"مذكرات الحرب. مقر قيادة الجيش، الهند. [...] قوة المشاة الهندية «د». المجلد ٣٧. الجزء II. (من ١٦ إلى ٣١ أغسطس ١٩١٧)." [و‎‎١‎٧‎٠] (٥٤٦/٣٤٤)

APPENDIX 47 ft
Letter No. 0.-1235-26-164, dated 4th August 1917. [J) v% j^ 0 QS111)
From-Lieutenant-General ^S. M^ob, Comma.ding, Mesopotamia Expeditionary
To—The Chief of the General Staff, Army Headquarters, Simla.
of n^Tmli^rnfo 6 r 0 n 0 «C t 0 | f 01 ' WarC I, herewith a P r 0 P 0 sal for the organisation
the General nffio^p Battall ° n 0“ the 4-eompany basis, submitted to me by
the General Officer Commanding, 1st Indian Army Corps, which I recommend
tor consideration with certain suggested modifications, vis : -
(<*) The services of a Major (2nd-in-Command) on the Headquarters
establishment appear to me to be as necessary as iu a British
Battalion.
(S) One Lewis gun officer, but no other personnel, is required on the
Headquarters establishment. The Lewis gun is purely a company
w eapon, and to deprive the Company Commander of the respon-
sibdity for instruction in it is wrong iti principle. All training
should therefore be done within the company, the Lewis o'un
officer simply acting in an advisory and co-ordinating capacity
ior the battalion. o x j
Similarly, no regimental establishment is required for bombing. The
battalion bombers, consisting of 1 officer, 2 sergeants and 8
privates, are found from the establishment of the companies, the
officer acting as battalion bombing officer in addition to his own
duties.
{c) The 12 bearers, Army Bearer Corps, are not required and have been
removed from the establishment of units in this force. Begi-
mental stretcher bearers should suffice.
(d) The establishment of havildars and naiks should be increased to the
same proportion as that of sergeants and corporals in a British
battalion.
(e) The necessary numbers of all ranks should be added to the establish
ment to make all companies similar in strength and detal.
(*/) sanitary squad personnel should be found from the establishmenf
of the companies.
2. The appointment of a Company Havildar Major and a Company
Quartermaster Havildar for each company and the increase in water mules
lecommended are, in my opinion, of considerable importance.
3. I am doubtful as to the necessity of having a Sub-Assistant Surgeon as
well as a British officer in the medical personnel, though I am informed that
tne former acts as a technical interpreter and that the language diffiiculty is
much lek at present, when so many medical officers with little know edge of
Inoians have entered the service. Sub Assistant Surgeons are, as a class, fast
disappearing, and it seems to me that if the language question is the only
difficulty, some system more economical of medical personnel might be devised
to meet this point.
4. As regards transport, I would submit that it should he brought on to
the same footing as in the British Army, i e., 1st Line Transport and drivers to
be included in regimental establishments, whilst 2nd Line Transport and the
necessary personnel should be attached to units from and organization of the S-
and T., similar to the Li visional Train.
5. As regards cooks, bhistis and sweepers, they are necessary if the present
system of followers is to continue, but the question of any reduction possible in
the numbers seems to me to be one that is bound to be faced sooner or later, as
the mobility of an army and its supply requirements are so materially affected
thereby. . In any case, followers, including officers’ servants and syces, should,
in my opinion, be enlisted men, and all, with the exception of sweepers, should
be trained soldiers. I understand that special castes could be enlisted where
necessary, as is already permitted in the case of clerks, artificers, bandsmen;,
etc,, in certain regiments.
Working copy to G. S. (S. L. 2).
Copy to M. S. 0., A. G., Q. M G., D. M, L. G. 0., L. G. M. W , G. S.
(M. 0. 1, S L, 1, S. L. 3).
2