File 160/1916 Pt 3 'German War: Persia; Sir P Sykes' mission. Officers for South Persia Military Police; South Persia Rifles' [‎30v] (65/374)

Enclosure No. II.
No. 540-2-A., dated Shiraz, the 14th May 1919.
From —The Inspector General, South Persia Rifles,
To—The Director, Medical Services in India, Simla.
In reply to your No. 10207-1 (D.M.S.-i), dated 12th April 1919.
I have the honour to return herewith the petition and connected corres
pondence regarding Dr. P. C. Woollatt of the Indo-European Telegraph Depart
ment, late temporary Major, I.M.S. attached to the South Persia Rifles ; together
with a report on those circumstances which are within my personal knowledge.
2. From November 1916 until May 1917 Dr. P. C. Woollatt acted in sole
medical charge of the Persian medical establishment of the newly constituted
Ears Brigade, South Persia Rifles, and did very good work. Brigadier-General
Sir P. M. Sykes agreed to give him the pay he had received from the Swedes for
similar work, namely tumans 300 per mensem. Previous to 1916 this was worth
about £55 per mensem. In 1917-1918 the rate of exchange made it worth
;£ 100 per mensem. From June 1917 onwards, junior Indian Medical Service
officers began to arrive at Shiraz and served under Dr. P. C. Woollatt, after some
persuasion by me.
3. Colonel H. Burden, Indian Medical Service, arrived in August 1917, and
took up his appointment of Assistant Director, Medical Services to the South
Persia Rifles.
Difficulties had begun to arise regarding command and discipline, in the
Ears Brigade field ambulance, owing to the civilian status of the acting Senior
Medical Officer, Dr. P. C. Woollatt. On 14th August 1917, therefore, the
Assistant Director, Medical Services recommended the grant to Dr. P.C. Woollatt
of the temporary rank of Major, I. M. S. with the pay and allowances of that
rank as granted to officers serving in the South Persia Rifles for whole-time duties
with the South Persia Rifles, including light duties for the telegraph department
for the duration of the war.
4. In November 1917 the Secretary of State sanctioned the temporary
rank of Major, I. M. S. with effect from 21st May 1917. and with pay at Rs. 800
consolidated per mensem, plus Rs. 200 for medical charge of employees
of the Indo-European Telegraph Department, plus Rs. 100 medical charge of
Shiraz Consulate. The total pay of Major P.C. Wollatt, as thus laid down, was
Rs. 1,100 per mensem, or about £72 per mensem at the rate of rupee exchange in
1917-1918.
5. The pay and allowances of a Major, I. M. S. serving with the South
Persia Rifles (without duty with telegraph or consulate) was approx
imately Rs. 1,350 ( = ^90 per mensem). Major P.C. Woollatt, therefore, had a
legitimate grievance about loss of emoluments, and his case was represented to
Army Headquarters, India but no decision had been received up to April 1918,
and Major P C. Woollaft remained unsatisfied. Dealing with his case took up
a good deal of the time of the staff, when there was a continuous pressure of
work.
6. It may be noted that in April 1918 the rates of pay and allowances for
all other British officers and Non-Commissioned Officers attached to the South
Persia Rifles had not yet been definitely settled, and orders were still being
awaited by all officers on the proposals contained in the South Persia Rifles
scheme submitted in August 1917. Other officers were content to wait, but
Major P. C. Woollatt pressed constantly for his owm individual case to be settled.
It was explained to him that the main case of the South Persia Rifles had been
referred Home, that the war in March-April 191P was obviously taking up all
spare energies at Home, and Major P. C. Woollatt was asked to be patient. In
April 1918, however, Major P. C. Wollatt presented what amounted to an ulti
matum to the Assistant Director, Medical Services requesting to be allowed to
resign his appointment and his temporary commission, in the event of the
question of increased pay not being decided at once.