File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎417r] (481/1080)

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APPENDIX I.
BOLSHEVIK GARRISONS.
A communication relative to troop dispositions in Transcaspia and
Turkestan was received by a correspondent in Bujnurd and by him trans
ferred to an agent in Meshed who passed it on to this office. Unfortunately,
the document is not dated but as the correspondent refers to the Persian
censorship it is probably a month to six weeks old. The following is a
translation :
The commander of the troops in Turkestan is Fronzov (a later com
munication said Dobrov) formerly Chief of Staff to Zinoviev. There are
3 infantry and one cavalry regiment in Tashkent in addition to a battalion
of military police (Karaulni battalion) and native militia These troops
are disposed thus: 2 infantry, and 1 cavalry regiment, the battalion of
military police, and some native militia in the New Town and 1 infantry
regiment and some native militia in the Old Town. According to state
ments made by men of these regiments this constitutes the permanent garri
son of Tashkent
At Askhabad Semnishkov is Commandant of the garrison and, at the
•same time, commands the troops in the Transcaspian province. His Chief
■of Staff is Brusnitzni. The commander of the battalion of military police
is Buiehenko. There are 6 guns, of which 2 are at the station. There are
30 more in the arsenal, sent, it would seem, for repair. In the machine
gun godowns there are 30 machine guns, Maxims and Colts, also 36 English
Lewis guns. Some of these have been issued to frontier units but how many
.was unknown to the informant.
The Chief of the Special Department at Askhabad is Gusov and his
assistant Gurin (a very evil man).
At Kizil Arvat there is local militia, and any regular troops there may
he will be transferred.
Krasnovodsk.—I have not been there personally but it is said there is
a battalion of military police and local militia.
The Qara Qala Frontier Section. This extends from Garmab on the
northern Persian frontier to Chikishliar on the north-western Persian
frontier. The chief of this section is Lesnichi, a former Tsarist officer.
The Chief of the Special Department at Kohna Kesar (a frontier post in
the same section. Trans.) is Verbitzki, and at Qara Qala, Boga. The
inspector of all frontier sections is Shveikin.
Sixty thousand roubles in gold have been sanctioned for the Qara Qala
section.
At Qara Qala there is one mountain battery and 6 machine guns. The
garrison numbers about 400. At the present time they have reduced sub
sidiary posts to eight men and have withdrawn the surplus to Qara Qala
in expectation of events among the Yomuds but the correspondent was not
aware of the aggregate of the surplus thus available. He states, however,
that the garrison of each post should be 30 infantry, 8 mounted men and
1 machine gun.
Artik to Kaakhka.—The increments to the garrisons at Artik,
Qauvshut, and Kaakhka have been removed. Only some 50 men of a
frontier battalion are reported to be at the last named place.
Sarakhs (Russian).—No change reported beyond the detachment sent
to Pul-i-Khatun, previously noted herein.
Merv.—No change reported.
Kushk.—According to the latest information the garrison of the
fortress has been reduced to one company of infantry and one independent
squadron, with a few artillerists. Confirmation is awaited.
Xarki, 27th October 1921. 3,000, including 1,000 cavalry—numbers
probably exaggerated, 1,500 of this garrison is stated to be on duty at
Bosaqa, Zaid, and along the Karki-Takhta Bazar road, 800 of the garrison