IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3282

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

An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 3-15 and a summary of the contents can be found at folio 16. The volume concerns:

• The supply of food, animals, construction materials, weapons, and other items to Force D
• River and railway traffic in Mesopotamia
• Railway construction in Mesopotamia
• Arrivals to and departures from the port of Basra
• Problems with the unloading of ships at Basra
• Proposal for the transfer of men from the Disciplinary Labour Corps into a free Labour Corps
• Discussion of British strategy in Mesopotamia, including current policy of securing control of the Baghdad Vilayet, and inability to take offensive action without Russian support
• Recruitment of Arab prisoners of war in India ‘to serve the Sheriff [Sharīf] of Mecca’
• Intelligence concerning movements of Turkish [Ottoman], German, and Austrian units
• Intelligence concerning German construction of a railway ‘towards Mosul’
• Discussion of the creation of a French Consulate at Baghdad
• Financial administration of Force D and the territory occupied by the British in Mesopotamia
• Proposal for forming a new division of Force D
• Intelligence concerning Russian movements in the Caucasus and mutiny within the Russian army
• Intelligence concerning Kurdish movements and attacks on Russian troops
• Shortage of medical officers.

The volume also contains:

• Distribution and composition of Force D including details of lines of communication, commanding officers, and units captured at Kut-al-Amarah [Al-Kut] (ff 3-36)
• Distribution of Force D including details of lines of communication, 15 July 1917 (ff 123-127), 22 July 1917 (ff 216-220)
• Distribution of the Turkish Army, 7 August 1917 (ff 147-148), 14 August 1917 (ff 226-227)
• Detailed statement of ration strength of Force D on 30 June 1917 (ff 39-42), 7 July 1917 (ff 175-178)
• Ammunition held and used by Force D, 29 July 1917 (ff 42-43), 4 August 1917 (ff 123-124)
• Strength return of Force D dated 2 June 1917 (ff 45-61)
• Ration strength of Force D on 14 July 1917 (ff 67-69), 21 July 1917 (ff 152-154), 28 July 1917 (ff 234-236)
• Report of number of pilots and aircraft available for service in Mesopotamia, 2 August 1917 (ff 81-82), 9 August 1917 (f 179)
• Two diaries of information from 7 July 1917 (ff 90-107) and 21 July 1917 (ff 193-194) covering: climate and floods; local produce; Inland Water Transport; medical affairs; military government; the Directorate of Works; the YMCA in Baghdad; and the crash of a German plane
• Weekly return of sick and wounded for the week ending 14 July 1917 (f 114) and 21 July 1917 (ff 187-188).