IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3303

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 July 1918. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, tables, and letters, containing instructions and reports.

An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 3-21. The volume covers many topics and events, but mostly relates to:

• Incident regarding the 49th Bengali regiment
• Turkish [Ottoman] troops: movements and activities; changes in command; status in the Caucasus region; and distribution on week ending 2 July (ff 94-103) and week ending 9 July (ff 197-205)
• Details of personnel and supplies, including requirements, across multiple departments
• Details regarding road and railways construction
• Details of traffic and tonnage [amounts of cargo] transported on railways and ships
• Matters relating to the exchange and transport of personnel and supplies between Mesopotamia, India, Egypt, and Persia [Iran]
• Reorganisation of units within Force D, including creation of new labour corps and proposals for the Machine Gun Corps Centre
• Matters relating to the Dunsterforce, including: supplies and personnel requirements; activities in northern Persia; intelligence and reports, especially on affairs at Baku and imminent attack on Resht [Rasht] by the Jangalis [Jangalī movement]
• Matters relating to staff, including: appointments, promotions, pay, leave, and training
• Matters relating to Persia, including: oil fields; relations with Persian Government and tribal leaders; discussions regarding action to be taken in north-western Persia; plans for Abadeh and impact on Dunsterforce; high use of resources; the East Persian Cordon [also referred to as 'E. P. Cordon']; and organisation of Persian Line of Communication unit
• Status of various Russian factions in Turkestan and Caspian Sea regions
• Intelligence regarding German troops, including: Turko-German relations; activities in Turkestan and Kabul; commanders; policy for eastern Azerbaijan; and status in the Caucasus region
• Lists of sick and wounded
• Matters relating to agriculture and farming in Mesopotamia, including reports in newspapers of famine
• Royal Air Force reports
• Discussions regarding plans for Caspian and Caucasus regions, especially at Baku
• Intelligence from the British Military Attaché, Teheran [Tehran]
• Daily operations reports from the General Officer Commanding, Force D
• Brief discussions regarding demobilisation and a post-war garrison in Mesopotamia
• Matters relating to Colonel Lazar Bicharakov [Bicherakov]
• Prisoners of war
• Discussions about expenditure and revenue from occupied territories
• General Officer Commanding's suggested changes to the composition of headquarters of a corps and infantry brigade, following experiences in Mesopotamia.

The volume also contains:

• Distribution of Force D, including details of the lines of communication administration, as well as names of General Officers and Brigade Commanders, as of 20 July (ff 22-42) and 15 June (ff 284-293)
• Report on irrigational agricultural development in Mesopotamia by T R J Ward, Inspector-General of Irrigation in India, 11 May (ff 49-72), including extracts of reports and notes supplied by: Ward; Colonel L W Lewis, Director of Irrigation; and Captain [Alan?] [Lewis?] Gordon-Walker, Revenue Officer, Basrah [Basra]
• Appreciations [reports] from the Directorate of Military Operations summarising the situation in Mesopotamia and Persia on 1 July (ff 82-84), 8 July (ff 177-179), and 15 July (ff 320-322)
• Appreciation by the Commander-in-Chief, India, of the present military situation in ‘the East’ [Salonika [Thessaloniki]; India; Palestine; Mesopotamia; Trans-Caucasia; Trans-Caspia; Turkestan; Persia; and Afghanistan], dated 4 July (ff 126-127)
• Statements showing strength of the different contingents serving with Force D as of 8 June (ff 145-147), 1 June (ff 222-235), and 15 June (ff 252-253)
• Monthly report on Government Military Dairies in Mesopotamia for month ending 31 May (ff 149-156)
• Detailed statements of ration strength of Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force on 1 June (ff 216-222), 8 June (ff 254-259)
• Monthly wastage [loss or destruction of animals] return for month ending 26 May (ff 276-279) and month ending 28 April (ff 280-283).

The file contains a copy of the report (Appendix 264) of the Mesopotamian Transport Commission on the organisation and administration of river and railway transport in Mesopotamia, dating from February 1918 (ff 325-381). The report is split into six chapters:

• 'General Description'
• 'Military Organisation for Control and Supervision of Transportation services'
• 'Tonnage Requirements and Capacity of Rivers and Railways'
• 'Detailed Consideration of Present Conditions'
• 'Future Developments'
• 'Conclusions and Recommendations'.

The report also contains four appendices, covering: 'Inland Water Transport'; 'Railways'; 'Local Resources'; and 'Maps'. The latter appendix comprises two maps, which can be found at IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3303, f 380 and IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3303, f 381. The report and maps were originally kept in the pocket at folio 324 of the volume, but have been moved to a separate archival folder for conservation purposes.

Trans-Caucasia, Trans-Caspia, and Turkestan are all historic regions within Central Asia.

Whilst the volume contains copies of earlier material dating from December 1917 onwards, the bulk of the material dates from July 1918.