'Report by H. E. General Lord Rawlinson of Trent, Commander-in-Chief in India, on the Minor Military Operations undertaken from 1917 to 1921 in North and North East Persia' [‎2r] (3/8)

Field Operations.
No. 10683-1 (M.O.-l).
quarters, Inbia
General Staef Branch ;
Simla, the 31st May 1021.
From
The COMMANDEB-IN-CHIEF, INDIA,
To
The SECRETARY to the GOVERNMENT of INDIA,
ARMY DEPARTMENT.
^ .
Sir,
I have the honour to submit the following Report on Minor Operations in
North and North East Persia from 1917 to 1921.
During 1917, German and Turkish intrigue was directed towards
stirring up the Pan-Islamic elements in Persia and Transcaspia with a view to
alienating Afghanistan and thereby to threaten India.
This necessitated the establishment of a military cordon, along the Perso-
Afghan border. The force, known as the East Persian Cordon, was composed
partly of Russian and partly of Imperrl troops from British India. ^ The
Imperial Forces held the line from India to a short distance North of Birjand
and Russian troops occupied the remainder of the Afghan border line to the
Trans-Caspian Frontier.
Owing to the Russian revolution of 1917, Russian troops were with'
drawn in February 1918 with the result that the entire province of Khorassan
was given over to anarchy, and became accessible for the unchecked movements
of hostile armed bands and enemy agents.
To remedy this state of affairs a detachment of the 19th Punjabis was
immediately pushed up to Meshed, followed by a squadron and Headquarters
of the 28th Cavalry, medical, and supply units and the remainder of the 19th
Punjabis.
Concentration of this force, which became known as the Meshed Military
Mission was completed by July 1918, under the command of Major General
W. Mallcson.
From now onwards the Meshed Military Mission was frequently engaged
in a series of operations against the Bolshevik troops in Tianscaspia, all of
which were successful and added greatly to the prestige of our Imperial forces
in Persia.
The most important action was perhaps that of Dushakh (about 60 miles
North East of Meshed) in October 1918, where Mission troops engaged a
greatly superior force and completely routed the enemy with considerable loss.
Our casualties amounted to killed British officer 1, Indian officers 2
Indian other ranks 52, wounded British officers 3, Indian officer 1, Indian
other ranks 148.
In April 1919 circumstances arose necessitating the withdrawal of the
Mission Force from Transcaspia to Meshed. This was accomplished without
incident. In May 1920 Brigadier-General Leslie took over command and in
November of the same year the command of the Mission devolved on Colonel
Redl.