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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎91v] (187/454)

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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160 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
The general indications of an augmentation of the Turkish
army in Mesopotamia, which would expose General Barrett’s
force to attack by superior numbers, led to the question of
reinforcing Force “ D.” On the 5th January, Sir Beauchamp
Duff, in a private telegram to Lord Kitchener, expressed his
inability to send to France three more Indian battalions
which had been asked for. He said, “ As there are signs of
possible attack on both Basra and Aden in force, I am becoming
anxious about them, and if a necessity to support them arises,
I do not know from where to take extra troops.” He pointed
out at the same time how the call for drafts to replace casual
ties in France had exceeded greatly anything that had been
thought of in India before.* The Indian reservists were turning
out disappointing, Sir Beauchamp Duff said, and the organi
sation in India was unequal to the demands made on it.
India had at this period many anxieties. On the North-West
Frontier, two big raids, based on the idea that there were no
troops left in India, had taken place, and efforts were being
made to start a Jahad. Although the attitude of the Amir
of Afghanistan was reassuring, it was felt that he might be
unable to restrain the extremists, who regretted openly his
refusal to comply with the Turkish request for assistance.
The trans-frontier Pathans in the Indian army were showing
reluctance to fight the Turks, and their attitude towards a
Jahad was doubtful. Internally there were serious symptoms
of unrest, especially in the Punjab—our main recruiting area;
and military precautions had to be taken. All Indian units
in India were 25 per cent, below their establishment in British
officers, and suitable candidates were displaying a disconcerting
preference for service with their own race in Europe. The
recently arrived Territorials had to be re-armed and partially
re-clothed and re-equipped, while their training was still back
ward.
Thus it was felt very undesirable either to weaken the frontier
or to make further reductions in the internal garrison. A way,
however, was found. The Nepal Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). offered a contingent
of Gurkhas for service in India, and this was accepted gratefully.
Even though they would require several months training and
complete re-armament and re-equipment, they provided a
valuable reserve.f Further, the situation in the Pacific
* He quoted three cases where the drafts sent so far, i.e., after two months
fighting, had amounted to 62, 74 and 110 per cent, of the field service strength
of the battalions.
t Subsequently they proved their fighting worth on several occasions on
the North-West Frontier Region of British India bordering Afghanistan. .

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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.' [‎91v] (187/454), 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_100048172213.0x0000bc> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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