'Correspondence relating primarily to individual Forces, and not (with some exceptions) of general interest. Force 'D' ' [‎214v] (28/42)

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113.
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. to Field Controller of Military Accounts.
F. 9353. 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. ,
Sir, 20tli August 1918.
I transmit for report a copy of a letter dated 9th August from the
War Office regarding certain helmets issued to Bara to IF s Corps (see
Supplement to Vol. III. of prints, File 12 , No. 99).
I have, Ac.,
The Field Controller of Military Accounts, Frank Lucas,
Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force. Financial Secretary.
114.
War Office to 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. .
0162/231 (F. 1.). War Office,
Sir, 20th August 1918.
I am commanded by the Army Council to enclose for the information
of the Secretary of State for India in Council, copies of telegrams which have
been received from the General Officer Commanding, Mesopotamia, and the
Commander-in-Chief India, regarding the accounting arrangements for
General Dunsterville’s force in Persia.
2 . The Council agree that the arrangements which were made for
General Dunsterville’s “ Mission ” are no longer suitable, now that he
commands a force which is under the orders of the General Officer
Commanding, Mesopotamia. They see no reason, however, why any part of
the expenditure on this force should continue to be accounted for direct to
this Office, and they propose that, as from as early a date as possible, the
accounts shall be transferred to the Indian Accounting Officers and shall be
dealt with on the same lines as those of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary
Force. The Council have no objection to the use of a separate Field
Classified Abstract for General Dunsterville’s force, if that is considered
preferable to the incorporation of the expenditure in the Field Classified
Abstract for Mesopotamia.
3. In the above circumstances the services of Major Whitmarsh will
not be further required with the F orce, and as soon as he has completed the
accounts to the date of transfer, the Council propose that he and his three
clerks shall be withdrawn
4. Ihe Council suggest that the Government of India should be
instructed to select a Financial Adviser for General Dunsterville’s force.
Preferably, they consider, he should be regarded as a Deputy of the
Financial Adviser to the force in Mesopotamia, and so far as circumstances
permit, should be under the control of that officer.
o. At present General Dunsterville is supplied with local currency by
the Imperial Bank of Persia at Teheran, the equivalent of his drawings
being placed to the credit of that Bank in London on receipt of telegraphic
instructions from the British Minister at Teheran. The Council propose
that this arrangement should cease and that the provision of funds for this
force, as for other forces in Persia, should be undertaken by the Indian
Government. Ihe whole expenditure of the force would then be included
in the Indian estimates of recoverable war expenditure, in respect of which
monthly advances are made to the 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. .
^ Expenditure on the Russian forces remaining in Persia . . . .
is charged to Army Funds and accounted for (since the'Hamadan Board was
dissolved), in the same manner as other Army expenditure, but it ... . should
appear under a distinctive heading in the Field Classified Abstract. If
issues of supplies or stores on any considerable scale are made to the force,
a correspondingly reduced money grant should suffice for its maintenance.
The expenditure on issues in kind need not appear under distinctive heads
m the Field Classified Abstract, but a record should be kept so that the
amounts can be readily reported if required by the Treasury.