THE END OF HOSTILITIES
Types of Empire defenders--Local feeling--Dealing with Kurdish
raiders--An embarrassing offer of marriage--Prestige by
aeroplane--Anniversary of Hossain the Martyr--News of the
Armistice--Local waverers come down on our side of the
fence--Releasing civil prisoners--Farewell of Bijar--Down country to
the sea and home.
I have often wondered if the British who stayed at home, through
force of circumstances rather than any reluctance to participate in
the Great War, can have had any conception of the varying types of
men who helped to uphold British interests in this remote and
little-known corner of the Asiatic Continent. Here, then, are a few
of them taken at random!
There was Hooper, an Australian Captain, who in civil life was a
farmer on a rock-girt island off the Tasmanian coast, and had been
through more than one big push in France. Williams, also an
Australian officer, was a Rhodes Scholar from the University of
Adelaide. He commanded Persian levies, made a hobby of dialects, and
was always eager to try his growing wisdom teeth on such abstruse
problems as "How the camel got his hump," or, "Why Jonah gave the
whale indigestion." But he was a good {237} lad, was this youthful
pedant, a fearless soldier, and an untiring worker who, in a few
months, gained a surprising knowledge of colloquial Persian. Then
there was Seddon, a Government land surveyor from New Zealand, who
also had looked on Red War in Flanders. In cold weather, of all
times, he was always shedding surplus garments, until there was a
positive danger of his arriving at the stage of the "altogether."
Seddon was fiercely intractable on the subject of hygiene as applied
to clothing, and would hear of no compromise where his cherished
principles were concerned. It was said that he was wont to lie awake
at night planning new curtailments in his winter kit. Still, there
must have been some wisdom in his methods, for, although thinly clad
during the early winter months, he was always in perfect health, and
escaped the pulmonary maladies which proved fatal to so many others
who looked askance at him and his hygienic, minimum-clothing theory.
We had Gordon Wilson who came from the Argentine to enlist at the
outbreak of the War and attempted to leap the age-limit barrier. His
ardour was somewhat damped on being refused by the Home Authorities.
But, nothing daunted, he went to France, joined the Foreign Legion,
and saw a good deal of fighting. He was afterwards transferred to a
British Field Battery and given a commission, and lost no time in
winning the M.C.
In the 14th Hussars was a lieutenant named Voigt, {238} an Afrikander
born, who had gone through the South African campaign. One day,
riding with Voigt and his troop of Hussars in a "punitive" expedition
against raiding Kurds, I asked him casually--and quite forgetful of
the momentous past--with whom he had served in South Africa. He
replied with the flicker of a smile on his broad, sun-tanned face, "I
was with Louis Botha's commando." And such is the material out of
which has been woven our thrilling island story!
Up to the moment of the Turkish collapse, towards the end of October,
many of the notables of Bijar were inclined to be dubious concerning
our possibility of success. These cautious individuals shaped their
conduct accordingly. They "hedged" very carefully, to use a sporting
phrase, and, in order to avoid all risks, backed both sides. One
wealthy Persian resident whom I particularly remember was lavish of
lip-service. He would call round to the Mission Headquarters at
least twice a week to assure us of his ever-enduring devotion, and of
his hopes of success for British arms. About the same time he would
be sending off a courier to the Turkish commander in our front
telling him that he was his devoted servitor and that it would be a
blessed day for all True Believers when the Infidel British were
driven out of Persian Kurdistan. So much for Persian duplicity. Our
"friend" was a confirmed "pulophile," which is an impromptu
Perso-Greek expression for "money-lover," and, while awaiting {239}
our military downfall, he had no conscientious objections to seeking
to rob us right and left in wheat transactions.
On the whole the various Kurdish chiefs kept their peace pact with
the British, and for a time strove hard to walk in the path of
honesty and to cease from annexing their neighbours' flocks and
herds. But occasionally temptation proved too strong to be resisted,
and there would come a recrudescence of pillaging and violence. The
Mandumis and the Galbaghis were the chief offenders. Their subtle
imagination was never at a loss for a plausible pretext to condone
their lawlessness. Once, when Mandumi tribesmen attacked a British
post at an outlying village called Nadari, a certain Mustafa Khan,
the chief of the guilty raiders, sent a very apologetic letter
pleading for forgiveness, and pointing out that the regrettable
occurrence arose through a "misunderstanding" on the part of his
tribesmen who possessed an inordinate love of well-conditioned sheep.
Times were hard, and if the poor Kurds were not to be allowed to
replenish their larders by the time-honoured method of pilfering,
then, in the name of Allah, he asked, what was to become of them?
This curious and essentially Kurdish plea of "extenuating
circumstances" was backed up by a letter from the tribal Mujtahid, or
priest, who wrote that he was a simple man of God saying his prayers
regularly and knowing little of secular affairs. His tribesmen had
evidently been maligned by their {240} enemies--"May the Evil One
pluck their beards!" He had always exhorted his people to remain
friendly with the British, and would continue to do so.
On this occasion Mustafa Khan escaped with a fine and a reprimand,
but he was obviously looking for trouble, and it soon overtook him.
He became very insolent. Some of his men stopped and robbed the
British native courier, and the Chief sent a message that he would
soon come and raid Bijar itself. There was nothing to do except to
teach Mustafa Khan a much-needed lesson. However, before the
salutary drubbing could be administered, Mustafa and his men,
throwing discretion to the winds, and forgetful of their oft-repeated
promises to be of good behaviour, got completely out of hand, cleaned
out several Persian villages, and indulged in a veritable orgy of
lawlessness.
Then Mustafa, with consummate skill, having no case of his own, set
about abusing the other side. He blamed the hapless villagers, and
accused them of having killed two of his Sowars who had gone into the
Persian village to "purchase" corn. The villagers in question, he
remarked, were liars, and the sons of the Father of Lies--"May
perdition be their lot!" But this time his defence of provocation
was found to be unjustifiable; a richly deserved punishment was meted
out to him, and for long afterwards he led an exemplary life.
Nabi Khan was another Kurdish freebooter who gave considerable
trouble before he was finally {241} subdued and made to see the error
of his ways. From the point of view of stature and general physique
he was one of the finest looking men I have ever seen. He stood a
good 6 feet 4 inches in his socks, belying the prevailing idea that
the Kurds are of small stature. In an evil moment for himself, he
threw in his lot with the Turks, and for a brief period made things
right merry for the British. He fought like an enraged tiger in
defence of his village stronghold, but was put to flight after
suffering severe loss. He thought the thing out for a couple of
weeks, and then, like the old sportsman that he was, came in and
surrendered, saying that he had lost, and was ready to pay the full
price. It is easy to be generous to a chivalrous foe, and Nabi had
been all that, so he found that he had not thrown himself upon our
mercy in vain.
