IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3265

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 30 November 1916. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: letters, telegrams, notes, reports, tables, and memoranda.

A summary of the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3264. The volume concerns:

• Appreciations [reports] and intelligence summaries from the Directorate of Military Operations
• Information on Turkish [Ottoman] artillery
• Movements and provision of river craft
• Reinforcements and new labour requirements
• Treatment of prisoners of war held by Turkey
• The arrival of a Chinese Theatre company
• Movements of the Turkish army
• Transport arrangements
• Recommendations for grass farms
• The health of Force D
• The protection of oil fields
• The state of railway construction and provision of railway personnel
• Recruitment and training processes of the Turkish army
• Food supplies
• A plan to intercept a caravan on its way to supply Medina
• The appointment of Colonel Younghusband to command the Karun front
• Reported attempts to set up communication between Baghdad and East Africa.

The following tables appear:

• Distribution of Turkish Forces on folios 12-14, 49-50, 101-102
• The ration strength of Force D on folios 16-18
• Distribution of Medical Units on 29 October 1916 on folios 37-39
• The state of supplies on 18 November 1916 on folios 51-52; and on 25 November 1916 on folios 88-89
• The sanitary organisation of Force D on folios 67-69
• Distribution of Force D on folios 104-106
• Lines of Communication on folios 107-110
• Composition of Force D on folios 111-118
• Units captured at Kut-al-Amarah [al-Kut] on folio 119
• List of General Officers and Brigade Commanders with Force D on folio 120.