IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3228

The volume contains a chronological list of brief summaries of papers relating to the activities of the Indian Expeditionary Force D (also known as the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force) between 1 and 31 January 1915. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include letters and telegrams containing instructions, reports, and requests for supplies and transport.

A summary of the contents of this volume can be found at folio 5, most of which relate to:

• Reconnaissance attempts at Rotah [Ar Rawtah], Chabaish [Al Jabayish], and Al Lowi [‘Allawi]
• Movements of the 12th Brigade, 104th Heavy Battery, and 16th Cavalry
• Views exchanged on a potential advance on Nasiriyah or Amarah [Al ‘Amarah]
• Activities at Qurneh [Al Qurnah], Basrah [Basra], Al Zair [Ahl al ‘Uzayr], Ahwaz [Ahvaz], Muzaira'ah [Al Muzayra‘ah], and in Arabistan [Khuzestan]
• Distributions of Force D and of the Turkish [Ottoman] Army.

Of note is a lengthy extract of a telegram from Sir Percy Cox, Resident in the Persian Gulf, to the Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign and Political Department, dated 15 January 1915 (folios 77-79), in which Cox expresses his concerns over the ‘political situation’ at Basrah and the ‘jihad movement’.

A summary of contents for the previous volumes can be found at folios 3-4.

Multiple spellings for various place names are present in the volume.