I well remember the morning that Nabi surrendered. His name and his
fame had preceded him to Bijar, and, as he strode down the Bazaar
with a belt full of lethal weapons, his very appearance inspired
terror in the breasts of the pusillanimous Persian traders, and they
bolted for cover like so many scared animals. In addition to his
stature, Nabi was a man of handsome appearance. He had a bold, open
countenance, and was brief and blunt of speech. Brushing past the
startled Persian janitor, whom he disdained to notice, he made a
dramatic entry into the Political Office at Bijar. Flinging his
weapons on the table, he exclaimed, "I have been {242} foolish; aye,
misguided by evil counsellors; I have lost, and am here to pay the
price. Do with me what you will. But you may tell your Shah that I
regret the past and am willing to make amends." Peace was arranged
with Nabi Khan, and the pact he kept very faithfully, becoming one of
our most ardent partisans in the difficult country and amongst the
turbulent folk over whom he held sway. He policed his district, and
did it very thoroughly, proving a veritable terror to evildoers; and
he suppressed Turkish propaganda with a vigour that demonstrated his
real earnestness in the British cause.
After the manner of his kind, as a further evidence of his good
faith, and in order to set a time-enduring seal upon his treaty of
friendship, he was anxious to negotiate a Kurdish-British matrimonial
alliance. After a good deal of preliminary verbal manoeuvring, he
definitely broached the project, and suggested the giving in marriage
of his daughter, a very comely damsel, to the Political Officer. The
latter was completely taken aback and, not being a Moslem, had
visions of all sorts of unpleasant legal complications should he ever
set foot in England with a supplementary wife. However, he faced the
trying situation with commendable fortitude, and cast about for a
means whereby he might be enabled to retreat with honour, and without
offending Kurdish susceptibilities. Nabi was tactfully informed
that, while the offer was much appreciated, the acceptance {243} of a
Kurdish bride would entail no end of complications for at least one
of the parties concerned, as an unsympathetic British law had long
set its face against bigamy. In fact, isolated enthusiasts in khaki
who, as a relief from the tedium of trench life, had sought to
popularize plural marriages in England had been rewarded by a term of
imprisonment. This was news indeed for the benevolent-minded Nabi,
but he did not insist further, and the incident terminated happily.
The Kurds are in many respects as simple as European children of
tender age. They had heard much about the wonderful flying machines
of Faringistan, and, never having seen an aeroplane, were inclined to
be sceptical, and to treat reputed aerial adventures as so many
"travellers' tales." A Kurdish chief came to call on me one day
seeking enlightenment. He had seen automobiles, and admitted that
they puzzled his primitive brain. "Why," he asked honestly enough,
"is the horse put inside the box, and why does this strange creature
prefer petrol to barley by way of food?" It took a long time to
knock into his head some primitive notion of motor traction. Then he
inquired, "Is it true that in Faringistan, as currently reported, men
make themselves into birds and soar in the air like eagles?" The
reply, as they say in Parliament, was in the affirmative, but the
Kurdish seeker for knowledge remained frankly incredulous. A few
days after the conversation, a youthful Scottish aviator, who was
{244} familiarly known as "Little Willie McKay," arrived by air from
Hamadan in order to give Bijar and the Kurdistan hill-folk a taste of
his quality. It was a day of days, and inaugurated a new era in the
local Mohammedan calendar, for it marked the flight of the
terror-stricken Faithful towards a place of safety away from the
aerial monster that, appearing from out of a clear sunlight sky,
swooped down on the town. The youthful McKay was a noted aerial
stunt artist, and he executed an extensive and varied programme for
the edification of those of the astonished onlookers who had steeled
their courage to the point of sticking it out. The houses are
flat-roofed, and here the spectators assembled to watch the show. As
the aviator nose-dived occasionally, it was amusing to see the
celerity with which they dropped flat on their faces, fearing lest
they should be caught by the talons of the "man-bird" and carried off
heaven knew where. Later on, at the local aerodrome, the people
came, timidly enough at first, to peep at the monster; but they did
their sightseeing cautiously from a respectful distance, and it was
only necessary for the engine to throb once or twice fretfully, and
for the propeller to revolve, to bring about an instantaneous
stampede. Thenceforth no one ever doubted that the British were
miracle workers, and had at their disposal an unlimited supply of
magic to assist in the overthrowing of their enemies.
The Moharran, or anniversary of the death of {245} Hossain the
Martyr, is an occasion for the display of great religious fervour by
the Shi'ite Moslems. It fell on October 17th, and the Bijar Bazaar
was closed and the houses draped in mourning. It is perhaps the only
day in the year when the average Persian looks in deadly earnest, and
when his fanaticism is aroused to such a pitch as to make him at all
dangerous to persons of other creeds. There was a procession through
the streets, and the chief incidents of the martyrdom were re-enacted
by a devoted band of Shias. The "body" of the Sainted One was
carried on a bier and, in order that the finishing touch of realism
should not be lacking, the covering of the bier was plentifully
bedaubed with blood, while the head of the "corpse" was enveloped in
gory bandages. The _mise en scène_ was completed by the addition of
a local troupe representing Hossain's wives and adherents who,
according to legend, were also put to death by the hated rival sect,
the Sunnis. The followers in the procession, in a burst of religious
frenzy, gashed their faces or bodies with swords or knives, and, with
blood streaming from the self-inflicted wounds, were not exactly a
pleasant spectacle to look upon. A Persian youth employed at the
British Headquarters was one of those who achieved religious merit
and local distinction on the occasion. Having volunteered for the
role of follower, he had his head cut open by a local barber, and off
he went to join in the quasi-religious ceremony. In the afternoon he
was back at his job {246} with his poor damaged head swathed in
bandages and feeling very proud indeed of his exploit.
Bijar was very excited by the intelligence that arrived on November
1st. We received an official notification that an armistice had been
concluded with Turkey, at the request of the latter Power, and that
hostilities were to cease at once. The Governor made an official
call to offer his felicitations, and to congratulate the British on
their triumph over another of their enemies. He dissimulated his
real feelings with great artfulness, for while openly professing joy
at our victory he was sorrowing in secret that a Moslem Power should
have been overthrown by an Infidel. Still, he made the best of it,
and candidly told some of his intimates who were inclined to be
tearful because their religious pride had been wounded by the success
of our arms, that the British, after all, had shown more real
humanity and compassion in dealing with the oppressed Persians than
ever had their coreligionists, the Turks.
