IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3321

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 30 April 1919. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: memoranda, tables, and telegrams.

An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 3-10. The volume concerns:

• Military personnel issues, including the granting of leave, promotions, and the demobilisation of troops
• Supply of food, animals, construction materials, and other items to Force D
• Disposal of surplus ordnance, signalling equipment, animals, and other items used by Force D
• Repatriation of Turkish [Ottoman] prisoners of war
• Formation of an ‘international Commission’ at the Paris Peace Conference to assess post-war public opinion in Mesopotamia, Syria, ‘and other parts of the late Turkish Empire’
• Proposal for the creation of farms operated by the British administration in Mesopotamia
• Transfer of Royal Air Force squadrons from France to India
• Requests for more pilots and aeroplanes to ‘deal with local disturbances’ in Mesopotamia
• Proposal for establishment of landing grounds at Amadia [Amadiya] and Zakho to assist the British response to ‘unrest among the Kurds’
• Railway construction in Mesopotamia
• Repatriation of Assyrian refugees
• Intelligence concerning an ‘anti-British movement in Kurdistan’, including names and backgrounds of its leaders
• British assessments of Mesopotamian public opinion
• Proposed abolition of the Inland Water Transport Section
• The arrest of the German agent Wilhelm Wassmuss by the Persian [Iranian] Government, discussion of arrangements for his repatriation to Germany, and his escape from custody
• Employment of local Bakhtiari [Bakhtiyārī] tribesmen to guard Anglo-Persian Oil Company oil fields in Persia.

The volume also contains:

• Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of lines of communication and general organisation, 1 March 1919 (ff 13-21), 8 March 1919 (ff 59-67), 15 March 1919 (ff 108-115), 22 March 1919 (ff 199-206)
• Ration strength of Force D on 8 February 1919 (ff 45-50), 15 February 1919 (ff 84-91), 22 February 1919 (ff 22-25, 136-141), 1 March 1919 (ff 50-53, 189-194), 8 March 1919 (ff 81-83, 210-216), 15 March 1919 (ff 126-129), 22 March 1919 (ff 148-151), 29 March 1919 (ff 185-188)
• State of supplies on 27 March 1919 (ff 70-71)
• Weekly return of sick and wounded dated 15 March 1919 (ff 161-162), 22 March 1919 (ff 172-174)
• Strength return of Force D on 8 March 1919 (f 152)
• Estimated number of horses and mules required for Garrison of Mesopotamia and north-west Persia (ff 77-78)
• Animal strength return of Force D on 26 January 1919 (ff 130-133), 23 February 1919 (ff 216-219)
• Ammunition return of Force D on 28 February 1919 (ff 118-119).