and it has fallen to me to complete the
superstructure to-day almost exactly the universary of his lamented and
\
t
untimely death, I come here before you, to announce the victorious termination
of hostilities against the Turkish Armies, during the last few months after a
long period of bitter struggle the war has undergone a sudden and dramatic
change. Bulgaria has submitted unconditionably, Austria has in effect
surrendered at discretion, the German Armies are in full retreat and the
Turks have sued for peace; within the period of a few davs you have seen the
British Armies advancing from Nazaret:h to Damascus, from Damascus to
Homs and Hama and from thence to Aleppo* nor has the advance been only
in Syria, on the Tigris also we have done our share, and after destroying or
capturing the whole of tlm Turkish Army opposed to us, are in a position to
control the destinies of Mosul so then, so far as this theatre of operations is
concerned, the end of the war has come, and we are now in a position to show
that the premises that have so often; been made to you are to be kept at
the first possible opportunity as a present earnest of our good intentions. I
announce to you, first, that prisoners of war other than those of Turkish
nationality who are now confined in India will be allowed to return to their
homes ; second, that within the limits of the occupied territories there will be
complete freedom of trade and relation of blockade restrictions; third, there
will be a similar relation of the restrictions on personal movement; fourth,
that the conveyance of corpses for burial at Karbala and Najaf will at once
more be permitted under suitable conditions; fifth, that the routes to the
sacred places will be thrown open once again for organised pilgrimage ; sixth,
that all permanent employ of the civil administration from among the local
population who are not actually serving in the ranks of the army and who
have done good work will be granted a bonus of one month’s pay ; seventh,
that selected prisoners from amongst those confined in civil jails will be
released ; .eighth, that a distribution of food and clothing will be made to the
poor of Baghdad and other towns and other minor relaxations of existing rules
will he made. Gentlemen, there is no more to be said. I ask you only to
believe that the vexations and annoyances which the presence of an army in
your midst have inevitably caused have been due not to our intentions but to
military necessity and I promise, in the name of His Majesty the King-
Emperor, that I will make all possible speed to remove.
All copies of proclamation in Arabic and English were afterwards distri-
r buted by aeroplane over the town.
i
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▼ » ^dU.VtALIl/ty C'C/Uy
A. G. •
Copy to M. S. C., G. S. (M. 0. 3), Q. M. G.