The Governor having set the example in offering his congratulations,
all the local notables were quick to follow, and they told us what,
curiously enough we had never realized before--that throughout the
long-drawn-out War they had always ardently wished for the complete
triumph of the British. We accepted their assurances, although
finding it difficult to reconcile them with many of their actions
when our military fortunes were not of the brightest.
An official communication was sent off by messenger {247} to the
Turkish commander, informing him of the armistice, and inquiring if
he were prepared to abide by its conditions and order a cessation of
hostilities on his side. But the enemy had evidently had the news as
soon as we had, and decided to end the war then and there. When our
messenger reached the Turkish position, it was only to find the place
abandoned, the commander and every man having gone, leaving no
address. The messenger trekked after them for a day, but their haste
was so great that he was unable even to come up with their rearguard,
so he returned to Bijar with the letter undelivered. And that was
the last we heard of the Turk in the region of Southern Kurdistan.
Everybody in Bijar was now our sincere friend and well-wisher. The
Bazaar was beflagged in honour of our victory. Ours was the winning
side, of that there could be no doubt. The Governor was more
assiduous than ever in his professions of undying devotion, and he
was always planning fresh schemes for manifesting his goodwill and
friendship. He even hit upon the expedient of declaring an amnesty
for Persians incarcerated in the local gaol. At his urgent
solicitation, I visited the prison to decide upon the offenders who
were to benefit by this generosity. It was a filthy, evil-smelling
hole. Lying upon a stone floor were about a dozen offenders, all
huddled together and chained like so many wild beasts. There was a
Jew who had been arrested for debt. He wore round his neck a heavy
iron collar {248} like the joug of the Scottish pillory. He speedily
divined my mission, and was clamorously insistent that he should be
the first to be set free. Chained to him were two Persians, one of
whom had been arrested for manslaughter and the other for petty
larceny.
In this foetid den, and near the trio already mentioned, was a young
Persian girl of attractive appearance--an unregenerate Magdalene, as
it turned out, who had been put in chains for a breach of the
somewhat elastic Persian law governing public morality. She alone
made no protestation of innocence and no appeal for release. Perhaps
that was why I suggested she should be the first to have her fetters
struck off and be set free. She seemed dumbfounded at first, but on
realizing that liberty awaited her, she burst into tears, and showed
her gratitude by kissing my hand. It seemed a pity to leave the
other poor wretches, however guilty they might have been, to rot in
this terrible dungeon; so I availed myself to the full of the
privilege of the amnesty and asked that all should be liberated,
including the loquacious Jew debtor. This was done, and the poor,
dazed creatures walked out of the prison doors and once more breathed
the purer air of freedom.
With the granting of the armistice to Austria came the welcome orders
for the British force to evacuate Bijar and retire to Hamadan. On
news of Austria's defection from the side of her German ally becoming
known, the Governor arrived to offer fresh felicitations. {249} But
a shadow clouded his beaming self-satisfied countenance when he
learned that the British were to withdraw immediately. He became
greatly perturbed at the news, for he feared the ever-present menace
of Kurdish incursions, and trembled for the safety of Bijar and the
wealth of its Bazaar. "What will become of us all?" he asked in
despair. "When the British go, the Kurds will come, and then----"
He made a significant gesture across his throat.
The Governor returned next day with a deputation of the inhabitants
to ask that a British garrison might be left behind to carry out the
duty which really devolved upon the Persian Government, that of
protecting its subjects against acts of lawlessness. He pleaded hard
and earnestly. They would find fuel, food, and quarters free for the
soldiers who were to remain. First he suggested twenty, then a
dozen, and finally he said, "Take pity on us, and send a message by
the lightning-flash (wireless) to the British King asking him to
permit three of his soldiers to remain here to protect the people.
Then the Kurds will never bother us at all." It was certainly a
tribute to our worth and fighting value. Gently but firmly the
Governor had to be led to understand that it was impossible. The
soldiers had homes and wives in far-off Faringistan across the Black
Water; their duty was done, and home they must go.
The deputation set off with bowed heads and {250} sorrowing hearts.
It was kismet, and the decree of Destiny could not be set aside.
The wealthier inhabitants, however, made every effort to save
themselves and their worldly possessions. All available transport
was bought up at enhanced prices, and an exodus from Bijar preceded
the British evacuation.
On November 7th Colonel Bridges and his column bade farewell to
Bijar. The inhabitants, or at least those of them who were too poor
to take flight, turned out _en masse_ to speed the parting troops.
They had got to know and to admire the splendid British soldier who
is always a gentleman, who had fought the battle of the Persian
people against Kurdish brigand and Turkish regular, and whose
ofttimes scanty ration he was always ready to share with any roadside
starveling who crossed his path. The Governor and a numerous retinue
rode for two miles with the head of the column. On a bare plateau,
exposed to a keen, biting wind, and under a lowering sky, the last
farewells were cordially exchanged. The Governor told us that the
British had left behind an ineffaceable record for justice and
generosity. I think it was sincerely meant and devoid of any
exaggeration.
[Illustration: HARVESTING IN PERSIA.]
It took seven days to reach Hamadan. The snow overtook us on the
second day out, and the bitter Kurdistan winter set in with extreme
severity. The Indian transport camels, unaccustomed to extreme cold,
and not possessing the thick fur coating of their {251} Afghan
brother, died in numbers, and the Indian Charvadars followed their
example.
From Hamadan there was the long trek down-country and over the
snow-clad Asadabad Pass. But the weather grew milder and brighter as
we steadily dropped down from the high altitudes, neared the warmer
plains of Mesopotamia, and left Persia behind us. At last came the
day when our long overland journey was to end, and Xenophon's
war-worn soldiers never cried more exultingly "Thalatta!" "Thalatta!"
at the sight of the sea, than we did on reaching the shores of the
Persian Gulf.
{252}
APPENDIX
THE WORK OF THE DUNSTERFORCE ARMOURED CAR BRIGADE
I am giving the following account of the work of the Armoured Car
Brigade with General Dunsterville's Mission, not only because the
Brigade deserves fuller mention than I have been able to give
elsewhere in this book, but because some description of their
operations will give a better idea of the difficulties of transport,
stores, etc., with which the whole force had to deal. For my facts
in this instance I have been allowed access to an official report by
the men who actually did the work.
The Brigade, commanded by Colonel J. D. Crawford, was organized in
squadrons of eight cars each. In addition it had a mobile hospital
of fifty beds, and the usual supply column.
The Brigade had originally been known as the Locker-Lampson Armoured
Car Unit, and its work in Russia in the earlier stages of the war is
one of the most stirring stories of the whole campaign. For its
present work, it began to mobilize in England during the latter
months of 1917. The personnel was obtained by the transfer from the
R.N.A.S. of officers and men who had been serving in the Armoured
Car Unit in Russia.
