IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3263

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 October 1916. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include letters, telegrams, memoranda, and appreciations [reports] from the Directorate of Military Operations.

A summary of the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3263. The volume mostly relates to:

• Updates from the Tigris and Euphrates lines, southern Persia [Iran], and the Russo-Turkish front
• River transport: including the personnel and amounts of tonnage being conveyed up and down river; reports on the locations of barges sent to Mesopotamia; and plans for the work of re-erection of transported river craft
• The movements and organisation of Turkish [Ottoman] forces, including: a statement (ff 56-57) and the distribution (ff 129-130) of Turkish forces in Mesopotamia
• Reinforcements for Force D, and labour and personnel requirements
• Plans for the relief of various units
• Appointments and exchanges of officers on the staff in Mesopotamia
• Supplies and equipment for Force D, including: reports on the state of supplies for 15 October (ff 15-16) and 21 October (f 136); the specifications of a dairy plant for Mesopotamia (ff 164-169); and the monthly standing order on the India Office for food supplies (ff 170-171)
• Chaplains for Mesopotamia
• The progress of railway construction
• Reports of German activities

The volume also includes:

• Tables of troop transport ships and their contents due in Basrah [Basra] in October (f 9) and November (f 104, f 192)
• Statements of guns in use in Mesopotamia (ff 16-17, f 123, ff 188-189)
• Statement of information obtained from sick and wounded officers and men of the Kut Garrison (ff 22-32)
• Diaries of information from 22 September (ff 33-42) and 30 September (ff 77-86), covering: climate and floods; educational measures; medical concerns; post offices; the distribution of the Haqiqat [British publication]; Inland Water Transport, including a diagram showing the organisation (f 40); Port Administration and River Conservancy, including a diagram showing the organisation (f 41); aviation; prisoners of war; and photographs
• Distribution of Medical Units with Force D for the week commencing 8 October 1916 (ff 53-55)
• Royal Flying Corps reports for weeks ending 19 October (ff 59-60) and 27 October (f 163)
• Report on the history of the Shaiba [Shu’aiba] Bund by Major General J C Rimington, Engineer-in-Chief, Force D (ff 92-96)
• Table of land transport requirements for Force D (f 113)
• Returns of the sick and wounded for weeks ending 30 September (f 124) and 7 October (f 178)
• Table of the proposed war establishment for the Third Echelon, General Headquarters, Force D (ff 148-149)
• Consolidated strength return of Force D for week ending 2 September (ff 151-162)
• Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of: lines of communication units; general organisation; units captured at Kut-al-Amarah [Al-Kut]; and names of General Officers and Brigade Commanders (ff 195-211)

The vast majority of material in the volume dates from 15-31 October 1916, but there is also a small amount of material which dates from September and the first half of October 1916.