Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/259/1 - 1917 - 1927 - Part 6

[*H/N*]

Telephone Nos.
F 2597.
F 2598.

COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESSED TO
"THE DIRECTOR."
IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE
No. 13/1/28
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS
"AUSWARMUSE."

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
POST OFFICE BOX 214 D.
EXHIBITION BUILDINGS, MELBOURNE.
"They gave their lives. For that public gift they
received a praise which never ages and a
tomb most glorious - not so much the tomb in
which they lie, but that in which their fame
survives, to be remembered for ever when occasion
comes for word or deed . . . . ."
24th June, 1927.
Dear Mr. Bazley,
In connection with the Magdhaba model which
is now being constructed, we found it necessary to write to
some of the men who took part in the charge. The following
description by Sergeant Roach will interest and perhaps amuse
you:-
[*There was no
punctuation in
the original -
hence the
typiste's
difficulties*]
"On the morning we arrived there we advanced
up to the position. on horseback. Not seeing a sign of the
enemy, we thought they had evacuated. When within about
500 yards of the reboubt they opened fire on us with
machine guns. We were sent in/to draw fire so we wheeled
back and moved right round to the back of the position and
waitedthere until about four oclock and Major Birbeck
got word that we had to charge on horseback. So we off.
when within about a few hundred yards of the position we
struck broken ground. Dozens of horses fell (?), the riders
getting into the holes, fixing their baynots and following
anyhow. There was only about 8 of us arrived there on
horseback. We were right in their stronghold— the bank of
the deep wadi. We could go no further and only 8 of us
left; we dismounted. Geo Guy, a trooper, held the horses.
We dived into holes, fixed our baynots, and at them. Trooper
Guy called to a turk to hold the horses, which he did.
Guy then joined us. The first lot we got were all the German
officers. When the turks saw the German officers turning
it in they all came out of the trenches and surrendered.
As they came up they all threw their rifles in a heap.
Lieut Off Guiren was in charge of us. He wanted to take the
prisoners up the way that they had not surrendered. I
said no to him. It was his first time in action. I said
let them go down in the bed of the wadi for a drink, they
were famished, and get them away from the rifles because
there was only 8 of us and hundreds of them. A German
officer heard me say this and he spoke to the turks to
get their rifles. I prodded him in the rump with the
baynot and he was first down to the water".
Yours sincerely,
J.L. Treloar
Mr. A. W. Bazley,
SYDNEY.   N.S.W.

NATION's Histories
Paragraph 7
Re Pte R.C.Quin
Aust. Camel Corps
Musallabeh
11/4/18
COPY.
Homs, Syria. 26/1/19.
Dear Miss Quin,
I have received a letter from you dated the 26th
of October of last year. It must have been delayed as it reached
me only a week ago.
In regard to the informality for which you ask
forgiveness, please do not think the request necessary. I am a
very informal person, anyway, and I am glad you have taken an
opportunity which I gave you in an underhand way. When I signed
letters for men of mine who had been killed I always wrote my name
plainly, so that, if necessary, I could be communicated with personally.
Now to your letter. Firstly, please allow me to
express my very deepest sympathy for you in the loss of your
gallant brother. That this loss was a severe one I know, because
he was such a sterling man, and so likeable that his loss could
seem nothing to you but cruel. His loss was felt, too, by me, my
officers, and the rest of No.2 Co. I.C.C.  Now he is remembered
as one of a small band who put up about the best fight Camel Corps
were ever in. Please let this thought help you in your loss. He
gave his life for his friends, and in an absolutely gallant way,
and with no thought of self. Perhaps, if I explain the action a
little, it may be interesting under the circumstances.
I was in charge of No.2 Co., I.C.C., and we were
given the job of holding a place called Musellabah Hill, Jordan
Valley, 8 miles north of the Jericho mentioned in the Bible. Our
strength was 4 officers and 60 men only, and we went on the Hill
on 8/4/18. Musellabah Hill is a huge salient, sticking out at
least a mile in front of the general line, and was a natural
defence for the rest of the line behind it and on the flanks.
The Turk wanted this place badly, to get within punching distance
of the general line, through which he wanted to break to get at
the water supply 2 miles away. My orders were to hold the Hill
at all costs. Everything was against us. On the 9th the Turk
shelled, and kept the shelling up at intervals for that day and
the 10th, and during the night of the 10th. This shelling
prevented our rations coming forward, and our water supply was
very low. During the 9th and 10th the Turk sent forward three
attacks, but they did not get close enough to be dangerous. But
owing to the intense shelling 15 casualties of my 60 men occurred
on the 2 days. Then, on the morning of the 11th, the Turk attacked
in earnest. A fearfully thick barrage began at four in the
morning, and at five 400 Turks were upon us under the barrage,
which was then lifted. Then hand to hand fighting commenced. I
call it hand to hand, but the Turks were really just in front of
our line. Most of them 15 yards away, some 10, some 25. Goodness,
those men did fight. Against enormous odds, on empty stomachs too.
By eight o'clock the tide was turning in our favour. Your brother
was a "scout and sniper" at the time, and was working with me, so
that I actually saw what he did. He sat right up in his dug-out -
a shallow affair which was hardly protection at all - and commenced
shooting at the Turks. By this time our supply of hand-grenades
had finished, and the machine-guns had all stopped, as they will,
with overmuch use, and the only weapon left was the rifle. Well,
your brother exposed himself as I say, and, firing very coolly, did
excellent work, killing many Turks. He used all his ammunition,
and asked for more. I passed him & bandolier of 50 rounds, and
remember thinking what a set, determined look he had in his face.
Presently he started again at his work, and fired a fair number of
shots, when he fell back into his dug-out. I immediately went to
him, and saw he had been shot through the head, the bullet entering
his forehead. I found he had died immediately, and I never heard
so much as a groan. His end was very quick and without pain, and
he died as a true son of our glorious Empire. My thought at the
time was "That's bad. - A good man at a critical time.” Please
do not think I am over-painting this affair, Miss Quin. Your
brother really did do excellent work, and had he lived he would
most certainly have been recommended by me for that work. My
thought at the time was selfish, and from the point of view of one
who had to hold the Hill. You see, your brother was one of many
killed in that fierce little fight, and had I thought "personally" 

- 2 -
I could not have carried on. To give you some odea: of my 60
men and 4 officers, the casualties were 1 officer killed, 3
officers wounded, 20 men killed and 25 wounded. An hour after
your brother was killed I was wounded myself for the third time,
and had to be taken away. Then, after another twenty minutes,
after the Turks had been beaten off, reinforcements arrived, and
the safety of the Hilll was assured.
Now, as to your brother's place of burial, Musselabah
Hill is in the Jordan Valley, 8 miles north of Jericho, and is
right alongside the Roman Road and on the west side of the Road.
On the south side of the Hill is the place where xx men were
buried. These were all buried in one large grave, and a large
wooden cross now marks the site. I have tried to get a photo
of this grave, but so far I have not succeeded. Should I do so
I will send it to you.
Speaking as a man, I liked your brother very much.
At all times he was a quiet, intelligent chap, never any trouble,
but a pleasure to all with whom he associated.
I was surprised that you have not had a letter from
No.2 Co. on this matter before. I asked the C.O. of the Regiment
to arrange to have letters written to the people of those men who
were killed, and this duty was delegated to a most conscientious
officer of the Regiment. Perhaps he overlooked you on the matter,
or the address may have been wrong. I must apologise for not
writing myself, but you see one of my eyes was temporarily
blinded in the scrap by grit from a shell-burst, and I was not
allowed to do any writing for six weeks after. However, I
trust now that I have written you will know that which you
desired to be informed on.
Believe me,
Yours etc.
(signed) HARRY MILLS, Capt.
Should you find it desirable to write to me again, I
will be only too pleased to give you any further information in my
power.
Capt. E. H. Mills,
14th Regt. A.L.H.,
E.E.F.
P.S. Please accept best thanks for your kind wishes for my
safety.

