![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 40. PART I. (From 1st to 15th November 1917.)’ [‎188r] (384/544)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x00020d/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3287_0384.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 40. PART I. (From 1st to 15th November 1917.)’ [‎188r] (384/544)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 40. PART I. (From 1st to 15th November 1917.)’ [188r] (384/544)
The record is made up of 1 volume (266 folios). It was created in 29 Sep 1917-15 Nov 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.
British casualties on the 5th numbered 1795, including 160 killed.
After clearing the battlefield General Maude proposed to return to Samarra
on 9th November.
General Maude reports that the 51st and 52nd Tutkish division have
retreated 50 and 30 miles respectively up the Tigris above Tekrit and that
excepting one regiment at Shoramieh,
' 75 ’ the whole of the 18th Corps is now at or
north of Fathah. Indications are getting stronger of withdrawal on the Sulai-
maniyah front as well.
2. Euphrates Front. —No change.
3. Russo Turkish Front. —No news has been received regarding operations,
except a report by Reuter of a Russian local offensive on the Black Sea front.
General Maude refers to a Russian Ce valry detachment at Qasr-i-Shirin.
This body, with the detachment at Men-
dali previously reported, constitute the
advanced troops of General Baratoff’s force.
The detachment at Qasr-i-Shirin has captured i,oco Persian gendarmes
. lately disbanded by the Turks and set into
76097 ' Persia.
4. Intelligence. —The second German division for service in Asiatic Turkey
6 appears to have left Constantinople about
mid-October. If so, it could] have reach
ed either the Gaza front or Mosul by now.
Reports confirm the departure of divisions from the Smyrna area for Syria.
2 Probably the 56th as well as the 59th
7 9 ‘ Division have moved.
Reliable information indicates the extreme improbability of the railway to
Mosul being completed before April 1918.
7 589 ‘ In the middle of September railhead
was still 18 miles west of Nisibin and the work was being greatly hampered by
lack of material.
-rr:. . 11
76494.
5. Russian Co-operation — \n reply to the C. I. G. S., wire regarding
Russian co-rperation, mentioned last week, General Maude, stated that: —
(i) The question of whether the Russian Diala column is to come under
74767.5485. ^j s or< ^ ers or n °t is not a
vital one.
{ii) If the Russian want us to maintain them, they must come forward
to the line of the Diala.
(Hi) He will be able to place 100 tons of supplies daily at Shahraban for
the Russians.
(iv) From Shahraban the Russians must provide transport to take over
and distribute their supplies.
The C. I. G. S. on 9th November informed General Barter that, [in view of
the new counter-revolution in Russia, it is
not opportune for us to take any further
action at present, but that General Maude is being instructed to be prepared to
receive the Russian detachment from Baratoff, when and if this course is made
practicable by the establishment of settled Government.
6. Persia. —Reports have been received that the party of j 1 Germans from
Herat c^me into conflict with Persian
/S274, 7 5 2. government troops at Turshiz. One
German is reported to have been killed, and the remaining 10 arrested by the
Governor of Turshiz.
Sir P. Skyes report that information from independent sources indicates that
the attack on the convoy between Sirjan
76 8o ' and Niriz on 8th October last was led
by a German and a Turk. They are said to be in Kuhistan at present, with a
band of about 100 men.
7. General Conclusions. —This week’s intelligence espec-ally that of the
delay in pushing cn the railway to Mosul and the indication of withdrawal from
the Sulaimaniyeh front, seems to point to the unlikelihood of any Turkish
184
//
t£>
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 1 and 15 November 1917. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, tables, memoranda, and letters.
The volume concerns:
- Reinforcements for Force D, including horses, medical officers, railway staff, and machine gunners
- The appointment of officers in Force D
- The supply of food, ordnance, clothing, oil, and other items to Force D
- Scheduling of supply shipments from India to Basrah [Basra]
- The supply of agricultural equipment for a ‘cultivation scheme’
- Recruitment of railway workers from Malaysia and Siam [Thailand] for service in Mesopotamia
- Report from the Royal Flying Corps of machines and pilots available for service in Mesopotamia
- Plans for the construction of flour mills at Baghdad
- Construction and improvement of railways in Mesopotamia
- British aerial bombardment of an aerodrome at Kifri, and Turkish [Ottoman] army camps at Fathah [Al-Fathah]
- British attacks on Turkish positions near Daur [Ad-Dawr] on 2 November 1917, and at Tekrit on 5 November 1917
- Intelligence concerning the movement of German and Turkish military units in Mesopotamia, including the arrival of German aviation units
- Intelligence acquired from captured enemy deserters, including estimates of Turkish troop numbers, plans made by German and Turkish commanders, and supply shortages within the Turkish Army
- Intelligence reports on formation of a ‘special Intelligence service’ by the Turkish and German militaries, including names and assignments of suspected enemy agents
- Discussion of the treatment of Russian subjects captured while serving as part of the Turkish Army
- British Indian citizens found guilty of ‘waging war’ or ‘abetting in the waging of war against His Britannic Majesty’ and sentenced to death or transportation
- Matters relating to Russia, including: Russian reluctance to send more troops to Mesopotamia; the arrival of a Russian air squadron at Mendali [Mandali]; news of a ‘counter revolution in Petrograd [Saint Petersburg]’ received 9 November 1917
- Skirmishes between German and Persian [Iranian] troops at Turshiz [Kashmar]
- Dispatch of British troops from Ahwaz [Ahvaz, Iran] to ‘quell disturbances’ in Shushtar
- A diary of information dated 20 October 1917, covering climate data and the customs, language, and attitudes of the Kurdish population of Hakkiari [Hakkari, a mountainous region spanning modern Iraq and Turkey].
The volume also contains:
- Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of: lines of communication; general organisation; unit locations; and names of General Officers and Brigade Commanders (ff 3-4)
- Distribution of Force D on 14 October 1917 (ff 71-76)
- Ration strength of Force D on 29 September 1917 (ff 62-69), 13 October 1917 (ff 30-34), and October 20 (ff 153-157)
- Detailed ration strength of Force D on 6 October 1917 (ff 163-170)
- Weekly returns of sick and wounded dated 13 October 1917 (ff 18-19), 20 October 1917 (ff 58-59), and 27 October 1917 (ff 145-146)
- Statement of tonnage received from India during September 1917 (ff 196-198)
- Distribution of the Turkish Army for the week ending 6 November 1917 (ff 94-96) and 13 November 1917 (ff 244-246)
- State of supplies in stock and at sea as of 3 November 1917 (ff 107-108), 10 November 1917 (ff 250-251).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (266 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 268; 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 5-266; 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 40. PART I. (From 1st to 15th November 1917.)’ [188r] (384/544), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3287, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100140953802.0x0000b9> [accessed 29 August 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3287
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 40. PART I. (From 1st to 15th November 1917.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:3r, 3r:3v, 3v:4r, 4r:4v, 4v:267v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence