Railways in the Middle Eastern Theatre: Difference between revisions

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==Mesopotamia==
==Mesopotamia==
"Without the work of the Indian auxiliaries on the Mesopotamian railways – which supplied almost every requisite for fighting and for everyday living on campaign –the Allied forces would never have enjoyed the victory they achieved."<ref> Memorial Gates Trust, [http://www.mgtrust.org/meso.htm First World War-Mesopotamia] ([http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IwPvZR2bETkJ:www.mgtrust.org/meso.htm+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au Cached URL])</ref>
"Without the work of the Indian auxiliaries on the Mesopotamian railways – which supplied almost every requisite for fighting and for everyday living on campaign –the Allied forces would never have enjoyed the victory they achieved."<ref> Memorial Gates Trust, [http://www.mgtrust.org/meso.htm First World War-Mesopotamia] ([http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IwPvZR2bETkJ:www.mgtrust.org/meso.htm+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au Cached] URL)</ref>


Major Frederick Cole and his unit from India built the railway from Basra to Baghdad in Iraq, then Mesopotamia. (Major Cole was Inspector of Railways in India from about 1915 to 1930).<ref> [http://www.mid-day.com/specials/2009/aug/310809-Britain-from-the-rails-Benedict-La-Vey-Book-Review-Alison-Gibson-Play.htm  Vay to go] by Alison Gibson from Mid-day.com  ([http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:xyTn8jIVUKEJ:www.mid-day.com/specials/2009/aug/310809-Britain-from-the-rails-Benedict-La-Vey-Book-Review-Alison-Gibson-Play.htm+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au Cached URL]) </ref>
Major Frederick Cole and his unit from India built the railway from Basra to Baghdad in Iraq, then Mesopotamia. (Major Cole was Inspector of Railways in India from about 1915 to 1930).<ref> [http://www.mid-day.com/specials/2009/aug/310809-Britain-from-the-rails-Benedict-La-Vey-Book-Review-Alison-Gibson-Play.htm  Vay to go] by Alison Gibson from Mid-day.com  ([http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:xyTn8jIVUKEJ:www.mid-day.com/specials/2009/aug/310809-Britain-from-the-rails-Benedict-La-Vey-Book-Review-Alison-Gibson-Play.htm+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au Cached] URL) </ref>


Rail track was sent from India. “For Mesopotamia, we pull up existing lines.”<ref>[http://www.archive.org/stream/firstworldwar19102repiuoft#page/114/mode/2up The First World War, 1914-1918, Volume II], page 114
Rail track was sent from India. “For Mesopotamia, we pull up existing lines.”<ref>[http://www.archive.org/stream/firstworldwar19102repiuoft#page/114/mode/2up The First World War, 1914-1918, Volume II], page 114
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*British Library APAC Catalogue reference , Official Publications [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorv_11-5&cid=1-1-49-41#1-1-49-41 A history of Mesopotamian railways during the War]. Bombay, 1921  '''IOR/V/27/720/40'''  1921. Also available through the Integrated Catalogue.
*British Library APAC Catalogue reference , Official Publications [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorv_11-5&cid=1-1-49-41#1-1-49-41 A history of Mesopotamian railways during the War]. Bombay, 1921  '''IOR/V/27/720/40'''  1921. Also available through the Integrated Catalogue.
*The National Archives catalogue  reference [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/browser.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=13155&GPE=False&DOWN=TRUE&MARKER=3000*-2251848&MARKERSCN= War Diary of 2 Indian Railway Construction Battalion] '''WO 95/5246'''. (Probably, but not definitely, a unit in Mesopotamia). A War Diary was a daily record of events kept by units in active service.
*The National Archives catalogue  reference [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/browser.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=13155&GPE=False&DOWN=TRUE&MARKER=3000*-2251848&MARKERSCN= War Diary of 2 Indian Railway Construction Battalion] '''WO 95/5246'''. (Probably, but not definitely, a unit in Mesopotamia). A War Diary was a daily record of events kept by units in active service.
*[http://ccgi.ajg41.plus.com/2008/12/05/armoured-car-on-rails-in-mesopotamia/ Armoured car on rails in Mesopotamia] from  Railways of Iraq
*[http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/iraq/armoured-car-on-rails-in-mesopotamia Armoured car on rails in Mesopotamia] from  Railways of Iraq. ([http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:B03rRRuLtNMJ:www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/iraq/armoured-car-on-rails-in-mesopotamia/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au Cached] URL]). [http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/937652064 Photo] originally from flickr.com
*[http://fuchs-online.com/iraq/files/The_Railway_Magazine_April_1928.pdf The Railways of Mesopotamia] by Richard Coke from ''The Railway Magazine'' April 1928 from fuchs-online.com.
*[http://fuchs-online.com/iraq/files/The_Railway_Magazine_April_1928.pdf The Railways of Mesopotamia] by Richard Coke from ''The Railway Magazine'' April 1928 from fuchs-online.com.
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baghdad_Railway Baghdad Railway] Wikipedia
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baghdad_Railway Baghdad Railway] Wikipedia

Revision as of 02:43, 8 November 2013

Persia

In Persia , "in 1915, at the time of the revolt of Tangestan, [British military] reinforcements were sent [to Busehr (Bushire, the main port)] in order to counteract the moves of the German consul,… .On that occasion a narrow-gauge railway 37 miles long was constructed to link Busehr with Borazjan, on the way to Shiraz….At the same time a factory for constructing railroad equipment was established at Busehr. The evacuation of the town by the British in March 1919 put an end to these attempts". [1]

Mesopotamia

"Without the work of the Indian auxiliaries on the Mesopotamian railways – which supplied almost every requisite for fighting and for everyday living on campaign –the Allied forces would never have enjoyed the victory they achieved."[2]

Major Frederick Cole and his unit from India built the railway from Basra to Baghdad in Iraq, then Mesopotamia. (Major Cole was Inspector of Railways in India from about 1915 to 1930).[3]

Rail track was sent from India. “For Mesopotamia, we pull up existing lines.”[4]

Trains were sent from India, including fourteen military trains in 1916. In 1918 the entire (locos, rolling stock, track, and all fixtures and fittings) Powayn Steam Tramway, in Bengal was sent for use on the Bushire Light Railway in Persia.[5]

The Iraq Railways and the Indian Railway Department were a Unit and Regiment of the Indian Army in Mesopotamia during World War 1 according to a soldier’s record on the CWGC.[6] First World War medal card indexes (refer The National Archives Documents Online: First World War Medal Index Cards ) mention Mesopotamian Railways, Iraq Railways and Railways Baghdad as corps, with Mesopotamian Railways being mentioned more frequently, but it is not known by us to what extent these three differ. In addition, there are other railway units mentioned, which may be Mesopotamian based, but which could be in other theatres. Refer separate list.

External links

Monks, D E. Rank: Major. Date of Death: 11/12/1918
Regiment: Bengal North Western Railway. Service: Railway Survey Siestan (Persia)

References

  1. ↑ Busehr Encyclopaedia Iranica
  2. ↑ Memorial Gates Trust, First World War-Mesopotamia (Cached URL)
  3. ↑ Vay to go by Alison Gibson from Mid-day.com (Cached URL)
  4. ↑ The First World War, 1914-1918, Volume II, page 114 by Charles Repington 1920,(Archive.org) quoting a letter from Sir Charles Monroe, C-in-C in India, dated Simla, August 15, 1917
  5. ↑ Indian / South-Asian Industrial Locos: Military Trains by Simon Darvill. IRFCA
  6. ↑ Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s record for J. Flatman
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