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File 2879/1919 Pt 3 ‘MESOPOTAMIA KURDISTAN The AQRAH Incident: Murder of Messrs Bill & Scott’ [135r] (155/170)
The record is made up of 1 item (86 folios). It was created in 14 Aug 1919-10 Apr 1920. 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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1
*
S-2-L-I—Q-iL.21XitJLXUl-A
From Ba^idad.
Dated 4th November, 1919*
(Received 5th, 11 a.m.)
Clear the line*
( R )• T Beport received from Mosul, November 3rd, that
kr. J.H. Bill, Indian Civil Service, and Captain K.R.Scott,31st
group-) Indian Army, respectively Political Officer,
^ Mosul, and Assistant Political Officer, Aqrah, were attacked
and killed by a body of about one hundred nurds near Birza Kapra
m Zab. Valley north east of Aqrah., to which pi axe they were
returning from after inspecting recruits for the frontier
gendarme posts supplied by leading local chief. One of
gendarmerie with them escaped and brought the news to Aqrah.
Z\
Perpetrators, who apparently belong to the Zibar tribe,
attacked Aqrah at (? dawn] on the 3rd, about 300 strong.
Gendarmerie post wad. unable to hold out and retired.
Some of the local Kurdish gendarmerie are reported to have
joined enemy and aeroplanes which reconnoitred over Aqrah on
November 3rd were heavily fired on.
It is difficult for me adequately to express my feelings at
loss of these two capable and gallant officers.
Mr. Bill agreed to take up post of Political Officer,Mosul
at my urgent (word omitted] and had recently initiated negotia
tions with Kurdish tribes in Amadia region which promised to
result in a satisfactory settlement. His personal judgnent,
experience and personal courage alike combined to make him a
public servant of rare value. Captain Scott was a capable
young officer of high promise, who joined me last year from the
Fifteenth Division and had spent about a year in (Mosul ?)
Division. He had already made himself respected and liked by
all classes. I will report further developments when known.
Major L.F.Nalder, Sudan Civil Service, will succeed Mr.Bill as
Political Officer.
Addressed
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.
.Repeated to Delhi and Teheran.
Cairo, Constantinople, informed.
About this item
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This item relates to a violent incident during which two individuals, J H Bill, Indian Civil Service, Political Officer, Mosul, and Captain K R Scott, 31st Punjabis, Indian Army, Assistant Political Officer, Aqrah [also spelled Akra and Aqra in this item], were killed ‘near Birza Kapra in Zab Valley north east of Aqrah’ (f 135), allegedly by members of the Zibar [Zebari] tribe. The papers notably cover and include:
- Drafting of the official communiqué regarding the incident, and the general coordination of communications regarding Kurdish affairs to the public in India
- Investigations into: the course of events and the political situation leading up to the deaths; possible Turkish nationalist influences; details of the murders; and locating of the bodies. Included are three reports, dated 4 November and 11 December 1919, to the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, by staff of the Office of the Political Officer, Mosul (ff 92-98 and 74-79), and a report of the funeral of Bill and Scott held on 20 December 1919 at Mosul (ff 70-71)
- The India Office’s correspondence with: Sir John Horner concerning the latter’s enquiries, on behalf of the relatives of J H Bill, into the circumstances of the deaths; and also with the father of J H Bill
- Details of the military operations and punitive measures undertaken by British forces in the Aqrah area in December 1919
- The connection of the incident with opposition to British negotiations and plans for repatriation of exiled Assyrian Christian refugees to the Amadia [Amadiya] Valley and the vicinity.
The primary correspondents are: 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. and Secretary of State for India; Civil Commissioner, Baghdad; and Major C F Bill.
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- 1 item (86 folios)
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 2879/1919 Pt 3 ‘MESOPOTAMIA KURDISTAN The AQRAH Incident: Murder of Messrs Bill & Scott’ [135r] (155/170), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/833/3, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100126901399.0x00004d> [accessed 25 July 2026]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/833/3
- Title
- File 2879/1919 Pt 3 ‘MESOPOTAMIA KURDISTAN The AQRAH Incident: Murder of Messrs Bill & Scott’
- Pages
- 57r:57v, 59r:59v, 60v:61v, 63r:79v, 80v:88v, 90r:105v, 107v:110v, 112r:137v, 138v:142v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
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- Open Government Licence