IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3272

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 15 March 1917. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: letters, telegrams, notes, reports, tables, and memoranda.

An index to the contents of this volume and a summary of the contents can be found on folios 3-10. The volume concerns:

• Appreciations [reports] and intelligence summaries from the Directorate of Military Operations
• Three diaries of information from 17 February 1917, 12 August 1916, and 24 February 1917 covering: climate and floods; relaxation at the Mesopotamia base; medical concerns, including malaria and sanitary conditions, particularly at Sheikh Sa’ad [Shaykh Sa’d]; inland water transport, port administration; postal services; Suq-Al-Shuyukh Qadha [Suq Al-Shoyokh District]; aviation; prisoners of war; captions of photographs sent to the Chief of the General Staff, India
• A report on the Shatt-el-Arab river [Shatt al-Arab]
• Reinforcements for Force D
• Discussions about the probability of Force D being able to capture and hold Baghdad
• Turkish [Ottoman] retreat from Aziziyah [Al ‘Aziziyah]
• The ammunition supply
• Movements of Turkish and Russian troops
• The possibility of employing prisoners of war in France rather than interning them in India
• Turkish withdrawal from the Hamadan front
• A discussion of measures to be taken to prevent German, Japanese, French and Russian trade competing with British trade in the Gulf after the conclusion of the war
• Salvage of armaments abandoned by the Turkish army
• British entry into Baghdad and the occupation of the city
• The proclamation issued to the people of Baghdad
• The possibility of the British moving up the Euphrates to occupy Samawah [As Samawah]
• Plans for the future administration of the Baghdad Vilayet
• Reports from the Royal Flying Corps of machines in service and pilots available
• Provision and movements of river craft.

The following tables appear:

• Distribution of Force D on folios 11-14 and 166-171
• Lines of communication on folios 15-19
• Composition of Force D on folios 20-27
• Units captured at Kut-al-Amarah [Al-Kut] on folio 28
• List of General Officers and Brigade Commanders on folio 29
• Weekly return of the sick and wounded on folios 39-40 and 118-119
• Ration strength of Force D on folios 47-48, 120-124, 160-162, and 199-204
• Distribution of the Turkish Army on folios 94-104 and 178-179.