Coll 28/97(1) ‘Persia. Diaries. Tehran Intelligence Summaries.’ [‎376v] (752/807)

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Fars.
8. Nasir Qasfiqai is still endeavouring to meet British officials, but has so
far refused to come to Shiraz to meet Persian officials. A force has been
despatched to Ardakan to deal with a new Boir Ahmadi threat to that place.
Dashti.
9. The incompetent Colonel Ahenin has been relieved of the command of
the forces operating against Ali Ismail. No rifles have been collected and the
withdrawal of the force to Khormuj and subsequent inaction seem to imply
that the settling of this affair has made no progress.
Road Security in Fars: Bush ire and Shiraz Road.
10. As a result of a recent tour of inspection, certain causes of the present
insecurity have been noticed. They are briefly :—
(i) Lack of strength : about 1,500 men short in Fars and about eighty short
on the section Bushire-Shiraz.
(ii) Lack of mobility : no striking force or force for hot pursuit can be
organised.
(iii) Lack of any means of inter-communication between gendarmerie
(Amnieh) posts.
(iv) Inertia of Amnieh personnel, due to long periods on detachment with
no inspection by their officers to ascertain their welfare or their
efficiency.
(v) Low morale of Amnieh, who now are concerned chiefly with protecting
themselves and their posts rather than traffic on the road.
(vi) Lack of any system of effective patrolling or piequeting.
(vii) Lack of liaison and co-operation between army and Amnieh, due to
their being under separate Ministries, i.e., War and Interior.
Persian Officials.
11—(i) Ibrahim Qawam, Qawam-ul-Mulk (M.A. 231) (F.O. 169). returned
with his family to Tehran on the 28th March from India.
(ii) Muhammed Ali Humayunjah, Director-General of the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs, has been appointed Under-Secretary of State in that Ministry.
British Interests.
Evacuation of Poles.
12. The evacuation of Poles from Russia has begun, but instead of this
being at the rate of 2,500 a week, as had been originally proposed, the Soviet
authorities decided at very ^hort notice that 40,000 Poles wouldi be landed at
Pahlevi at the rate of 3,000-5,000 a day, beginning on the 26th March. These
Poles belong to the 8th. 9th and 10th Polish Divisions and also include the
personnel of the 1st Cavalry Regiment, the Army Artillery School, the Army
Tank School and the Reinforcement Depot. They are to be followed after an
interval by a further 40,000-50,000 Poles, made up of Poles from Russian labour
battalions and camps and other sources. Information has also been received that
it is the intention of the Soviet authorities to evacuate to Persia about 12,000
Polish civilians, largely women and children.
13. This sudden change of Soviet policy is believed to be due mainly to
shortage of food in Russia, but partly to Russian anticipations that there would
be delays in the promised equipment and arming of Polish divisions in Russia.
14. Owing to various unavoidable bottle-necks, it will be impossible to
evacuate the Poles from Persia as fast as they arrive. Consequently it is necessary
to form large holding camps at Pahlevi and Tehran. Arrangements are being
made to accommodate 15,000 in Tehran.
Railways.
15. Sixty-four miles of the railway from Nok Kundi to Mirjawa had been
completed by the 27th February.
Tehran, March 31. 1942.
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