Copy ts. letter. Mark Sykes to Lord Robert Cecil

Reference No:: U DDSY2/12/1
Dates:: 14 Oct 1917
Description:: About the need for coordination 'in our organisation between the Balkans and Basra'; suggested formation of and procedure for a sub committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence (one member from each of the Foreign Office, India Office, Admiralty and War Office) to meet weekly; Mesopotamian expedition starved of tackle and men but achieved wonderful success in face of extreme difficulties; reinforcements urged (8 - 9,000 men); regarding Aden, 'I do hope the India Office will leave that absurd hinterland alone; future of Mesopotamia - unanimous agreement there that it should not be under India; suggested formation of a new department of the Near East to administer Egypt, Arabia and Mesopotamia; request for two advisers (Weakly from Foreign Office and another from India Office or government) to establish an Islamic Information Bureau in Egypt; news of Russian decorations for Expeditionary Force in France 'aroused hopes of our people out here'; recommended Russian government give some 'to soldiers and sailors here', and British decorations be awarded to Russian Army in the Caucasus
Format:: Archive Item
Extent:: 1 item
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Access Conditions:: Access will be granted to any accredited reader
Repository:: Hull University Archives
Collection:: Papers of the Sykes family of Sledmere