IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3313

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 December 1918. 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 can be found at folios 1-11. The volume concerns:

• Appreciations [reports] and intelligence summaries from the Directorate of Military Operations dated 8 December 1918 (ff 131-132), 15 December 1918 (ff 221-222)
• Supplies, particularly of sheep, milk, and engineer stores
• Movement of ships and loads transported
• The future administration and borders of Mesopotamia
• The demobilisation of Turkish [Ottoman] forces
• The future requirements for railways and water transport
• The situation on the Trans-Caspian Front, in Afghanistan, and at Mosul
• Repatriation of non-Turkish prisoners of war
• Change in censorship of telegrams
• Selection of an Emir for Iraq
• Prisoners of war labour corps
• Financial control of Mesopotamia
• Discussion about the future independence of Kurdistan under British protection and reports on interviews with Kurdish leaders
• The future administration of Arab Provinces
• Representation of Persia [Iran] at the Peace Congress
• Armenian refugees
• Cossack fighting against the Bolshevics [Bolsheviks]
• Capture of the Caucasus Military Agency mission by the Bolshevics
• Unfounded rumours of British activity south of Merv [Mary]
• Harvesting machinery
• Concerns about the ships entering Alexandra Docks, Bombay [Mumbai], while carrying defective explosives
• Provision of propaganda material
• A report on the Russian petroleum industry (dated 17 October 1918) by D Ghambasshidze, of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce in London (ff 38-43)
• An article on salvage work in Mesopotamia (ff 78-81).

The following tables appear:

• Weekly return of the sick and wounded on 26 October 1918 (ff 20-21), 9 November 1918 (ff 214-215)
• Ration strength of Force D on 2 November 1918 (ff 24-27), 9 November 1918 (ff 93-96), 19 October 1918 (ff 166-172)
• State of supplies on 26 November 1918 (ff 54-55), 7 December 1918 (ff 192-193)
• Strength returns of Force D on 2 November 1918 (ff 58-60), 19 October 1918 (ff 115-128), 9 November 1918 (ff 180-182)
• Distribution of Force D on 26 October 1918 (ff 83-93), 23 November 1918 (ff 183-192)
• Strength return of troops in India including those held as reinforcements for Force D (f 161)
• Employment of Labour and Porter corps (ff 202-204).