A.I.F. in Mesopotamia & Dunsterforce. Notes
The adventures o / Dunsterforce, by Maj Gen. Sir L. C. Dunsterville.
p2. German aims: Berlin - Baku - Bokhara.
Diagram - see original document
p3. D started in Jan 1918 from Bagdad.
Obj. to get to Tiflis (capital of Southern
Caucasas), & "reorg. / broken ^ units of Russian, Georgian,
& Armenian soldiery."
Inhabts thought Gs going to win, therefore why have
Brit. there to prolong agony?
p9. Force: 200 offrs 20 N.C.O's, "chiefly from / Can, Austr
N.Z. & S. African Contingents."
D knew Rn & ws sympathetic to Rns. Offrs weren't linguists.
V. few spoke Fr. A few managed a little Rn.
Also a batch of Rn offrs. from London.
p11. D read ords 24/12/17 in N.W. Frontier (GOC 1 Inf Bde) Conferred w Ind Army H.Q.,
reached Basra 12/1/18.
p12. D sent on Major Barttelot & Capt Goldsmith & started w 12 offrs & 2 clerks in 4 Ford
cars & 36 vans w medical stores.
Russian rd - this end bad, N end good (abt 600 m. Bagdad to Enzeli)
(Enzeli = Kazian)
Brit Govt had refused to recogn. Bolshevik govt. Therefore Bolsh hostile
Jangalis of Gilan under Kuchik Khan (across rd for 70 m) fierce.
He & Bolsh. held Enzeli.
All petrol came from Bagdad. Country was under winter, v famine stricken
& war devastated.
p15. 24/1/18 Barttelot & Goldsmith left for Hamadan guarded by 1 ^ armd car.
27/1/18 D, w 41 Ford cars, & 11 Offrs, 2 clerks, & 41 drivers left Bagdad.
Meant to be in Baku in 12 days via Enzeli
Bad weather had driven Kurds from hills but impeded progress.
Met Col. Bicherakov & his Cossacks, an Ossietin Cossack, whose men
stuck to him personally.
Kermanshah ^ reached on Feb already had a wireless worked by men of N.Z. detacht.
Kuchiks tps were drilled led by a German von Passchen & drilled by Austrians.
Bolsheviks in Enzeli hostile (under Cheliapin - a shipping clerk). Therefore D
withdraws early on Feb 20, for Hamadan. Chose Hamadam bec. wireless
there kept him in t. with Bagdad.
At Kasvin on Feb 23. D wired to Engld tt he had bn stopped at Enzeli & cdnt pass it ws useless to 
attempt again unless fought or agreed w Kuchik Khan.
Red Gds now arrd at Enzeli.
Retd to Hamadan on Feb 25. (Hamadan is Ecbatana)
p57. What to be done?  At Hamadan cd counter G. propaganda.
Thro Rn wireless he got news to London & ws instrd to remain where
he was, watch sitn in Persia, & advance if chance occurred.
[*Hamadan*]
Kuchik Khan, w nationalist revolutionary programme, ws preparing to advance
on Teheran (w Gs & Ts favourable) but left it too late.
Therefore D started intelligence system under Capt Saunders. But cdnt get t. w
Col Pike & Goldsmith in Tabrg Tiflis.
Gen. Baratov ws still in commnd at Hamadan, & Bicherakov at
Hamadan, but Baratov cdnt control his men.
Famine - but D. found there ws ample wheat - held for higher prices.
Country full of arms & ammn sold by Rns.
p69. Ts were only 100 miles from Hamadan - in Shenneh.
D. arrested some of most active Turks - but cd arrest v. few.
Brit Govt w money ws helping Rns out of Persia.
p75. D. bought Rn arms & supplies.
Persian Govt forbade sale of supplies to British.
Rns having gone Bich. sd he must follow, but agreed to wait for Brit tps
28 Mar. 1918 B. saved Kasvin from Kuchik. 
[*arriving there on day Kuchik ws to have
occupied Kasvin (wh wd have meant
Teheran for Jangalis)*]
B wanted to push on - D kept him back for aeropls & cars
for 10 wks. Persian levies to be raised - therefore got up 2nd batch of offrs & N.CO's.
Persians were being drilled in villages by Ts to put D out.
D. was now undertg famine relief.
Ap 3. Gen Byron arrd with 2nd party. 20 Offrs 20 NCO's.

