'South Persian Rifles and Southern Persia Vol II' [237r] (473/810)
The record is made up of 1 file (403 folios). It was created in Dec 1917-Aug 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Prom Viceroy, Army Department, oO//i Anly JO'S.
(Received 1 st August 1918, 12 noon.)
10101). 3(>th July. Vom- telegram of 25th instant,, regarding advance
from Bnsln're.
From Gommancler-in-Chief’s telegram, 11977, to. Secretary, War Office,
ii will be.evident that there is no intention on our part to start immediate
operations from Bushire.
2. The present position in South Persia is as follows :—(A) A had eh lias
been relieved, and its garrison with that of Dehbid is returning with relief
Force to Shiraz. (B) Sykes has evidently temporarily assumed political as
well as military control of the S.P.R. area. (0) Sonlat’s gathering has for
the time dispersed, but in such a country as Persia we must make certain of
retaining the loyalty of the new Illkhani, the K a warn, and the Kashqulis,
and no more certain method can be adopted than opening the shortest route
into Kashgai country. (D) So long as Bushire hinterland offers a safe
asylum to hostile agents we shall have to be prepared to meet risings against
our attempts to keep communications and traffic secure in South Persia,
and the present situation affords us the best opportunity we have yet
had of dealing with a problem which has long been a source of trouble,
and the settlement of which has in the past been more than once
urged ou us by His Majesty’s Government. (F) Further, until our future
policy in Persia is decided and we are able to give effect to
it we should be in a position to operate in South Persia
at any season of the year. This wo cannot do from Bunder
Abbas as already pointed out in Oommander-in-Chief’s telegram 55228,
15th July, to Secretary, War Office, and our opinion in this respect has been
confirmed by experience of the first echelon of the reinforcements
despatched from Bunder Abbas>on the 30th June. The tramway which we
are laying to Daliki will obviate these difficulties and will, so far as we can
see, afford us the facilities we require and be the only method that will do
this at present. (F) Finally, it appears to us that the introduction of any
future change of policy in Persia which may result from Cox’s negotiations
with the Persian Government will be greatly facilitated if it is known that
our preparations to operate from Bushire are in full swing.
3 . For these reasons we are continuing our preparations at Bushire so
as to be in a position to move from 3 aliki in October next in the event of
the situation at that time rendering the employment of force desirable.
From Viceroy, Foreign Department, 31st July 1918..
(Repeated to Baghdad and Tehran.)
(Received at
India Office
The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors.
, 0 p.m., 3rd August.)
Secret. Bakhtiaris. Reference your telegram of the 24th July and
Baghdad telegram 1)193, 27th July. We cordially support. Baghdad’s
proposals as calculated to secure continued co-operation of
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Zafar and
goodwill of bulk of Bakhtiari tribe, and to provide a substantial check on
discordant elements at Isfahan and elsewhere.
