File 2879/1919 Pt 3 ‘MESOPOTAMIA KURDISTAN The AQRAH Incident: Murder of Messrs Bill & Scott’

Content

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.

Extent and format

1 item (86 folios)

It is part of

File 2879/1919 Pt 1-4 'IRAQ: KURDISTAN'

578 images

Ref: IOR/L/PS/10/833

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Archival item

Access & Reference

Original held at

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.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/L/PS/10/833/3

Former external reference(s)

P 2879/1919 Pt 3

History of this record

Date(s)

14 Aug 1919-10 Apr 1920 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

RepatriationRefugeesReligious minoritiesHomicideTribal relationsPropaganda

Places

AqrahMosul

People & organisations

Civil CommissionerJohn Francis Fortescue Horner

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File 2879/1919 Pt 3 ‘MESOPOTAMIA KURDISTAN The AQRAH Incident: Murder of Messrs Bill & Scott’, 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_100132142033.0x000002> [accessed 14 July 2026]

Link to this record

https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100132142033.0x000002

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