Abstract: 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 16 and 30 September 1918. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include: letters, telegrams, notes, reports, tables, and memoranda.An index to the contents of this volume can be found at IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3307. The volume concerns:Appreciations [reports] and intelligence summaries from the Directorate of Military Operations dated 16 September 1918 (ff 23-25), 23 September 1918 (ff 166-168), 30 September 1918 (ff 313-315)Supplies, particularly of oil fuel, cheese, and mattingReports from the Royal Flying Corps of machines in service and pilots availableMovement of ships and loads transportedProvision of Persian [Iranian] krans [qirans]Dunsterforce’s withdrawal from Baku, the fall of Baku, and the evacuation of the wounded to Krasnovodsk [Türkmenbaşy]Supply of British war propaganda filmsControl of the Caspian SeaThe situation in north-west PersiaThe future administration of Mesopotamia, including oil concessions, railways, and water transportThe capture of Bolshevic [Bolshevik] leaders at KrasnovodskThe garrison at KrasnovodskMovement of Turkish [Ottoman] troopsAppointment of officersLocation and condition of some members of the Russian Royal FamilyA peace conference to be held at BerlinA discussion concerning fixing the price of datesThe question of erecting a monument to Indian soldiersA description of the visit of the Bishop of Lahore to the Church of England Chaplains and Troops in Force D (ff 204-205).The following tables appear:Strength and field returns and summaries of Force D on 3 August 1918 (ff 4-15), 10 August 1918 (ff 84-94), 24 August 1918 (ff 174-175), 3 August 1918 (ff 239-252), 17 August 1918 (ff 253-261)Distribution of the Turkish Army on 17 September 1918 (ff 43-52), 24 September 1918 (ff 180-189)Ration strength of Force D on 17 August 1918 (ff 62-65), 31 August 1918 (ff 176-178)Weekly return of the sick and wounded on 31 August 1918 (f 71), 7 September 1918 (f 231), 14 September 1918 (f 288)State of supplies on 17 September 1918 (ff 139-140), 10 September 1918 (ff 163-164), 20 September 1918 (ff 276-277)Distribution of Force D on 24 August 1918 (ff 151-161), 31 August 1918 (ff 295-307)Statement of transport with Force D on 1 August 1918 (ff 217-220).Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 315; these numbers are printed, and are located in the bottom centre of the recto 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
Abstract: 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 August 1918. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include letters, memoranda, telegrams, and appreciations [reports] from the Directorate of Military Operations.An index to the contents of this volume can be found at folios 3-30. The volume concerns:The situation in Mesopotamia, including:The administration of the areas occupied by Force D, including the formation of an Agricultural DirectorateRailway construction in Mesopotamia and Persia [Iran]The recruitment and organisation of new personnel for Force D.The situation in Persia and the Caucasus, including:The progress of Dunsterforce and of General Wilfrid Malleson’s missionIntelligence concerning Turkish [Ottoman] and German activitiesEfforts to gain local support in Persia, particularly among the Bakhtiari [Bakhtiyārī] tribe for assistance in the defence of the oil fieldsThe situations at Baku and Krasnovodsk [Türkmenbaşy]Discussions concerning support for the Trans-Caspian GovernmentSupport for the Assyrian and Armenian populations.The volume also includes:The distribution of Force D (ff 31-38), including lines of communication (ff 39-48), and a list of officers and commanders (ff 49-50)The distribution of troops and lines of communication for Force D on 13 July (ff 260-269) and 20 July (ff 250-259)Statement showing the strengths of the contingents with Force D on 22 June (ff 56-68) and 29 June (ff 201-213)Strength returns of Force D on 6 July (ff 88-90) and 13 July (ff 311-313)Ammunition and gun returns (f 69, ff 177-178, f 219, f 226, ff 319-320)The distribution of the Turkish Army on 6 August (ff 143-151) and 13 August (ff 297-306)Returns of the sick and wounded for 29 June (ff 157-158) and 13 July (246-247)State of supplies (ff 126-128, 284-286)The ration strength of Force D on 6 July (ff 194-200) and 20 July (ff 313-317)Statements of shipping tonnage discharged (f 53, ff 110-111, ff 130-131, f 159, f 161, f 172, f 214, f 224, f 231, f 249, ff 287-288, f 293, f 326)Return of pilots and machines (f 224)Inland Water Transport personnel strength returns for 3 August (f 173) and 18 August (f 293).The vast majority of material in the volume dates from August 1918, but there is also a small amount of material which dates from June and July 1918.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 339; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 3-337; these numbers are printed and are located in the bottom centre of the recto side of each folio.Dimensions: 21 x 33cm
Abstract: 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 16 and 31 August 1918. This is accompanied by appendices containing copies and extracts of these papers, which include letters, memoranda, telegrams, and appreciations [reports] from the Directorate of Military Operations.An index to the contents of this volume can be found at the start of IOR/L/MIL/17/5/3305. The volume concerns:The situation in Mesopotamia, including:The administration of Basrah [Basra], Baghdad, and the other areas occupied by Force D, including plans for various development projects, and concerns about high levels of expenditureReinforcements and new personnel for Force D, including the organisation and grading of new recruits, and the formation of new divisionsRailway construction in Mesopotamia and Persia [Iran]Equipment and supplies for Force DThe resources and further requirements of the Inland Water TransportDiscussions about providing munitions to Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Āl Sa’ūd, also rendered as Bin Saud in the volume]The proceedings of a Court of Enquiry reporting on the state of motor vehicles arriving in Mesopotamia, and the shortages and deficiencies in tools and kits (ff 84-88). It includes a ‘statement of particulars of unfitness for use’ (ff 89-107)The payment of Dr John Fisk during his work attending on Turkish [Ottoman] prisoners of war. It includes copies and extracts of correspondence, agreements, and despatches from 15 October 1914, 25 August and 9 October 1916, 5 July 1917, and 18 May 1918 (ff 205-207).The situation in Persia and the Caucasus, including:The progress of Dunsterforce and of General Wilfrid Malleson’s mission, including plans for controlling shipping in the Caspian SeaThe situation in TabrizIntelligence concerning Turkish [Ottoman] and German activitiesThe situation of the Trans-Caspian Government, including the evacuation of Tejend [Tejen] and Merv [Mary], Malleson’s efforts to provide troops and material for support, and the organisation of the defence of Krasnovodsk [Türkmenbaşy]The situation in BakuBritish operations in Persia, including discussions with the Bakhtiari [Bakhtiyārī] tribe and the Jangalis [Jangalī Movement]The movements of Jelu [Assyrians from Jilu] refugees, and discussions regarding making provision for them, and the possibility of organising some as combatantsThe situation of the Armenian populationThe situation at Tiflis [Tbilisi].The volume also includes:Statements of shipping tonnage discharged (ff 36-37, 63, f 112, f 122, f 183, f 203, ff 247-248, ff 269-270, ff 276-277, f 288, f 300, f 318, f 381, f 385, f 417)Weekly returns of the sick and wounded for 6 July (f 35), 20 July (ff 267-268), 27 July (ff 273-274), 3 August (ff 302-303), and 10 August (ff 415-416)Aviation reports for 15 August (f 39), 22 August (f 264), and 29 August (f 418)Strength returns for Force D for 20 July (ff 47-49), 27 July (ff 265-267), and 3 August (ff 363-365)Consolidated strength return for Force D for 29 June 1918 (ff 155-176)Statements showing the strengths of the contingents with Force D on 6 July (ff 221-233) and 13 July (ff 365-378)The distribution of troops for Force D on 27 July 1918 (ff 213-220), 3 August (ff 388-398), and 10 August (ff 398-407)The ration strength of Force D on 13 July 1918 (ff 79-84), 20 July (ff 349-354), 27 July (ff 108-111), 3 August (ff 332-336), and 10 August (ff 411-414)The distribution of the Turkish Army on 20 August (ff 185-193) and 27 August (ff 319-329)Ammunition and gun returns for 26 July (f 49) and 2 August (ff 345-346)Wastage return of animals for June (ff 51-54)Strength of animals with Force D on 28 July (f 198)Statement of animal transport in Tigris and Euphrates front for June (ff 17-22)Traffic return for 15 August (f 197)Monthly distribution report for motor vehicles with Force D on 1 July (ff 132-153).The vast majority of material in the volume dates from August 1918, but there is also a small amount of material which dates from June and July 1918.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 419; these numbers are printed, and are located in the bottom centre of the recto 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
Abstract: This file relates to the situation in East Persia and the Malleson Mission (1918-21). It includes papers on the following subjects:A collection of papers titled 'Expenditure on [the] Malleson Mission and Troops in East Persia', including: a memorandum from the India Office Political Department on planned politico-military missions to Kashgar [Qashqar] and Meshed [Mashhad] to 'work in allied interests [,] and combat German and Turkish propaganda' on the model of General Lionel Dunsterville's organisation Dunsterforce, previously deployed to the North Caucasus; a memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which government department should bear the expenses for Malleson's Mission in countering 'German-Bolshevik developments in Central Asia', with reflections on the German promotion of Pan-Turanism and Pan-Islamism which, together with Bolshevism were perceived as posing a 'direct menace' to the security of India, since they could conceivably 'enlist the forces of religion in the armies of political and social discontent'; correspondence to date between the India Office, HM Treasury and the War Office (including from Secretary of State for War, Winston S Churchill) concerning the Chancellor's memorandum, together with thirty-two appendices on expenditures preceding the Chancellor's memorandum and the military and political telegrams referred to in the collection on 'Expenditures' (January 1921); the lack of financial resources to continue the Malleson Mission in Trans-Caspia (December 1918); the criticism by Lovat Fraser of expenditures on the Mission in the
Daily Mail(July 1920); the assumption of the Mission's current roles to 'encourage resistance in Persia to Pan-Islamic and Bolshevik influences' and offer 'moral support to Transcaspians by threatening [the] flank and rear of [the] Bolshevik advance towards Krasnovodsk [Turkmenbashi]' by a 'Persian Force to be raised under the terms of the recent agreement', together with the existing Seistan Levy Corps and Khorasan Levy Corps, and the 'intelligence work' to be carried out by a 'small organisation' based at Meshed (September 1919).Physical description: The foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 35; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.