About this item
- Content
This file contains material relating to the South Persia Rifles, southern Persia [Iran], the Bakhtiari [Bakhtiyari] Tribe and the oil fields developed by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC). It includes:
- A table showing the disposition of troops in southern Persia in December 1917
- The capture of an incriminating letter addressed to Mukhbir Us Sulteneh [Mahdi Quli Khan Hidayat Mukhbir al-Saltanah]
- The outbreak of clashes between the nomadic tribes of southern Persia and the South Persia Rifles
- The call by Soulat [Isma’il Khan Sawlat al-Dawlah Qashqa’i], Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. of the Kashgai [Qashqa'i] Tribe, for a jehad [jihad] against foreign forces in Persia [The Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. being the Paramount Chief of the tribe]
- The loss of the post at Khaneh Zinian [Khan-i Zaniyan] to the Kashgais led by Soulat
- The logistics required for extending the right flank of the Allied forces in Mesopotamia [Iraq] to the Caspian Sea
- The reinforcement of the forces under Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes via Bandar Abbas and Bushire [Bushehr]
- The placement of Sykes under the command of General Charles Monro, Commander-in-Chief, India
- The departure of the German agent Wilhelm Wassmuss towards Khaneh Zinian
- The general expression of ‘nationalist resentment’ at the presence of British forces in Central Persia
- The offer of the Persian Admiral, Mirza Ahmad Khan Tangistani Daryabegi, to collaborate against Soulat
- The declaration by Habib Allah Khan Qavam al-Mulk Shirazi of his support for the Governor of Fars, Abd al-Husayn Mirza Farmanfarma, and his readiness to defend Shiraz against Soulat
- The clashes between the Kalantar of Kazerun, Nasir Divan Kazeruni, and British forces outside Shiraz
- An offer of assistance from the Kalantar of the Kashkuli Tribe, Muhammad ‘Ali Khan Kashkuli
- The lack of co-operation between the British Minister at Tehran, Charles Marling, and Sir Percy Sykes
- The placement of all British troops in southern Persia under the command of an officer with the rank of Brigadier-General
- A joint letter from the khans of Borasjun [Borazjan], Tangistan and Chakutah [Chahkootah] to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. at Bushire to enquire about the objectives of the recently-arrived British regiments
- The possibility of installing Mirza Hasan Khan Vusugh (Vusugh al-Dawlah) as Prime Minister, following the Italian victory at the Second Battle of Piave River, and the suspension of German operations against France
- The recommendation of Brigadier-General George Younghusband to surround oilfields with ‘barbed wire fence with electric light standards and ring of sentries like prisoners of war camp’
- The willingness of the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. of the Bakhtiyari to ‘maintain order’ in the oilfields of southern Persia
- The siege of Indian Army troops at Abadeh by the Kashgai and the desertion of all South Persia Rifles
- The mobilisation of Mirza Kuchak Khan's Jangali Movement to seize control of Rasht
- A quarrel between the German agent, Wassmuss and the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. of the Kashgai, Soulat
- The defection of the Kashgai chiefs ‘Ali Khan Qashqa’i Salar-i Hishmat and Ahmad Khan Qashqa’i Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. -i Ihtisham
- The order from Khusraw Khan Bakhtiyari Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. -i Zafar to Yusuf Khan Bakhtiyari Amir Mujahid to relieve the siege of Abadeh, and prevent Murtaza Quli Khan Samsam from joining the Kashgais
- The pursuit by Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. -i Ihtisham, Muhammad ‘Ali Khan Kashkuli, and Qavam al-Mulk Shirazi of Soulat and his band of followers and the retreat of Nasir Divan Kazeruni to Kazerun
- A request from Soulat to Ayoz Kika [Haj Iyaz Khan Shakiri Qashqa’i] for reinforcements
- The arrest of Baha Us Sultan [Baha’ al-Sultan Shirazi], a leading democrat [i.e. of the Hizb-i Democrat-i Fars]
- The deployment of Sultan Kazem Khan [Sultan Kazim Khan Shamlu’s] Darrahshuri tribal forces to Abadeh
- The preference of Vusugh al-Dawlah for Swedish officers to lead the national police in Persia
- A rumour about the presence of the German agent Oskar von Niedermeyer in Bakhtiyari Country
- The encirclement, by Soulat, of Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. -i Ihtisham and the South Persia Rifles at Firuzabad
- The relief of Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. -i Ihtisham and the South Persia Rifles by Colonel Ernest Frederick Orton
- The death of Muhammad ‘Ali Khan Kashkuli at Shiraz on 20 October 1918
- The handover of the South Persia Rifles by Sir Percy Sykes to Colonel Orton and the former's arrival at Delhi
- The refusal by Wassmuss to surrender to British forces, and his rejection of an offer of repatriation
- The readiness of the Persian Government to co-operate in the arrest and deportation of Wassmuss
- A proposal by Colonel Orton of the South Persia Rifles for the organisation of a national Persian Army.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (403 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
The foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 405; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-389.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/5/805
- Title
- 'South Persian Rifles and Southern Persia Vol II'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:404v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence
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