{253}
Owing to the internal conditions of Russia, the personnel arrived in
small parties at long intervals, the last party leaving Russia as
late as March, 1918. The unit was made up to strength by the
enlistment of personnel from motor and other munition works in
England. The cars and material were all to be provided from England,
and the necessary orders for their manufacture were issued without
delay. The armoured cars were of Austin make, and mounted two
machine-guns in twin turrets.
A demand for the early presence of some cars with the Mission
necessitated the despatch of an advanced party, the last draft of
which landed in May, 1918.
This party consisted of 21 officers, 450 other ranks, with 8 armoured
cars, 24 lorries, 30 touring cars, 44 Ford box vans, 32 motor-cycles,
and other stores and equipment.
That it was impossible to concentrate and fully equip the unit in
England before despatch overseas was unavoidable, but unfortunate
from the point of view of organization. The delay in the despatch of
the remainder of the unit was a further misfortune. The absence of
many of the specialist personnel and much of the essential equipment
increased the difficulties with which the Brigade was faced. Some of
the personnel and considerable equipment never reached the Brigade
until it was withdrawn from Persia.
Of the personnel that did arrive nearly 40 per cent. had only joined
the Army in January, 1918, were {254} devoid of all training, and had
often no mechanical knowledge.
By May 15th the advanced party, together with such cars and personnel
as arrived later, were concentrated at Hinaidi, and preparations for
the move into Persia were rapidly pushed forward.
On May 14th a start was made to establish petrol dumps at
Tak-i-Garra, Kermanshah, and Hamadan, and by May 15th these were
sufficiently stocked to permit of the move of "A" Squadron, which
left Hinaidi on May 17th. In connection with the establishment of
these dumps it is worthy of note that the Brigade Peerless lorries
were the first heavy lorries to cross the Pai Tak and Asadabad
Passes, in spite of expert opinion that the road was impassable for
heavy lorries.
It will be simpler to follow the actual operations of the Brigade if
each series of operations, although concurrent, are dealt with
separately:
1. Operations against the Jungalis.
2. Operations with General Bicherakoff's Force in the Caucasus.
3. Operations at Baku.
4. Operations at Zinjan.
OPERATIONS AGAINST THE JUNGALIS.
"A" Squadron arrived at Hamadan on June 7th. At this time General
Bicherakoff's troops were concentrating at Manjil. The Jungalis
under Kuchik {255} Khan were prepared to permit the Russian forces to
continue their withdrawal to Russia, but were opposed to the passage
of any British troops through their territory to Enzeli, a port on
the Caspian. General Bicherakoff refused to sever his connection
with the British, and prepared to attack the Jungalis who were
entrenched covering Manjil Bridge. He applied to General
Dunsterville for such assistance as he could give.
Orders were received by the Brigade on June 8th for all cars to
proceed to Kasvin, to take part in these operations. The cars were
much in need of overhaul after their long trip from Bagdad, and the
work of getting them ready for the road was pushed forward as fast as
possible, cars as they became ready being sent forward. One battery
left Hamadan on June 9th, and the whole squadron was on the road by
June 13th.
At this point the Rubberine tyres with which the cars were fitted
gave considerable trouble, and failed to stand the wear necessitated
by running over metalled roads. The average mileage per tyre worked
out at 60 instead of 500 miles, and spares were soon used up. To
obtain further supplies from railhead 400 miles distant necessitated
a delay of at least ten days. By stripping some cars it was possible
to maintain the others on the road, but by June 27th only two cars
were mobile.
As regards the failure of Rubberines, it must be remembered that
these tyres are solely intended for {256} work in action, and not for
long-distance running. However, pneumatic tyres had not been sent
from England, and efforts to supply the deficiency by local purchase
failed. Some tyres were purchased, but it was not possible to get
the necessary fittings to enable Warland rims to be efficiently
converted to take the pneumatics.
As soon as the abnormal expenditure of Rubberines was experienced,
arrangements were made to maintain a sufficient supply, and the cars
were not off the road again on this account, although they consumed
in one month 75 per cent. of the estimated year's supply.
Considering that a single Rubberine tyre weighs 200 pounds, the
strain imposed on the transport of the Brigade in maintaining a
sufficient supply was considerable.
From June 13th to July 20th the cars were mainly employed on convoy
duties, and for defensive purposes at Resht and Manjil.
On June 28th one armoured car was in action along the Kasmar road,
supporting infantry who were attempting the rescue of an A.S.C.
officer who had been captured by the Jungalis. Captain J. Macky was
wounded in this engagement.
On July 20th the Jungalis made a determined attack on Resht, which
they occupied. They, however, failed to drive back the British
troops camped on the south-west outskirts of the town. Both the
armoured cars of the Brigade and those of the 6th L.A.M. Battery took
a prominent part in the fighting, {257} and later in the relief of
isolated parties cut off in the town. The street fighting was heavy
and difficult. Trenches were dug across the road and barricades
erected, but the armoured cars thoroughly proved their suitability
for street fighting. Their moral effect materially assisted in
clearing the enemy out of the town a few days later. Captain G. N.
Gawler was wounded during the fighting.
On July 28th, to relieve the pressure at Resht, and to make troops
available to assist in the defence of Baku, the Brigade offered to
organize a motor machine-gun company from the personnel of "B" and
"C" Squadrons then training at Hamadan, awaiting the arrival of their
cars from England. The offer was accepted, and the company,
consisting of sixteen machine-guns (with crews), left Hamadan on July
30th. The machine-guns and ammunition were carried in sixteen Ford
vans, and the personnel in the Brigade Peerless lorries. It was
decided that half the company should remain at Resht until the
situation there improved, the other half proceeding to Enzeli to be
in readiness to embark for Baku should the situation there permit.
OPERATIONS WITH GENERAL BICHERAKOFF'S FORCES
IN THE CAUCASUS.
General Bicherakoff.s troops embarked at Enzeli on July 3rd. No. 2
Battery, "A" Squadron, was ordered to accompany them. In order to
avoid {258} possible trouble with the Bolsheviks, they wore Russian
uniform, but later were ordered to discard it. The force landed at
Aliyat, south of Baku, on July 4th, and proceeded by rail to
Kurdamir, which was reached at midnight, July 7-8th. The cars were
immediately detrained, and by 4 a.m. two cars were in action on the
Russian right, near Kara Sakal, and remained in action all day
against the Turkish advanced troops.
Two reconnaissances were successfully carried out in this area under
cover of darkness, during the night, July 8-9th, and the Turkish
outposts engaged. A reconnaissance at dawn, 3.40 a.m., on July 9th,
met with heavy machine-gun and rifle fire.
