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'Railways - Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communication] Policy' [94r] (187/204)
The record is made up of 1 file (100 folios). It was created in 18 May 1917-21 Dec 1917. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
SECRET
From:- C. in C*, India.
To:- G.O.C. Mesopotamia.
Repeated War Office.
20th July, 1S17.
11 p.m.
49062.
War Office telegram 37991 cipher M.R.2.a. 171 18th
July appears to have crossed my 48161 17th July, to overlook
your telegram No. 2859 July 15th and to exaggerate importance
of differences cleared up between representatives of munitions
Board and Store Keeper Basrah by recent Bombay Conference.
No difficulty is anticipated here in meeting the railway
material supply programme at present settled except that of
unloading at Basrah. In my telegram above quoted the unloading
difficulty is set forth as to which I await result of your
investigation. In your telegram July 15th as regards the
possibility of further railway demands foreshadowed therein
we have in hand at Karachi reserve 50 miles standard gauge rails,
and an additional 50 miles promised you for Musaiyib and could
pull up more. India cannot supply standard gauge locomotives.
By converting India's broad gauge stock we could find vehicles
but it would be a slow and unsat is f sic tor y business. But
despatch of any of this material must again be subject to
solution of unloading problem at Basrah, From Basrah onwards
the practicability of its transportation is a matter you alone
can judge.
Above is India's
In your reply to •t’h-ls~-of-£er it may help you to
appreciate your railway situation.
Copy to:- X ,R.2.a.(action)
M»0.2 .
M.R.l.
M. 0.2 . a.
D.M.O.
M. 0.2 . c .
D.G.M.R.
L.I.W.D.
C. I.G.S.
D. C.I.G.S.
D.M.I.
1 . 0 .
About this item
- Content
The file, marked secret, contains correspondence and notes regarding rail and river transportation for the Mesopotamian campaign during the First World War. The papers cover a number of matters, including:
- Strategic considerations of the use of rail and river communications
- Supply of railway materials, rolling stock, and personnel to Mesopotamia [Iraq] from India, other parts of the British Empire, and allied territories
- Problems with unloading and shipping congestion at Basra
- Progress of railway construction, including weekly reports from the General Officer Commanding or Director of Railways to the War Office, starting from August 1917
- Capacity estimates (for troops, food, ammunition, and materials) and efforts to increase it
- Complaints of shortages of railway stock and personnel in India due to the demand in Mesopotamia
- Preparations for a commission, led by Sir Henry Francis Edward Freeland, to be sent to review rail and river transportation in Mesopotamia
- Questions of flooding and damming of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Correspondents include: the Commander-in-Chief, India; the Chief of the Imperial General Staff; the General Officer Commanding, Mesopotamia; the War Office; the Director of Railways, Mesopotamia; the War Section, Army Department, Government of India; and Major General Sir Henry Francis Edward Freeland.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (100 folios)
- Arrangement
The file is arranged in chronological order, from the rear to the front.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 102; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel; these numbers are written in coloured crayon and pencil; where they have been written in pencil and circled, they have been crossed through.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/5/787
- Title
- 'Railways - Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communication] Policy'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:101v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence