File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎606r] (859/1080)

if present indications confirm this assumption.
Advices from the Persian frontier state that the Bolsheviks
are mobilizing inhabitants of Askhabad irrespective of nation-^
ality. fhis may V; not be true, on the other hand their /
press contains orders to all who have never undergone any mili
tary training to report themselves fcr such. It is possible
that the accounts of mobilization are true, it may be that
Askhabad not being considered of any military importance it
has been decided to substitute territorial formations for
internal defence for those of the Turkestan division formerly
there. The rendition, or the promised rendition, of ?iruza to
the lersians would never have been possible had the former mili
tary garrison of Askhabad been maintained as it wqs invaluable
as a sanitarium for troops enervated by the torrid heat of
Transcaspia.
KAMMA. Pour Barts who had deserted from Bolshevik units were
brought eventually to Meshed. Unfortunately their ixiterrogatory
revealed but little. They were men swept into Bolshevik service^
by press-gang methods and of a low degree of intelligence. Three
belonged to the 2nd Uzbeg Cavalry a t Kaakhka and on to the 1st ^
of the same name at Askhabad. They deserted on account of ill-
treatment. They were able to give the organization of the units
they belonged to as being 600 mounted and luu dismounted men
organized in four squadrons and officere by 25 officers. The
class composition appears to be very mixed, consisting of oarts,
Uzbegs, Tartars, £irgis, Armenians, and Russians. Tho horses
of the 1st Uzbeg Cavalry at Askhabad were depleted by half by
privation during last winter and of tte remainder about twenty
remained fit for service. The 2nd degimont had a full commie
meat but later information from a different source states they
have been dying lately at the rate of five to six a day. One
of the deserters stated that the Bolsheviks have no regular
commisariat system — when food is procured for men and animals
it is distributed, when there is none available they have to
make the best arrangements they can for themselves. Indeed at
one time a correspondent wrote of this regiment at Aaakhka