The Turks attacked the village of Kara Sakal at 5 a.m. Their advance
was greatly hampered by fire from the cars which covered throughout
the day the withdrawal of the Russian troops in this sector to
Kurdamir. On two occasions, the Turks having deployed in the
proximity to the road, the cars ran right up into the opposing lines
of infantry, which they enfiladed, forcing the Turks to withdraw.
On July 10th the Russians, after a reconnaissance by the armoured
cars, attacked, but failed to reach their objective. An enemy
counter-attack was repulsed by the armoured cars, which eventually
covered the withdrawal of the infantry to Karrar. A determined
attack on the rearguard by enemy cavalry was repulsed by one armoured
car, with heavy loss to the enemy.
{259}
The battery withdrew to Sagiri on the llth, and was employed
continuously in reconnaissance from July 12th to 18th.
Owing to the defection of the troops protecting General Bicherakoff's
right, he was compelled to retire to Ballajari, which was reached
without incident on July 23rd. The armoured cars formed a portion of
the rearguard and carried out one reconnaissance at Kara Su, without,
however, meeting any enemy troops.
On July 26th one armoured car was ordered to carry out a
reconnaissance along Shemaka-Baku road. This car failed to return.
A force sent out to look for it found two bodies, which were
identified as the driver of a Ford touring car, and a batman, both of
whom were travelling in Captain Hull's touring car. Unofficial
reports have been received that a British officer and four men were
prisoners at Elizabetpol. No details as to what actually happened
are available.
On July 29th the Turks took Adji-Kabul Station, to the south-west of
Baku, and began an encircling movement to the north. General
Bicherakoff, not wishing to be shut up in Baku, withdrew northwards.
The armoured cars acted as rearguard, Kirdalana being reached at 6.30
p.m. From hereon the armoured cars travelled by rail to Hatcmas,
which was reached on August 10th. Although the force was continually
harassed by Tartars, the armoured cars took no part in the fighting.
{260}
On August 11th the cars were sent forward by rail to Kudat, to
operate against the Tartars. The country being impassable for
armoured cars, they returned to Hatcmas.
On August 12th a general advance was made on Derbend, but the cars
still travelled by rail. The Bolsheviks retired from Derbend after
desultory fighting, and the town was occupied on August 15th at 9.20
a.m.
The train on which the armoured cars were travelling was smashed in a
collision south of Derbend, and the armoured car personnel were
responsible for the rescue of many men, under conditions calling for
gallantry and endurance. Two N.C.O's. received the M.S.M. for
their gallant behaviour on this occasion.
The armoured cars were not in action again until the attack on
Petrovsk on September 3rd. The armoured cars preceded the infantry
at 4.30 p.m., and, driving in the Bolshevik troops, engaged a battery
of 6-inch guns at close range, driving the gunners off the guns and
capturing them. They pursued the Bolshevik troops through the town,
driving some 600 of them into the hands of the Cossacks, who had got
round to the north of the town.
One armoured car was now immobile, owing to back-axle trouble, and
was out of action until September 20th, when necessary spare parts
were received from Baku.
{261}
The cars remained at Petrovsk till September 10th for overhaul, every
facility and excellent workshops being placed at their disposal by
General Bicherakoff.
On September llth the cars were sent to Temi-Khan Shuna, thirty miles
south of Petrovsk, to co-operate in operations being carried out at
that place against a mixed force of 600 Turks and 1,500 Dageshani
Tartars. The operations fell through owing to an armistice being
arranged on the 12th. The cars remained at Temi-Khan Shuna to
maintain order until the 19th.
On September 18th three Russian armoured cars, which had been under
the orders of the Brigade at Baku, and had proceeded to Petrovsk when
the evacuation took place, were attached to No. 2 Battery.
On September 27th two armoured cars (one D.A.C. Brigade and one
Russian) were ordered to embark to join Colonel Sleseneff at Briansk.
The cars were disembarked at Starri Terechnaya by 11 a.m. on the
30th, and left for Alexandrisk, which was reached at 6 p.m. the same
evening, moving to Marinova on October 2nd. Here touch was gained
with General Alexieff by aeroplane.
The advance was continued, Seri Brakovka being reached on the 3rd.
The cars moved to Breedeekin on October 12th, reporting to the
headquarters of the force (General Mestoulov), on the outskirts of
Kislyar, at 8.30 a.m. on {262} the 13th. An attack on Kislyar was
ordered for the 14th. One armoured car was ordered to precede the
infantry attack, and clear the enemy trenches at 12 noon, after a
preliminary bombardment. The car was driven forward until the wheels
rested on the parapet, and the trenches were enfiladed, and the
Bolshevik infantry fled. The car, whilst returning to bring forward
the Russian infantry, was hit by a direct shell, which killed three
of the crew and wounded Captain Crossing and the driver. At this
point the Russian infantry panicked, and, failing to restore order, a
general withdrawal was ordered to Breedeekin.
The personnel of the British armoured car was withdrawn to Petrovsk,
which was reached on September 18th.
On October 26th No. 2 Battery, which had served with General
Bicherakoff since July 3rd, was ordered to return to Enzeli to rejoin
the Brigade.
During the whole period, Captain Barratt, R.A.M.C., was mainly
responsible for the medical work with General Bicherakoff's force,
and received the 4th Class of the Order of St. Vladimir for his work.
Captain Crossing, D.S.C., who had commanded this battery, received
the St. George's Cross for gallantry, and also the 4th Class of the
Order of St. Vladimir.
Lieutenant E. W. Wallace also received the 4th Class of the Order of
St Vladimir, and several St. George's Crosses were awarded to the
men.
{263}
OPERATIONS AT BAKU.
At the end of July the new Government in Baku asked for British
assistance. One section of No. 1 Battery (two cars) and two sections
of the motor machine-gun company embarked at Enzeli, arriving at Baku
August 5th. The remaining section of No. 1 Battery and two sections
of the machine-gun company were withdrawn from Resht on August 6th,
embarking the same evening for Baku, which was reached on August 7th.
Owing to the presence of Bolshevik troops in the town, the armoured
cars and machine-gun company did not proceed to the line. There were
constant threats that the Bolsheviks intended to attempt to turn out
the new Government by a _coup de main_. The armoured cars "stood to"
every night, whilst machine-guns were located in various buildings
commanding the streets leading to the quarter of the town in which
the British troops were billeted.
In order to stiffen and encourage the local forces, British troops
were sent into the line on August 9th. One section of the motor
machine-gun company took up positions at Voltchi Vorota on the left
of the line, co-operating with detachments of the Staffords. Efforts
were also made to organize the Russian machine-guns in this section
of the line, with some success. (The organization of the Russian
machine-guns was later handed over to Major Vandenberg.)
On the same date two armoured cars and one and {264} a half sections
of the motor machine-gun company were sent to Zabrat, to take part in
operations being carried out against Mashtagi. These two cars were
constantly in action, handling very severely about 100 Turks who were
found sitting and lying about behind a hedge.
The machine-guns took up positions in the Armenian lines. These
machine-guns were taken forward, and then covered the advance of the
Armenians. No serious attack on Mashtagi was, however, at any time
made by the local forces.
One incident in this area is worth recording. At the request of
Headquarters a Brigade Vauxhall Staff car was lent for the purpose of
taking Tartar delegates to the front line, from whence it was
intended that the delegates should make their way behind the Turkish
lines and arrange terms with the local Tartars. Through some error,
the car, also containing in addition to the delegates two sergeants
of the Brigade, was sent on through the lines and captured by the
Turks. Sergeant Miks was captured on this occasion. Russian born,
he was a local linguist, and had gone through some remarkable
adventures, whilst keeping under observation the movements of the
Bolsheviks in Baku.
On August 14th one section of guns took up a position in the line at
the foot of Griazni Vulkan, to the north-east of Baladjari Station.
The next few days were fully occupied in the construction of
machine-gun emplacements. Two armoured cars {265} and a half-section
of the motor machine-gun company were retained in Baku in reserve to
maintain order in the town. On August 24th one of these armoured
cars proceeded to Griazni Vulkan, where it remained in support of the
line.
On August 26th the Turkish attack, the imminence of which was evident
from the daily reconnaissance reports, materialized against Griazni
Vulkan. The advance took place under cover of heavy and destructive
artillery fire, which caused considerable casualties. The line at
the point of the attack was held by 150 Staffords and four
machine-guns of the Brigade motor machine-gun company. The attack
was three times brought to a halt, the machine-guns doing great
execution. One gun's crew withdrew their gun from its emplacement,
which had overhead cover, and remounted it on top in order to obtain
a greater field of fire. Enemy reinforcements coming up about 2 p.m.
caused the troops on the right flank to fall back. The two
machine-guns in this area, however, remained at their posts, and were
last seen still firing, although completely surrounded.
The remainder of the infantry were forced to withdraw, but this order
did not reach the remaining two guns, which only left their positions
when they found small parties of enemy in rear of them. Fifty per
cent. of the crews became casualties whilst withdrawing. Lieutenant
Titterington, who was in charge, was compelled to use his revolver.
The armoured car in this sector, which, owing to {266} the impossible
nature of the ground, had not previously been able to come into
action, now covered the withdrawal of the remnants. These were
reorganized by Major Ruston, a new line formed, and a further
withdrawal carried out in good order to a line some 2,000 yards to
the east. Fresh gun crews were immediately organized from batmen and
other employed men of the Brigade, and sent forward to man the two
guns that were left.
On August 27th the section of the machine-gun company was withdrawn
from Voltchi Vorota, and received orders to report to the O.C. 39th
Brigade, who took over charge of the Baladjari Sector on the evening
of August 26th. The new line ran from Baladjari to Vinagradi. Two
guns were placed in position at Baladjari and two on Vinagradi Hill.
The Turks had suffered so heavily on the 26th that they waited till
the 31st before resuming their attack. During the interval
reorganization was carried out, and, owing to heavy casualties, crews
were only available for two sections of machine-guns and three
armoured cars. One armoured car was immobile owing to magneto
trouble, and did not come again into action whilst at Baku. The
Turks attacked Vinagradi Hill on August 31st, and, as the flanks of
the infantry were too exposed to permit of sustained resistance, they
withdrew shortly after the attack developed. Orders again did not
reach the two machine-guns in this sector, who maintained their
position single-handed for an hour and a half, {267} inflicting
considerable casualties before they were forced to withdraw, owing to
enemy fire, from the rear. They took up a fresh position on the
railway-line east of Baladjari.
During the whole of the period of fighting two armoured cars and six
machine-guns (reduced to four after August 26th) remained inactive in
the Mashtagi area.
The capture of Dighiya on September 1st endangered the security of
the force in front of Mashtagi, which accordingly withdrew. The
armoured cars and machine-guns took up a position about 1,000 yards
south of Balakhani.
The Turkish success made the evacuation of Baku advisable, and orders
were issued for evacuation to take place in the evening. These were
later cancelled owing to the attitude of the local authorities and
Caspian Fleet, and orders issued for a last stand to be made on the
inner defensive line.
The next few days were spent in building the necessary defences.
On September 1st the Russian armoured car section, consisting of two
heavy cars mounting 3-pounders, and two light cars with maxims, under
the command of Lieutenant-Colonel the Marquis Albrizzi, were placed
under the orders of the Brigade. They were mainly employed
supporting attacks against Tartar villages on the right flank, which
never materialized.
Between September 1st and 13th a general {268} concentration of the
Turks was noticed south-west of Baladjari. On the evening of the
12th an Arab officer deserter gave full details of the expected
Turkish attack, which was to take place during the early hours of the
morning on the 14th against the Voltchi Vorota Sector, a feint being
made to hold the troops at Baladjari. The attack developed as stated
at 6 a.m. on the 14th. The feint attack in front of Baladjari was
heavily handled by our machine-guns and rapidly brought to a
standstill. The main attack, however, against the local troops,
progressed satisfactorily.
The two armoured cars from Baladjari were withdrawn to the Seliansky
Barracks at the north-west corner of the town at 9 a.m. Their
departure opened up the left flank of the position at Baladjari.
This, together with the danger of being cut off by the main attack,
forced the Baladjari detachment to withdraw at 1.30 p.m. They were
covered by the machine-guns, which retired successfully, the last gun
only leaving when the Turks were within 100 yards of their position,
three members of the crew being wounded during the withdrawal. They
took up a fresh position on the top of a ridge some 600 yards to the
rear.
At 8 a.m. one armoured car was ordered out along the Voltchi Vorota
road. It here engaged the enemy single-handed for two and a half
hours, and though shelled intensively, managed to escape destruction
by continuously moving in a figure of {269} eight in the very small
space available for manoeuvre. This checking of the main attack
allowed the Russian forces to be re-formed in rear and stiffened up
with British troops. The remaining two armoured cars from Baladjari
were ordered into action along the Baladjari road, with orders to
prevent the troops withdrawing from Baladjari from being cut off.
They were in action in this area the whole day, running up among the
Turkish troops and inflicting very heavy casualties, destroying three
enemy machine-guns and dispersing in panic some Turkish cavalry which
were massing for the attack.
At 11 a.m. the machine-gun section from the Balakhani road was
withdrawn, and remained in reserve throughout the afternoon near
Seliansky Barracks.
At 5 p.m. orders for the evacuation of Baku were received, the
armoured cars being disposed as follows, to cover the withdrawal of
the infantry:
1 car on the Dighiyar road.
1 " " " Baladjari road.
1 " " " Voltchi Vorota road.
The withdrawal commenced at 8 p.m. and was carried out without
incident, the last car arriving at the embarkation point at 10 p.m.
Owing to the still doubtful attitude of the local authorities and
Caspian Fleet, it was considered inadvisable to delay whilst the
armoured cars were embarked, and orders were issued for their
destruction, as well as for the destruction of the motor {270}
transport which had accompanied the Brigade, and which had done most
useful work in rationing the Brigade and other British troops in the
line. The following cars were consequently destroyed:
4 Austin armoureds.
6 Vauxhall tenders.
3 Ford touring cars.
2 Ford ambulances.
18 Ford vans.
1 Ford van (belonging to Wireless Section).
Kazian was reached on September 16th.
During the fighting leading to the evacuation the Russians' cars
under the Marquis Albrizzi rendered valuable assistance, and covered
the withdrawal of the local troops in the early morning of the 15th,
and were eventually evacuated with General Bicherakoff's detachment
to Petrovsk, where they were attached to No. 2 Battery of the Brigade.
OPERATIONS AT ZINJAN.
During the fighting at Baku a considerable concentration of troops at
Tabriz enabled the Turks to advance towards Zinjan, driving our
outposts at Mianeh across the Kufian Kuh.
Eight more armoured cars from England arrived at Hamadan on September
1st. In spite of the fact that the majority of the personnel for
these cars had been taken to form the machine-gun company, the
balance of personnel was rapidly organized and "E" Squadron formed.
The cars needed considerable {271} attention mechanically, and this
was rapidly carried out, cars as they were fit for the road being
despatched to Zinjan.
The serious threat to the main communications to Enzeli by this
Turkish advance necessitated the consideration of a general
withdrawal to Hamadan on September llth. In spite of mechanical
difficulties, the Brigade offered to get the whole squadron to Zinjan
immediately, and, further, to organize from batmen and cooks
sufficient crews to man four machine-guns, the whole being carried in
a Peerless lorry. This squadron and machine-gun section were
concentrated at Zinjan by September 16th, and their addition to the
small force justified a stand being made north of that place, and the
orders for the evacuation being held in abeyance. Reconnaissances,
in which one section 6th L.A.M. Battery played a considerable part,
were pushed out as far as Jamalabad, where Turkish cavalry were
engaged.
"E" Squadron had considerable trouble from back axles giving. The
presence of armoured cars undoubtedly checked the advance of the
Turkish troops beyond Jamalabad.
An additional twelve armoured cars left Bagdad on August 19th,
arriving at Hamadan on September 1st. These cars also needed
overhauling, and in view of the back-axle trouble experienced by "E"
Squadron it was considered desirable to take down all back axles and
thoroughly overhaul them. In the meantime the personnel of "D"
Squadron was collected, {272} organized, and trained. This squadron
was stationed at Hamadan, for fear of any possible advance of Turkish
troops from Urumia via Bijar.
A road reconnaissance towards Bijar was carried out by two armoured
cars on October 3rd. These reported that the road was impassable,
and the country unsuitable for armoured cars some sixty miles north
of Hamadan.
On the formation of Norperforce on September 14th, it was pointed out
that Persia did not offer opportunity for the employment of a large
number of armoured cars, whilst there was great difficulty in
obtaining the requisite petrol to keep the Brigade mobile. It was
considered that the armoured-car work could be carried out by eight
cars, especially as the approach of winter would make movement
impossible. Much of the work would be in the nature of patrol work,
and previous experience had shown that this was very expensive in
Rubberine tyres. The pneumatic tyres for the cars had not up till
that date arrived from England.
Accordingly, on October 2nd the withdrawal to Mesopotamia commenced.
There are one or two features of interest as regards the rationing
worthy of record.
Owing to the heat and the rapidity with which fresh meat went bad,
considerable difficulty was experienced in rationing convoys, which
might be absent several days from main rationing bases. No tinned
meat was available, and after several experiments {273} a successful
method of dry-salting and sun-drying mutton was found. Meat thus
treated proved very palatable when soaked and cooked, and kept even
in the hottest weather for several weeks.
Jam was made from fruit purchased locally, and stored in earthenware
jars, a jam ration being issued to the men the whole time they were
in Persia. Crushed wheat proved excellent for porridge.
This excellent result was mainly due to the initiative and hard work
of the Brigade Quartermaster, Captain Lefroy and his staff.
To sum up, the Brigade, in addition to entirely supporting its own
personnel in rations, munitions, and stores of all kinds, afforded
very considerable assistance in transport to Dunsterforce. It
maintained all armoured cars which had arrived from England, working
over 1,000 miles from railhead, and had all available personnel in
the fighting-line as a machine-gun company at Baku, some 800 miles
from railhead. The whole time it was solely dependent on its own
efforts.
The work was entirely due to the magnificent body of officers and men
forming the unit, who have worked throughout unsparingly in whatever
duty they have been called upon to perform. The gallantry shown by
the men of the machine-gun company in the fight of August 26th, when
they stayed with their guns to the last, is enhanced by the fact that
practically all these men had under eight months' service in the Army.
{274}
NDX
INDEX
ADJI-KABUL, 207
Afshar tribesmen, 142, 143
Agre Petros, 137
Akhbar, Lieutenant, 15, 29, 55, 67, 58, 101
Alexandria, 10
Ali Akhbar Khan, 79, 90
Aliullahis, 84-86
Ali Elizan Pasha, 159
Allen, Mr., 128
Alvand Mountains, 112
Amarah, 41-43
American Presbyterian Mission, 84, 89, 106, 128
Amory, Captain, 172
Ardabil, 175
Armoured cars, 109, 194, 205, 206, 207, 210, 252 _et seq._
Ashar, 23
Assadabad Pass, 63, 111
Azarbaijan, 133, 157, 163
Bagdad, 47-60
Baku, 63, 67, 135, 190, 206, 207, 208, 212, 226
Baleshkent Pass, 154, 193
Baqubah, 74
Baratof, General, 70
Basra, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 29
Batum, 135
Benik Suma, 177
Bicherakoff, General, 70, 71, 133, 203, 208
Bijar, 227, 232, 246
Bisitun, 107
Bolshevik activities, 63, 64, 66, 67, 71, 72, 134, 135, 204, 211
Bray, Captain, 4
Bridges, Colonel, 250
Byron, Brigadier-General, 3, 10, 23, 36, 55, 75, 87, 100, 196
Cachagli Pass, 178, 179, 182, 183
Calthorpe, Sergeant, 176
Cannibalism, 118, 119
Caspian Sea, 62, 63, 68, 71
Caucasus, 67
Chesney, General, 17
Chihar Zabar Pass, 97
Cinema, native interest in, 26
Cochrane, Captain Basil, 175, 182
Cooper, Captain, 15
Cowden, Miss, 84
Crawford, Colonel, 194
Crossing, Captain, 207
Derhend, 207
Dervishes, 98
Diala River, 74
Donnan, Colonel, 5, 6, 9
Dunsterville Force, 2, 60 _et seq._, 74, 112, 133, 198, 212, 225
Dunsterville, General, 62, 63, 64, 74, 115, 123, 130, 133, 190, 203,
212, 225
Edwards, Mr., 128
Enzeli, 63, 68, 206
Eve, Captain George, 4, 15, 23, 42
Famine, scenes and relief work, 77, 88, 89, 103, 117 _et seq._
Football, native enthusiasm for, 24, 25
Funk, Dr., 128
Gamasiab, 107
German activities, 63, 65, 66, 73, 204
Gilan, 68
Goldberg, Captain, 109
Goupil, Lieutenant, 109
Gow, Lieutenant, 90
Haji Agha, 163
Hale, Mr., 106
Hamadan, 63, 71, 112 _et seq._, 140, 196
Hampshire Regiment, 78, 82, 90, 169, 172, 184, 190, 194
Harunabad, 94
Heathcote, Captain, 172
Hinaida camp, 47
Hooper, Captain, 172, 236
Hussars (14th), 91, 94, 169, 172, 190
Jamalabad, 154, 193
Japanese naval escort, 3, 8, 9
Jelus, 136, 137, 165, 219
John, Captain, 173
Jones, Lieutenant, 170
Julfa, 134
Jungalis, 73, 116, 204, 205, 209, 254
Kalhur Kurds, 99
Kangavar, 110
Kara River, 107
Karachaman, 174, 183
Karangu River, 189
Karasf, 143, 147
Kasr-i-Shirin, 77
Kasvin, 63, 71, 72, 190
Kazemain, 56, 57
Kellik (native raft), 51
Kennion, Colonel, 106
Kerbela, 75
Kermanshah, 66, 72, 90, 92, 104
Keyworth, Colonel, 214
Khaniquin, 75, 99, 104
Khaseki, mosque of, 60
Khazal Khan, 28
Khorsabad, 94
Kirind, 82, 83
Kizil Robat, 105
Kizil Uzun River, 72, 190
Koweit, 17, 18
Krasnovodsk, 67
Kuchik Khan, 72, 73, 116, 127, 133, 158, 198, 203, 208
Kufa (native boat), 50, 51
Kuflan Kuh Pass, 156, 189
Kurdistan, 225
Kurds, 100, 228, 239
Kut, 37, 44, 45
L.C.C. Steamers on the Tigris, 38
Lincoln, Mr., 35
McDouell, Mr., 117
McKay, "Willie," 244
McMunn, Major-General Sir George, 22
McMurray, Mr. and Mrs., 128, 129
Mahidast, 99, 101
Makina, 24
_Malwa_ (P. and O. Liner), 1, 3
Mandali, 99
Manjil, 72
Marjanieh mosque, 59
Marling, Sir Charles, 122
Marriage ceremonies (Persian), 29 _et seq._
Mar Shimon, 137
Matthews, Colonel, 78, 191, 214
Maude, Sir Stanley, 61
Mazandaran, 68
Mianeh, 155, 156, 161, 186, 187, 188
Milman, the "amphibious purser", 6, 7
Mohammerah, Sheikh of, 28
Mussick (native raft), 51
Mustafa Khan, 239
Nabi Khan, 240
Nadari, 239
Nestorians, 136, 219
Newcombe, Major, 23, 42
Niebuhr, 60
Nikhbeg, 154
Orenburg, 67
Osborne, Captain, 149, 155, 156, 163, 167, 171
Pai Tak Pass, 77
Parisva, 112
Pennington, Lieutenant, 166
Persians at cinema, 26
Persians at football, 25
Persian marriage ceremony, 29 _et seq._
Persian native levies, 172, 173, 180, 182, 185, 191, 195
Petrovsk, 207
Pierpoint, Lieutenant, 153, 155, 158
Poidebard, Lieutenant, 153
Pope, Captain, 91
Poti, 135
Presbyterian Mission, American, 84, 89, 106, 128
Resht, 63, 68, 71, 206, 209
Rifle thieves, 79, 80
Roberts, Captain, 169
Robertson, General Sir William, 2
Russia, effect of fall of, on Persian affairs, 70, 135
Russian movements, 63 (_see also_ Bicherakoff, General)
Samarkand, 67
Sarab, 174, 175
Sarcham, 194
Saunders, Sergeant, 176
Seddon, Lieutenant, 237
Senjabi tribesmen, 78, 90
Shahsavan tribesmen, 157
Sharaf Khane, 135
Shatt el Arab, 18, 19, 20
Shibley Pass, 156
Shi'ite sect, 55, 75
Smiles, Colonel, 5, 194
Soane, Major, 227
Staffordshire (North) Regiment, 213, 215
Stead, Mr. and Mrs., 106
Stokes, Colonel, 215
Surkhidizeh, 79
Surma Khanin, 137
Suttor, Captain, 218
Sweeney, Lieutenant, 170
Tabriz, 71, 134, 139, 141, 156, 159, 163
Taranto, 1, 3
Tasbandi, 112
Teheran, 71
Thompson, General, 75, 225
Tiflis, 67, 134
Tigris, River, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40
Tigris River flotilla, 37, 38
Tikmadash, 169, 171
Titterington, Lieutenant, 216
Townshend, General, 44-47
Trott, Captain, 172
Turkmanchai, 176, 183, 184
Turkish activities, 137, 138, 142, 158, 163
Urumia, 135, 168
Van, Lake, 66, 135
Voigt, Lieutenant, 237
"Volunteers of Islam," 66
Wagstaff, Major, 141, 150, 153, 161, 169, 176, 189
Wallace, Lieutenant, 208
Warden, Colonel, 5, 215
Williams, Captain, 236
Wilson, Gordon, 237
Worcestershire Regiment, 191
"Young Persia" movement, 68, 69,72
Zinjan, 141, 149
ENDX
BILLING AND SONS, LTD., PRINTERS, GUILDFORD, ENGLAND
End of Project Gutenberg's With the Persian Expedition, by M. H. Donohoe