‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [93r] (190/276)
The record is made up of 1 volume (134 folios). It was created in 14 May 1915-30 Sep 1915. 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
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M,*18659.
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.
,
Whitehall,
London, S. W.,
2nd June 1915.
Sin,
In forwarding (H -5217) the attached telegram of the 30th May from the
Viceroy, I am directed to inform you that under the pressing circumstances of
the case the Secretary of State for India proposes to reply to the Viceroy’s
telegram as indicated in the accompanying draft (M.-19434.)
The early concurrence of the Army Council is requested.
I have, etc.,
The Secretary,
War Office.
(Sd.) E. G. BARROW, General,
Military Secretary.
0164-3159 (M. A -1).
WAR OFFICE,
London, S. W.,
5th June 1915.
■ 4
Confidential and urgent.
Sir,
With reference to your letter No. M.-18659, dated 2nd instant, I am com
manded to acquaint you for the information of the Secretary of State for India,
that the Army Council concur in your draft reply to the Viceroy of India,
telegram dated 30th May 1915 in regard to the organization of the Flying
Service in Mesopotamia.
I am to add that a further communication is being addressed to you on the
subject.
I am, etc.,
(Sd.) B. B t CUBITT,
Under Secretary of State for India.
Military Department,
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.
,
S. W.
Enclosure to letter from
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.
, No. M.-22455, dated 1st July 1915.
0164*3195 (M. A.-l).
30th June 1915.
Sir,
I am commanded to say that the Army Council cannot agree to the pro
posal put forward in your letter of 21st instant, No. M.-21135.
It is considered, in the light of the experience gained in the formation
and organisation of the Royal Flying Corps, that any attempt to ^ establish a
separate Flying Corps for India, at the present juncture, would be inadvisable.
The difficulties of training personnel, and of providing and maintaining mate
rial, are very great under the most favourable circumstances. Most of these
difficulties have already been overcome by the Royal Flying Corps, but would,
it is feared, prove almost insuperable in the case of new force to be organised
in war time.
01
About this item
- Content
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 16 and 30 September 1915. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, letters, memoranda, lists and tables.
The volume mostly relates to:
- Reinforcements and supplies for Force D, including: river craft; aeroplanes; road vehicles; personnel; food; weapons; and ammunition
- Staff appointments and details of injured and sick officers
- Updates on progress at the Tigris line, especially at Sinn, Sannaiyat [As Sina‘yat] and Kut-al Amarah [Al-Kut]
- Proposals to advance on Baghdad after taking Kut-al Amarah
- Distributions of Force D (f 50) and of the Turkish [Ottoman] troops (f 123)
- Russo-Turkish operations at Van
- Discussions of the situation in Persia [Iran], including the impact that the withdrawal of British Consul, Thomas George Grahame, from Isfahan to Ahwaz [Ahvaz] has had on employees of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company
- Conversations between Sir Percy Zachariah Cox, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and the Shaikh of Muhammareh [Khorramshahr] with regards to negotiating with leaders of the Bakhtiari [Bakhtīyārī] tribal confederation to protect the oil fields and ‘maintain order’ in Arabistan [Khuzestan]
- The rejection of Turkish forces from Najaf [An-Najaf] by the local population
- Discussions about how to govern holy places between the Basrah [Basra] Vilayet [a province under the Ottoman Empire] and Baghdad in anticipation of them coming under British control, and the extent to which the Persian Government should be consulted on this matter.
The volume also includes:
- Appreciations [reports] from the Directorate of Military Operations summarising the situation in Mesopotamia on 20 September (ff 47-48) and 27 September 1915 (f 113)
- A ‘Brief report on the possibilities of the Development of Irrigation in the Basrah District’ by Lieutenant P A Stoddard, Indian Army Reserve Officer (Special Irrigation Officer), (ff 64-71), which is accompanied by comments from Cox and Brigadier-General Joseph Cameron Rimington, Royal Engineers
- Copies of correspondence between Edmund George Barrow, Military Secretary, 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. , and Bertram Blakiston Cubitt, Under-Secretary of State for India, on the subject of aviation units for service in India and Mesopotamia, which include tables of personnel and vehicles required (ff 91-96)
- The Quartermaster General’s Embarkation Statement, listing reinforcements and details for Force D which embarked at Bombay [Mumbai] and Karachi (ff 128-134).
The vast majority of material in the volume dates from September 1915, with the exception of a small amount of material which dates from May, June and August 1915.
A summary of the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3236.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (134 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
The foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 136; 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 also present in parallel between ff 3-134; these numbers are printed and are located in the bottom centre of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Dimensions: 21 x 33cm
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [93r] (190/276), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3237, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100132734283.0x0000bf> [accessed 5 August 2026]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3237
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:136r
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence
![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [‎93r] (190/276) ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [‎93r] (190/276)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x0001db/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3237_0190.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg)