'Papers relating to transfer of Middle Eastern Affairs to the Colonial Office and creation of a new Department there, 1920-1921, with Cabinet notes of Milner, Montague, Churchill, self, and others' [‎43r] (85/136)

This document is the property of His Britannic Majesty s Government.
MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR.
I circulate herewith observations by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, on certain points raised by the Secretary of State
for India in his memorandum of 23rd July (C.P. 1680) concerning the military
administration in Mesopotamia. The salient features of Mr. Montagu’s criticism were
telegraphed to Sir A. Haldane as a series of allegations on which his remarks were
sought and which are printed in italics at the head of each section.
I have shown these observations to the Secretary of State for India, whose
remarks are printed as an Appendix. ^ ^
The War Office,
16^ December, 1920.
121
3
1907
1. The fighting value of the larger force is no greater than that of the smaller force to
which it was hoped at one time that the garrison might be reduced.
The fighting value of the troops in Mesopotamia lias not been greatly in excess of
that of a complete and fully trained Division.
British regiments and battalions are insufficiently trained and weak, and Indian
battalions undertrained and on a low establishment. Constant operations, and moves
imposed by them, have reduced opportunities for training to a minimum, and compulsory
detachments have taken away numbers available for active operations.
2. Too many battalions are being used to guard Turkish prisoners and Assyrian
refugees.
Turkish prisoners of w r ar, whose numbers fluctuated between 18,000 and 15,000,
were formed into a Labour Corps and employed mainly at Basrah, Kut, Baghdad and
Shergat. The troops employed in guarding them amounted to an aggregate of
approximately four Indian battalions. In order to reduce these numbers of regular
troops guarding Turkish prisoners, Labour Corps personnel, ex-soldier and other, have
been attested and trained to the number of approximately 2,500, thus releasing al
troops from the duty of guarding prisoners and reducing administrative guards. No
troops are used, to guard Assyrian refugees; the Assyrian battalion provided all guards
in the refugee camp from August, 1919, and, by taking over certain outside duties at
Baqubah, enabled all regular troops to be withdrawn from there.
3. The Inland Water Transport fieet being retained by the military administration is
much in excess of what might be considered a reasonable reserve, and its wage
bill is over 200,0001* a month.
(i.) The following is a precis of the tonnage requirements from January to June,
1920, showing the need for fleet maintained.
The steel of the Basrah—Baghdad railway line was linked up on the 16th January,
1920.
From January to June, 1920, the tonnage required from Baghdad and the forward
area approximated to 750 tons daily. Of this amount the Basrah—Baghdad railway
* Presumably 200,000 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. is meant.
(620/447) 100 12/20 HAS, Ltd 8689wo