IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3254

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 16 and 31 May 1916. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: letters, telegrams, notes, tables, and memoranda.

A summary of the contents of this volume can be found at folios 16-19. The volume concerns:

• Appreciations [reports] and intelligence summaries from the Directorate of Military Operations
• A report on the difficulties of supplying IEF D due to the terrain and the climate, and an examination of current supply methods
• Reports on hospital and medical provision, and medical supplies
• A report on the success of dropping food and supplies into Kut [al-Kut] by aeroplane
• Turkish [Ottoman] and Russian military movements
• A proposal to arrest all ‘suspicious Indians wandering in Persia’ [Iran]
• The progress of railway construction in the Caucasus
• Reinforcements for Force D
• Problems with marine transport from India
• The organisation of a river fleet and a proposal to send men from Honduras to work on the Tigris
• Details concerning Turkish and British prisoners of war, including rates of pay, supplies, prisoner exchanges, and letter-writing and censorship.

The following tables appear:

• The distribution, organisation, and composition of Force D on folios 3-13
• A list of units captured at Kut on folio 14
• A list of General Officers and Brigade Commanders with IEF D on folio 15
• The strength of units in IEF D on 1 April 1916 on folios 23-38, further strengths of units on folios 77-78
• The distribution of Turkish forces in Mesopotamia on folio 40
• Financial accounts incurred by the repair shops of Force D on folios 141-142.