IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3288

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

The volume concerns:

• Military personnel issues, including: recruitment; promotions; appointment of officers; and creation of new units for service in Mesopotamia
• Reinforcements for Force D, including cavalry, field ambulances, veterinary officers, and equipment mules
• Returns of sick and wounded
• Supplies sent to Force D
• Equipment of newly arrived reinforcements, including troops arriving with unserviceable equipment
• Commissioning and construction of ships for military use
• Intelligence concerning the activities of the Turkish [Ottoman] and German militaries, including: the location of Turkish and German units, the formation of assault battalions in the Turkish Army, changes in the Turkish command structure, and a visit by Enver Pasha [Enver Pāshā] to Turkish troops on the Caucasus front
• Potential movement of German aviation units to Mesopotamia
• British aerial bombardments of Turkish camps at Fathah [Al-Fathah]
• Intelligence regarding number of Turkish aircraft in service in Mesopotamia
• Intelligence received from German military documents concerning the use of gas bombardment
• The sentencing of twenty-two Indian subjects captured in Baghdad and found guilty of ‘opposing the British or Russian forces in one capacity or another’
• Matters related to the death of Lieutenant-General Maude, including: Maude’s contraction of cholera; death on 18 November 1917; appointment of Lieutenant-General Marshall as commander of Force D on 21 November 1917
• Relations between the British and various Arab tribal leaders in Mesopotamia
• Commentary on the strategic situation across the Middle East, including: suggestions that the Turkish Army will not attempt an offensive in Mesopotamia until spring 1918; speculation on a separate Russian peace with the Central Powers; attempts by the Central Powers to intervene in Persia [Iran]
• Plans for the construction and staffing of a flour mill at Baghdad
• Progress of railway construction in Mesopotamia
• Temporary placement of Russian units under British command
• Presence of a Russian ‘partisan’ detachment at Mendali [Mandali, Iraq]
• Impact of ‘Bolsheviks obtaining control of Railways at Baku’
• Events in Persia, including: the formation of a new government; escape of German soldiers captured by Persian authorities in Turshiz [Kashmar]; British support for the establishment of ‘a really friendly Government’ in Tehran; and intelligence of the ‘Persian democrat’ Sulieman Mirza [Sulaymān Mīrzā] conducting espionage on behalf of the Germans.

The volume also contains:

• Number of pilots, balloon officers, and aircraft available for service in Mesopotamia as of 15 November 1917 (f 7), 22 November 1917 (f 87), 29 November 1917 (f 200)
• Strength report for Force D as of 6 October 1917 (ff 18-19), 13 October 1917 (ff 53-55), 20 October 1917 (ff 133-134), 29 September 1917 (ff 179-197)
• Ration strength of Force D as of 27 October 1917 (ff 19-22), 17 November 1917 (ff 44), 13 October 1917 (ff 77-80), 3 November 1917 (ff 93-95), 24 November 1917 (f 123), 20 October 1917 (ff 134-138), 10 November 1917 (ff 164-166), 27 October 1917 (ff 167-171)
• Distribution of Force D dated 4 November 1917 (ff 159-163)
• Distribution of the Turkish Army dated 20 November 1917 (ff 48-50), 27 November 1917 (ff 142-144)
• Weekly returns of sick and wounded dated 3 November 1917 (ff 43-44), 10 November 1917 (f 92)
• State of Force D’s supplies measured in days’ consumption on 17 November 1917 (ff 86-87), 24 November 1917 (ff 149-150, ff 198-199).