(2)
D'force never lost car or man on road.
End March - 30 of 1/4 Hants (Terr) arrd, & 1st 'planes from Bagdad.  Ap 24 Sqn 14 Hussars arrd
under Capt Pope.
Tasks.
Arresting of enemy agents (1 dressed as Persian lady)
Famine : This ws begun during wait for 2nd batch.
Dunsterville gave this wk to Byron. Method - to employ weaker men - abt 5000?
For one month kept them alive - after tt, much road work done. (one round Hamadan)
Till Mar 28 ^ wk done by origl pty.
Wk at Hamadan became renowned & Kuchik had to imitate it.
By May it ws  beginning to succeed (under Maj. Hay) at Kasvin.
In Spring when snow melted sent Capt Hooper & small pty to exam. Asadabad Post
Dr (Armenian) from Armenⁿ Nat^l Council in Baku came w suggestns to Hamadan.
Bolshev. Govt still there, under Armenian (Shaumian) but feeling agst them. Arm-Bolsh
tps were held by back Turk-Caucasian force.
Armenian tps had burnt Tartar houses. But Armen^s wanted tps & D cdnt prom them.
May 1. Heard Ts. had tn entered Tabriz. This threatened us at Kasvin if Ts advd along Zinjan rd.
(didnt till Sept) Therefore D decided to make sure of Kasvin & sent pty of offrs & NCO's
under Maj Hay to make footing there, recre, relieve famine etc. Sqn of 14 Hses sent to
camp 5 m. SW of Kasvin.
3rd Batch now arrd. To win over Kurds betw Ts & rd (whom Ts trying to win), &
to raise irregulars. D sent Maj Starnes & pty to Bijar (100 m NW of Ham) & Maj.
Wagstaff & pty & armd car to Zinjan. 100 m W of Tabriz Kasvin - on Tabriz rd - only offrs &
NCOs. Zinjan wd stop Ts getting to Kuchik w news, arms, & ammn. They
Diagram - see original document

D decided to go to Kasvin to see pty & arrange for levies, &
to Teheran to get advice from Minr re levies.
Started May 12.
Force Then (May 5). 50 ¼ Hants & 2 A.Cars at Hamadan.
Sqn 14 Huss. & 2 ACs at Kasvin.
Infy used to guard prisrs. & spies.
Kuchik had behind him abt 20 Germ. Turk. & Rn offrs who were really using
him - tho' he ws a true patriot.
Bicherakov is really holding all these back - alone.
Col. Kennion ws Political agent. D intends to raise levies 1 gp Hamadan: Sqn Cav. 2 Coys Inf. 600
2 gps Kasvin :        "      "        "         "    1200
Obj: to deal w robbers, garrison road posts, round up G. & T. emissaries.
Sitn much impd by successes in Mespot. agst Sinjabis, & Ts at Kifri & nr Kirkuk.
D now had abt 20 Rn offrs ^ mostly from flying sch. at Baku.
Lt Col Stokes now joined as GSO1 for Intellgce.
Levies: By end of april levies & irregular being raised. Levies to be reglr units under Brit offrs.
for guarding dangerous pts, Escorts, seeking spies. ^ Realised no use agst Ts, being Persians.
Irreglrs meant to fight - raised among Kurds on line of T. adv. - bands
under Brit leadership.
Wagstaff & Starnes were to raise irreglrs. All had own rifles & ammn.
Uniforms made on spot.
Irreglrs. Ts. holding both sides Uramiah w 2 Divns. (to Sakey 100 m S.) Starnes at Bijar
Guarded agst these (150 m. away) Warlike tribes between.
Wagstaff on Kasvin - Tabriz rd among [[Sheb-savens?]] acted simly till
driven back to Zinjan by Ts in Sept.
Gs made much use of wireless news of Amiens thrust.
Spies: rd pties estd toll gates & w these we controlled rds, every 30 m or so.
Kasvin. (June 1) D. now decided to make HQ at Kasvin, & leave left Hamadan & L of C to Byron on June 1.
May 25: 4th Batch Col. Keyworth & 50 offrs & 150 NCO's arrd. ^ & selected Rn offrs (3rd & 4th Pties marched)
2nd Plan: Tiflis being imposs., next best ws to reach Baku and hold oil fields &
bar way across Caspian.
Kasvin, like Hamadan, 50,000 people, but largely Rn.
Staff now arrd. Lt Col J Hoskyn GSO 1 Opns.
Lt Col. Warden (Can. Inf) Town Commdt.
Capt Cockerell APM Kasvin. Maj Brunskill M.D.
June 1 also news tt rest of 14 Huss. marching to Hamadan. 1000 ¼ Hants  2 mtn guns 1/2 Gurkas
w 500 Ford motor vans to Kasvin by June 12.
8 Bty RFA on way. Therefore cd fight Kuchik.

Battle of Menzil Bridge:
K. decided, after seen by Stokes, to fight
June 5. D agreed to Bich. advg. (w his 1000 inf. cav & art) & 2 planes & sqn 14 H.
June 12 Battle of Menzil Br. beat Jangalis & Maj von Passchen.
D agreed to Bich. going on ^ to Enzeli being reld by Brit as soon as poss.
By June 28 B agreed to turn Bolshevick. He went on to Baku. D took over
up to Resht (Kuchik's old H.Q.)

3.
Enzeli Bolshevik Ctee now much weaker - only 200 Red Gds - & D had 100 of ¼ Hants.
D arrgd to sell a few cars for petrol - for 10 cars he got £50,000 petrol (in end)
Mid Jy head units of 39 Bde (4 Bns) begin to reach Kasvin. Most arrd late August.
Also had 160 naval ratings & NOs
July 20. Jangalis att^d ^ British at Resht & were beaten by Engl. ^ & Gurkhas outside town.
By end Jy Resht ws cleared of Jangalis. Mirza Kuchik Khan began to sue for peace.
D. wanted now to arrest Enzeli ctee. D had tn over rd from road Coy (380 m).
Jy 26. Bolshevik Govt deposed in Baku by ^ 5 Dictators Social Revolutionaries - tried to get to
Astrakhan by sea, but recalled by S.R.s (Central-Caspian Dictatorship).
& Red Army, in 13 ships & arsenal. New Govt, as arrgd, sent for D's help. Col Stokes
a few ¼ Hants sent to Baku.
Aug 4. These arrd. Aug 5 Armenians rfcd firing line & beat T. att.
Ctee at Kazian arrested on finding tt they were intriguing w Kuckik agst Brit.
Baku. July 1st Bicherakov & Locker Lampson's No2 Armoured Car Bty went on to Alyat,
S. of Baku. Reds had 10,000 men & B. ws going to hold bridge over Kura R.
at Yeldakh - 150 m. from Alyat. It was still free on Jy 1.
Bich. embarked at Enzeli on Jy 1.
Jy 5. B reached Alyat - Bridge then lost - & Reds wdnt fight so B. fell back on
Baku (one armd car lost thro' Reds deserting)
Jy 29^th End Jy Bich. & Red driven back to Baku - but 3000^x from wharves Ts panicked.
B. withdrew to N. between Baladjari Stn & sea, & presently to Derbend.
Armenians left Ts. on high gnd W of rly
Uramiah town & dist. W of L Uramiah (220 m from Hamadan) popl. 80,000
Armenian ch. & Assyrian Ch (Silus). Under Aga Petros had fought
well agst 5 & 6 T. Divns but surrd^d ^ (& quarrelled w Rn Offrs) Sent message for help arms missing ammn. Aeroplane got thro to them
agreed to send to Sain-Kaleh. They were to break thro'.
They did so S. of lake & met our pty. But some delay, & panic
spread tt they had bn k. Whole popln w men, women, children,
cattle came flying to Bijar w Ts & Kurds on heels looting
& plundering. As soon as met we formed rearguard. 50,000
survived, sent to Bagdad, formed into Labour Corps.
Weak men, women & children & cattle camped in Mespot.
Later repatriated.
Baku (cont). Tps arrg, sent on in small bodies, as cars available, to Enzeli.
for tpt to Baku. Col R. Keyworth RFA put in c. of tps Baku.
D. early Aug. after arrest of ctee, got SS. Presdt Krűger (& Kursk, & Abo in Baku)
Put wireless into Krűger.
D. seized nothing, tho' advised to. Fleet ws key, & it ws loyal.
Arranged to run Enzeli port by guaranteeing salaries of staff.
Several 4" guns up on way to put on merchant steamers.
Aug 10: HQ. on Krűger. Left Aug 16 arrd Aug 17 (18 hrs)
Krűger, Kursk, & Abo at wharf guarded. H.Q. on Krűger (exc.
^x for time at Hotel in town) Col. Keyworth's at Hotel d'Europe.
[*(^X when rept went tt D. was
abt to desert)*]
Aug 18. Inspected defences. 
Garrn: Suppd to be 10,000 Armen. & N. staffs,
now incrd by Warwicks & Worcesters, Maj Vandenberg (S.Afr)

in/c of m.g. defence.
[*^x Cols Aratunov &
Amazash - 2 good
Armenians on staff.*]
Gen. Dukuchaiev ws in C/.  Armen C of. S. replaced by Col. Stokes (Avetisov
- a good man). Col. von der Hess - a hard wkg Russian also. Maj Newcome
(Canadn) in C/ of finance for D.
Armenian Nat^l Council - a capable lot.
Dictators were dominated by a Rn naval offr Yarmakov. Commodore
Norris anxious to arm ships.
 T. Attacks - Jy 29 (before Brit arrd)
Aug 20. D tried to get to Derbend, where Bicherakov was, by steamer but
was stopped by Rn gunboat Usbeg. Returned Aug 23. to get mercht ships
armed.
Aug 23 Town shelled. D tried to get bdes formed by attaching 3 local bns to each Brit bn.
Aug 24. D to Enzeli. Made peace w Kuckik Khan Aug 23. K became
controller for rice harvest to Brit.
D now relieved of Persia by B.G. Bateman Champain. (H.Q. Kazian). D retd to Baku w 4" & 12 pdr guns
T. attacks (1) Jy 29. (before Bur D. arrd)
(2) Aug. 26 (while D away) N. staff Coy at Mud Volcano. Rfts hurried under Maj Ley DSO too late
Ts tried to cut commns w Persia by advg from Tabriz on Kasvin.
Qn whether D cd hold on.
(3) Aug 31 ^ 500 Ts attd Coy 7 N St. on Binagadi hill under Lt RL Petty. P. ws k.
Armen. bns in rear in village didnt suppt rt & a bn on left relieved.
1 Brit off k. 1 def. w. 34 or k w m. Maj Engledue managed w D at last to
rally an Armen. bn. Line had to be withdrn
[*Armen^s. on Binagadi Hill
had gone, & suppts didnt
move to Balojari.*]

