Coll 28/18 ‘Persia; Diaries; Meshed intelligence Summaries 1931–’ [‎109v] (218/299)

5. Kerlci .—An individual who left Kerki
on the 14th of June 1933 gives the following
information :—
(a) Garrison .—
2 Squadrons Cavalry Regiment No. 83 .. 250 Sabres.
*1 Regiment Infantry T No. 2 .. .. 1200 Men.
1 Battery No. 26 .. .. .. 80 Men.
Fortress Company No. 2 .. . • 150 Men.
•Commandant .. .. • • Kazanov.
These troops arrived from Karshi on the
25th of May in relief of Infantry Regiment
No. 10 and Battery No. 11 . It is not known
where these Units went.
(b) G. P. U .—Frontier Otryad No. 46
distributed between Charjui-Kerki to Busa-
kha. Also a detachment from Otryad
No. 47 which holds posts from Zed-Kelif
to Termez. Commandant; 46th Otrayd.—
Chobanov.
(c) Aeroplanes .—Formerly there were no
aeroplanes in Kerki; recently one has been
stationed there. The aerodrome is located
at Karchika on the railway line. This
machine carries out daily reconnaissance
flights towards the Afghan frontier to watch
for bands of Turkomans who cross into
Soviet territory and assist other Turkomans
to emigrate. They frequently come into
conflict with the Frontier Guards.
(d) Morale of Troops .—On the 1st of June
50 Mohammedan soldiers were sent to
Tashkent under orders for transfer. The
policy of gradually removing Mohammedan
troops has been going on for some time,
since they are considered unreliable near the
frontier. It is reported that they have
been sent to the Far East.
On the 25th of May, 9 Mohammedan
sowars of the frontier post of Zed deserted
with their arms to Afghanistan.
Shakov, Commandant of the Frontier
G. P. U. (? 46th Otryad), has been sent to
Tashkent under arrest on the 20 th of May.
6 . Jizak .—An individual who left
Jizakon the 18th of June 1933 reports as
follows :—
(а) Garrison .—
2 Coys, of Infantry Regiment No. 6 .. 350 men.
2 Squadrons of the 11th Turkistan
Cavalry Regiment • • • • 2f5 ° Sabres.
1 Battery No. 27 »<> M en.
These Units arrived from Samarquand
on the 1 st of May in relief of the former
garrison which was transferred to Ferghana.
( б ) G. P- U .—Town Division of about
170 all ranks.
Commandant .. Ibbrahimav.
(c) Basmachi .—In April, 2 parties of
Basmachi appeared in the Jizak area, one
in the mountains of Daldaltash about 200
strong. There are about 50 Russians in
their ranks. On the 1 st of May both these
» -parties made a combined raid on dizak am^^
burnt the Supply Depot. Reinforcement^
were sent from Tashkent including 2 aero
planes. They arrived on the 25th of May.
The column operated against the Basmaclii
until the 10 th of June and succeeded
in inflicting a decisive defeat on them though
casualties on both sides were heavy. The
stores which had been looted were recovered.
(d) Economic Situation. —On account of
the shortage of food considerable damage
had been done to the crops by the local
population who cut the ears off the unri
pened corn by night and steal them for food.
7. Kizil Arvat. —An individual who left
Kizil Arvat on the 25th of June gives the
following information :—
(a) Garrison .—
2 Coys, of Infantry .. .. 250 Men.
2 Squadrons Cavalry 2nd Turko
man National Cavalry Regiment 200 Sabres.
1 Battery .. .. • • 80 Men.
(b) G. P. U .—Detachment from 44th
Otryad, 50 of which are located at Kizil
Arvat and 100 at Kara Kala on the Persian
frontier. A metalled road and telephone
line connect these two places. A new
wireless receiving and transmitting set has
recently been erected at Kara Kala.
There is a branch propaganda school at
Kizil Arvat which trains agitators and
spies, mainly Turkomans and Tatars, both
men and women. These are sent over the
frontier into Persia via Gumush Tepe and
Gumbad-i-Kabus.
m
(c) Strike in the Railway Workshops .—
On the 22 nd of June the 2,000 odd workers
of the Kizil Arvat railway workshops came
out on strike daman ding better wages and
more food. Up till the time the informant
left, they were still out.
(d) Manceumes .—Ten days manoeuvres
were held in the vicinity of Kizil Atrak
(formerly Chat-i-Atrak) by a considerable
concentration of troops during the first fort
night of June.
Infantry brought from Baku by boat ;2
gunboats and 2 aeroplanes took part.
Cavalry from Askhabad participated.
About 2,000 cavalry returned via Kara Kala
to Kizil Arvat between the 13th to 15th
of June where they entrained for Askha
bad.
Note. From other reports it appears that normally thers
is no Military garrison in Kizil Arvat, the presence of troope
would seem to be due to manoeuvres.