'Summary of Papers Dealing with the Transfer of the Control of the Operations in Mesopotamia from the India Office to the War Office' [‎5r] (9/18)

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Telegram P., dated 3rd (received 4th) February 1916. Serial No. J
From—The Secretary of State for India,
To—His Excellency the Viceroy (Army Department).
Private* —At a meeting to-day the War Committee had before them note
His Excellency the viceroy's approval obtained prepared by Chief of Imperial General
to the correspondence be ng treated as official. Staff by their direction on control of oper
ations in Mesopotamia. Note states that it is long-established custom for
Government of India to control military operations based on that country. This
arrangement had undoubted advantages on account of superior knowledge of
local conditions, and because operations did not require employment of General
Imperial resources. In present war, however, whole resources of Empire are
en S a 8 e ^j an ^ operations of war, except Mesopotamia, are now under control
of Imperial General Staff subject to decisions of War Committee. And further
reinforcements required for Mesopotamia must come from home or other theatres
of war and events in Mesopotamia, over which War Office has up to now had no
control, thus reacting upon operations elsewhere. Note continues—" it is in
accordance with sound military principles that the authority which controls the
reserve should also control the operations which those reserves may be required
to support. It is also in accordance with these principles that the base of
operations should be under the same general control as the forces in the field.
It does not, therefore, seem advisable that the War Office should attempt to
conduct directly the opeiations in Mesopotamia so long as India remains the
main base for the campaign in that country, and consequently I have recom
mended that these operations should be controlled by War Office through the
Commander-in-Chief in India.
Chief of the General Staff therefore proposed alternative system which,
as amended by War Committee on my suggestion, now reads as follows
(1) The Commander-in-Chief in India to receive instructions with regard
to military operations in Mesopotamia and Persia from the Chief of the Imperial
General Staff under the authority of Secretary of State for War in exactly the
same manner as the Commanders-in-Chief in other theatres. These instructions
will, ot course, be based on the decisions of the War Committee.
(2) India will remain, as at [present, the main base of force in Mesopo
tamia which will continue to be administered by Commander-in-Chief, such
requirements of force as India cannot meet being supplied by the War Office
from other parts of the Empire subject to the general policy at the time being
decided upon by the War Committee. S
(3) The General Officer Commanding in Mesopotamia will send all reports
0 operations, states, returns, recommendations as to higher appointments and
requests for additional units to the Commander-in-Chief in India and will repeat
these to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
(4) Demands for drafts to maintain Indian units now in Mesopotamia and
°M UC r War ma ^ er ^ 1 ' as L , . S r bein ?. P rovidedfr om India will, as at present, be made
on the Commander-in-Chief, India.
1 .. .The Chief of the Imperial General Staff and the Commander-in-Chief
India, will, as required, correspond direct in regard to requirements of force in
A questions of prmciple or policy likely to affect military or
in hidta t^the Viceroy' 3 COntln " e t0 ^ by the C — nder-in-Chief
"" b '
as in regar n t0 prisoners of war ' our sick and wounded, and
lances of campaign will remain as at present.
S 2049 AD