4
Aug 31.
D. now warned Dictrs. he might have to leave town unless Armens. wd fight.
Diagram - see original document
Sept. 1. D. discussed w Gen. Lewin from Baghd. & decided tt tps must be withdrn
Called Dictators & Ctees to meet him at Hot. d' Europe & told them cdn't risk men. Wd withdraw from pl. & leave Baku tonight.
Dicts. cdnt decide so D. postpd departure but sent a warning note.  
Dicts. wrote tt Brit tps cd only be alld to leave at same time as own tps after non combts 
had left.
Yarinakov had ordd gunboats to fire on ships if they tried to leave.
2 seaplanes (R) & 2 Brit aeropl. arrd & had 6 armd cars. Bicherakov sent 500 men.
Sept 12. An Arab came in w news tt Ts wd att. on Sept 14
39 Bd (Col. Faviell) left. Col Keyworth [[?]] att Brit tps.
7 NS (Maj Ley) rt.
Sept 14 terms. Firing 4 p.m.
1st tel. ms Ts. advg towds town at a run. Stormed Wolfe's Gap & broke Arm. bn.
3000^x from wharves.
N. staffs withdrew to 2nd posn & sent Coy to face Ts - ^ also Faviell did similarly by 8 a.m. Ts stopped.
2ce c/a ws got on move & advd bravely.
11 a.m. D. visd. Dukuchaiev, saw hopeless, therefore arrgd evacn.
1300 tps by Krűger. also guns (900 from f.l., 400 from town)
Kursk & Abo s. & wd. Cotton bales ard. bridge of Krűger.
Tel. intact.
4p. hearing tt attempt to manvr for ^ final c/a had failed D. gave ord to retire.
Rt to begin at 8 pm. Left (N.E.) at 9.
Wd & sick let on bd. Gds placed in streets.
Sent ms. to Dictators. Govt bldg ws being shelled & they sd "Do what
you please". Fightg all day ceased at dk & made withdrl of wd easier
Kurk & Abo sent 1st w instrns to obey all ords gn.
10 p. All tps on Krűger & guns; horses handed to Bicherakov's
men who also evacg.
Now only oxxx wait for ammn & Rawlinson & his small stunt
(Armenian) w stores. (Crew mutinous).
Dictators now changed tune.
11 p. D sailed. w Armenian after it. Had to put back 2ce for
women.
Total Engl cas^s in 6 wks abt 180. (20% of engaged tps).
Armd cars & 30 Ford cars left to Ts
Sept 15. All ships reached Enzeli. 
Left behind: Major Suttor & Sgt Buller, Aust Contingt., &
NCO & 6 (gd at aerodrome).
Suttor & Buller got to Krosnovodsk w refugees.
Gd got away with Bicherakov's men to Petrossk
Capt Judge. : 14 Dunstfce offrs attd to local units - 6 arty 8 inf. (as asst. C.O's)
Length of line on our arrival, 21,000^x
6000 inf in 22 Bns each of 150-250. unorg? a no. of bties mtn guns 5
5" field guns mostly old
Popln of Baku 300,000
Bolsheviks not unfavble to Ts. So Armenians threw out Bolsh.
Kuchik agreed to dismiss G. offrs, let Brit pass thro', & cease propaganda
At Resht the Gurkhas did well. 'Planes helped. (2 Coys of 4 1/2 Gurhkas & Coy of
¼ Hants were garsn of Resht.)
Bolsheviks were hostile to Brits chiefly bec. Brit. wdn't recogn. Bolsh. Govt.
Kuchik ws oppd to Rns.

Bijar Party
Arrd Bijar via Kasvin ^ & Zinjan under ^ Starnes, Savige & Hooper June 18 (5 days' trip)
Diagram - see original document
Starnes had to map road. A Canadⁿ Offr (Capt Fisher) & 2 NCOs
mapped rd to Hamadan.
Capt. O'Brien ws made blockade offr at Hamadan.
to raise funds for rd repairs - i.e. famine relief.
Examg offrs w Persian recruits & Brit Offrs & NCOs all along
main rds, w a good waybill system.
Kurdish raid.
July 19: Urmiah pty starts & 2 tps of cavalry. Armen. mgs. money.
2 days out Savige ws infd of object. (£45,000, 12 mgs,  100,000 rds)
To reach Sain Kala by Jy 23.
Jy 28. Col in c. Cav decided to retire. Got leave to remain at Takan Tepe.
J Aug 1. told by native tt Assyrians & Armen. were fighting Ts S. of
L Urmiah.
J Sept Aug 2. 1st message from Xtians - had broken thro Ts.
Aug 3 dawn Aga Petros came in. Confce till late.
A.P. had bn fighting Ts for 8 mths.
Asked if Brit Cav cd ride at head of return pty thro Sain Kala.
Aug 4. 10am Confce ended. & march began. Reached Sain Kala in evg.
Savige ^ Maj Moore & Capt Reid riding at head of col. when saw
at camping gnd a no of women in bright print dresses & no
face covering. Agha Petros rode up: My God! Here are
my people. What calamity has happened durg my absence?
They sd Turkish commds had attd & broken thro'.
Decided to camp for night & decide on plan next day.
Met crowds coming down rd for miles.
Aug 5. Savage & 2.6 rode on w 3 LGs. Force of 100 Armens.
promd didn't turn up. By 4p. found Dr Shed, Amera
missionary & wife, 30 m. away. 1st found Mrs S.
& some xxxx missionary women
Dr Shed & 24 men were found lining a ridge to
meet raiders - had bn fightg 5 days. Sent him back.
6 m. ahead came to 2nd G. w tethered horses.
Capt Nicol sent to rt to gd flank & 2 sergts & 12 refugees.
Sav, Scott-Olsen & 4 Sgts & 12 refugees rode
to force in G.
Beat back abt 100 tribesmen & fell back on
G for night.
Aug 6. mules w food arrived.
150 horsemen sighted before breakfast.
Had to leave bkfst to fight.
Disposed 3 guns & waited till 200 were 600^x away.
Flank guns got into a crowd, scattered them, & fell back.
But post in village covering mules remained firing.
Sgt Murphy extricated them finely.
Nicol, who had advd on foot ws k on left & cdnt
be rescued.
Forced back & back till on column - now only 8 Europ.
1 Assyrⁿ & 1 Armenⁿ.
Protected one column (of 2) - on one occn charged with
14 refugees (forced by threats)

After 7 hours heard Engl shouts & saw 12 cavalrymen lining a ridge behind. (Pty had
/ had no water & ws exhausted). Engl. pty ws in/c of a sergt who acted on a
ms to return. Murphy had gn up his horse to a sgt in effort to rescue Nichol but
another ws caught, w halter, & M. rode it bareback.
6 miles from camp 50 of Aga Petros mtd tps came up, & Ts gave up chase. Savage's
force ws done. ¼ m. from camp met Lieut of Cavalry & his men.
It ws known in Camp 5 hrs before how hard G. ws fighting, but / cavalry had
been held back.
Thro' out aftn Aga Petros & Shed got refugees thro' a narrow pass behind.
At this stage Shed got cholera. He ws buried next mg.
It was Shed who had conceived notion of acting w Brit.
Aug 7. Maj Moore ill w malaria. Savige again in/c.
Tried to tempt G Ts on by pretended retreat but cdnt.
In retiremt 2 Sgts had to be tied on horses thro' sickness.
Had to leave old men, weak & wd women, & crippled children.
Got thro' pass, leaving hundreds. Refugees murdered villagers as went thro!
but Takan Tepe had bn saved by some Brit. Cavalry.
Aug 8. Reached Takan Tepe at midnight.
waited 6 m. from here for day to allow refugees to get ahead.
Aug 9. Bluffed a crowd of Kurds tt were going to raid / refugees.
Aug 13. Sgt Francis died of cholera.
Aug 14. Started again from Takan Tepe. Got in 3 days to Bijah
Bijar. Within day of arrival all pty exc. 1 collapsed.
Strongest refugees were sent to Hamadan.

Mespot. Expn.
from Buchan
Townshend had provns for 2 months and assured wd be reld
Der. Nixon ws reld
Lake took over.
only 12 Divⁿ.
Tigris Corps D. Sir Fenton Aylmer
3 Lahore D from W
pt of Meerut D
Inds from Gpl
Mespt Comm.

Eng Terr from India.
Imperfect & embryo staff
tpt v bad
12000 rfts from ^ JR didnt leave Basra
van moved 4 Jan Ali Gharbs
from Alex.
Rains beat them  Cdnt outfl Ts
Syria Corp  {April Gorringe succ^d Aylmer.
1st T.I. Sheikh Sayid.
took sides of river
Intrmed - line on l. at the Wadi
Sannaiyat- Es Sinn v. str.
Gorringe tried  to get thro' -
13th D Maude's from Gpli now
there.
Maude took over from Lake in
Aug 1916.
To Eg. 7 Ind Meerut )
3 Lahore D  ) from Mespot 1918
& 1