![‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [‎20r] (48/396)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000112.0x00022b/IOR_L_MIL_17_5_3317_0048.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [‎20r] (48/396)")
‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [20r] (48/396)
The record is made up of 1 volume (194 folios). It was created in 23 Nov 1918-15 Feb 1919. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
On board f 07 ' duty in Ungland Royal Navy 11 British troops. R. A.
M. C. 2 British Officers, 5 British Troops, R. F. A. 1 British Officer.
For onward despatch to Fngland :—Indo-European telegraph department
1 1st class passage money paid.
lor duty in Egypt :—Intelligence Department 3 interpreters repatriated
prisoners of war Arab, 15 officers, 269 R. and F,, Greek, 10 officers, 102 R.
and F., Armenians, 5 officers 40 R. and F., Jews, 1 officer, 13 R. and F.
For onward despatch to Bey rout :—Medical 1 1st class.
For onward despatch to France :—1st class, French Consul and wife,
passage money paid.
For duty in France : —3rd Canadian Infantry 1 British Officer.
For onward despatch to Washington :—Persian Minister 1st class 1, 2nd
class 2 S passage money paid.
For onward despatch to Const ant inonple :—Indulgence passengers Arme
nian patriot and party 5 1st class.
For duty during voyage to be returned to Basrah :—Medical 1 Follower*
Passage money not to be adjusted at Suez.
For onward despatch to Baku : — Light Trench Mortar battery 2
British Officers, 26 British troops, 13th Light Armoured Motor Battery, 5
British Officers, 110 British troops ; 72nd Field Company R. E. 104 British
troops. R. A. M. C. 8 British troops ; 39th M. G. Company, 5 British troops ;
39th Brigade Transport 115 I. O. R., 13 Followers, 8th Battery R. F. A., 17
British troops, 2 I. O. R., 1 follower 44th Battery R. F. A., 16 British troops,
2 I. 0. R., 1 follower 7th Gloucesters 1 B. 0., 247 British troops, N. Staffs, 7
B. O., 310 British troops, 9th R. Warwicks, 2 British Officers, 235 other ranks,
9th Worcesters, 5 British Officers, 242 other ranks; also two 8-ton and one 4-
ton lorries. Loaded at Bombay 440 tons atta, 80 tons Ghee, 23 tons of chillies,
turmeric and pepper, 16 tons, comprising 30 packages sugar bags, all S. and T.
10 cwt. comprising 3 cases fiat spares transhipped from Basrah, 4 packages
medical stores. For transhipment at Suez for England :—8 packages empty
shells and short rifles, 2 packages packing halkr, etc., Ordnance Woolwich War
Museum, London, 6 packages cap screws Ordnance Weedon. Balance of
Canteen stores and takings to be collected at Suez. Cocanada arrives yours
about 14th.
Working copy to Q. M. G.
Copy to M. S. C., D. M. S., A. G., G. S. (M. 0. 1, M. 0. 3, S. D. 1), A. D.,
Marine.
APPENDIX 23.
DIARY No. 8593.
Telegram P., No. X.-5234, dated 1st February 1919.
Despatched , received 12 noon, 2nd February 1919.
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “ D,” Baghdad,
lo—The Chief of the General Stsff, Delhi.
Your 4492 Q. M. G. 6, January 17th.
Actual requirements for February. Estimate for March.
Tons.
Gram
Rations
Fodder
Miscellaneous including
medical comforts and
standing orders.
Total
m
3,760
9,000
5,000
17,760
2,000
6,530
9,000
5,000
22,530
Details of rations —
Preserved meat ...
Nil
Milk
Nil
Sugar
700
Ghee
760
Atta ••• ...
2,000
Dhall
Nil
Mixed spice
Nil
Rock salt...
100
Tamarind ...
?00
Lime Juice (gallons') ...
3,000
Cigarattes (Indian)
12.000,000
Matches (dozens)
300,000
, 100
100
750
700
4,000
600
80
Nil
200
2,000
32,000,000
200,000
The basis of reserve is taken as fifty days’ rations and grain, and 45 days*
firewood and fodder on the assumption that the following troops are evacuated ;
—10,000 British in January, a further 10,000 British and 5,000 Indian by
February 15th and a further 15,000 British and 25,000 Indians by March 16th.
About this item
- Content
The volume contains a chronological list of brief summaries of papers relating to the activities of the Indian Expeditionary Force D (also known as the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force) between 1 and 15 February 1919. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: telegrams, memoranda, and tables.
An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 1-9. The volume concerns:
- Military personnel issues, including: equipment; the transfer and retirement of officers; nominations for Staff College; granting of leave; and demobilisation of troops
- Supply of food, construction materials, and other items to Force D
- Reductions of planned supply shipments to Force D
- Proposal for a new kind of emergency ration for Indian troops
- Preparation for demobilisation of Force D, including: disposal of animals used by Force D; withdrawal orders for specific units; and disposal of surplus ammunition
- Provision of ships to carry troops from Mesopotamia to the United Kingdom
- Proposed expansion of the jurisdiction of the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
- Proposed changes to the Army Chaplains’ Department
- Employment of ‘Imported’ labourers in Mesopotamia and the growth of ‘Considerable local prejudice’ against these workers
- The post-war occupation and government of Mesopotamia
- British assessments of Mesopotamian public opinion
- Construction of railways in Mesopotamia
- Vaccination of animals shipped to Mesopotamia
- Arrest of thirteen Turkish [Ottoman] ‘ringleaders in recent political intrigue’ by British forces in Baghdad
- Turkish military presence at Joziret Ibn Omar [Cizre]
- British use of petroleum wells at Zakhd [Zakho]
- British arming of ‘Turcomans’ to fight the Bolsheviks on behalf of the Transcaspian Government
- Intelligence suggesting the presence of the former Ottoman leader Enver Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. [Enver Pāshā] in the Caucasus
- British military actions in Persia [Iran] including: occupation of key roads; maintenance of roads; and discussion of a ‘most virulent form of malaria’ affecting British troops in North Persia.
The volume also contains:
- Distribution and composition of Force D, including details of lines of communication, general organisation, and corrections (ff 63-73)
- State of supplies on 27 January 1919 (f 25), 31 January 1919 (ff 162-163), 7 February 1919 (f 168)
- Distribution Report showing number and condition of motor vehicles with Force D, 1 December 1918 (ff 27-42)
- Ration strength of Force D on 21 December 1918 (ff 124-130), 28 December 1918 (ff 130-136), 4 January 1919 (ff 182-187), 11 January 1919 (ff 75-78), 18 January 1918 (ff 149-152)
- Strength return of Force D on 23 November 1918 (ff 79-90)
- Weekly return of sick and wounded dated 4 January 1919 (ff 99-100), 11 January (ff 188-189)
- Ammunition return of Force D on 2 January 1918 (ff 110-111)
- Programme for February despatch of British troops from Mesopotamia and India (f 112).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (194 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 192; these numbers are printed, and are located in the bottom centre of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.
Dimensions: 21 x 33cm
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [20r] (48/396), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3317, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100143579001.0x000031> [accessed 7 August 2026]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3317
- Title
- ‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1r:192v, ii-r:ii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence