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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎61v] (127/454)

The record is made up of 1 volume (223 folios). It was created in 1923. 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. .

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102 HISTORY OF THE WAR: MESOPOTAMIA
'T
For “ operations in Turkish Mesopotamia ” the object laid
down was the occupation of Basra and of the Shatt al Arab
up to that place. In the first instance it was important to
support the Shaikh of Mohammerah, and for this suggestions
had been made as above. Then, if Basra was too strongly
held for General Delamain’s force to attack it, it was suggested
that the remainder of the division should land at Umm Qasr
and move on Basra from the south-west.
With regard to the armament and equipment of General
Delamain’s force : each mountain battery had six 10-pounder
guns carried on mules, and 735 rounds of ammunition per gun
accompanied the force ; the British and two of the Indian
infantry battalions had the short *303 M.L.E. rifle, while the
third Indian infantry battalion had the long -303 M.L.E.
charger-loading rifle ; 1,000 rounds per rifle accompanied the
force and each battalion had two Maxims ; clothing was on
the Indian winter scale and full field service tentage was taken.
The transport consisted only of pack mules, the camel transport
at first ordered being detained at Karachi (presumably because
the force would not be operating away from the river) ; and
two months’ supplies except meat on hoof (obtainable at
Mohammerah) were taken. The Officer Commanding Sappers
and Miners was directed to obtain at Bombay additional
engineering equipment for bridging, rafting, etc. ; and for
disembarkation, reliance was apparently placed on ships’ boats
and on craft obtainable locally.
Some departure from the usual procedure on mobilisation
was necessary to maintain the strict secrecy which had been
enjoined from Home regarding the destination of the force;
and owing to this some minor difficulties were experienced by
the force during the concentration period and the initial
operations in Mesopotamia. But they were generally unimpor
tant and were soon rectified. To show, however, how difficult
it is to maintain secrecy in such a case in a country like India,
General Delamain reported on the 15th that people in Bombay
had deduced his destination a fortnight before ; this may have
been due to ships having to be selected which were suitable
for the Shatt al Arab.
General Delamain was given supreme control of all political
matters arising in or connected with the area of opera
tions, with Sir Percy Cox as his chief political adviser ; and
Commander Hamilton, Royal Indian Marine, went as Marine
Transport Officer.
With the exception of the mountain artillery which sailed

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Content

The volume is the first volume of an official government publication compiled at the request of the Government of India, and under the direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence, by Brigadier-General Frederick James Moberly. The volume was printed and published at His Majesty's Stationery Office, London.

The contents provide a narrative of the operations of 1914-1918 in Mesopotamia, based mainly on official documents.

The volume is divided into two parts. The first part, entitled, 'Part I. Before the Outbreak of Hostilities', consists of the following five chapters:

  • General Description of the Country
  • The Turks in Mesopotamia
  • British Pre-War Policy
  • The Army in India and Pre-War Military Policy
  • Inception of the Operations

The second part, entitled, 'Part II. The Campaign in Lower Mesopotamia', consists of the following seven chapters:

  • The Landing in Mesopotamia of Force "D" and the Operations Leading to the Occupation of Basra
  • The Occupation of Basra and the Capture of Qurna
  • Commencement of the Turkish Counter-Offensive
  • Development and Defeat of the Turkish Counter-Offensive
  • Operations in Arabistan and the Capture of Amara
  • Operations on the Euphrates and the Occupation of Nasiriya
  • The battle of Kut and Occupation of Aziziya

The volume also includes nine maps, entitled:

  • The Middle East
  • Lower Mesopotamia
  • Map 1 - To illustrate operations described in Chapter VI
  • Map 2 - To illustrate fighting near Qurna
  • Map 3 - To illustrate fighting round Shaiba
  • Map 4 - To illustrate operations in Persian Arabistan
  • Map 5 - To illustrate operations in the Akaika Channel 27th June to 5th July 1915
  • Map 6 - To illustrate operations near Nasiriya 6th to 24th July 1915
  • Map 7 - To illustrate the Battle of Kut 28th September 1915
Extent and format
1 volume (223 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a page of errata (folio 5), a list of contents (folios 6-8), a list of maps and illustrations (folio 9), appendices (folios 185v-192), an index (folios 192v-214v), and eight maps in a pocket attached to the inside back cover (folios 217-224).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 225; 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.

Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎61v] (127/454), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100048172213.0x000080> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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