File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎648v] (944/1080)

Artih. —19th. March., About 75 men.
Kaakha. —About 300 at the end of March but the designation is not
stated.
Archingan. —A frontier post, strength 35.
Dushalrfi. —100 men were reported about the end of M irch..
Merv- —16th to 23rd March. 3,500 of mixed nationalities, and includin'*
1,200 cavalry. Units identified were : 1st, 2nd and 3rd Turkistan Ptegiments.
1 Regiment “ Centre ” troops. 1 machine gun company. Cavalry : A squadron,
name not given. 6th Kazan Regiment. 9 field guns and one armoured car were
seen. An other agent gives 4 guns as the fort armament—probably those that
are visible.
Takhta Bazar. —20th March. Garrison given as 3,000 of mixed nation-
alties.
The Tappe Nadiri is defended by barbed wire and a heavy gun. Some of
the troops have English rifles.
Tash Kopri. —19th March. A detachment of 100 men of the 2nd Turkis-
tan Regiment.
Yolatan, —200 u volunteers 55 are engaged in agricultural work. These
“ volunteers ” are probably men who have passed the present time limit for
the ranks and have been drafted for duty on the “ labour front A Their arms
have been deposited with a military supervisor. The detachment includes
60 horses, 24 carts. 600 more men are expected for the same v/ork. Reconstruc
tion and renovation of irrigation works from the waters of the Murghat and
about which the Bolsheviks expre -s much anxiety, is probably the purpose for
which these civil operations have been instituted.
March 21st. Garrison’ 3,000 of mixed nationalities of whom
500 garrison old Charjui and 200 wdth two guns the bridge. Naval, or I. W.
detachment, 3 aeroplanes engaged in daily reconnaissance towards Khiva and
Kerki. One armoured car.
Eagan.—lSth March. Garrison 5,000. The following units were enu
merated : 4th Turkistan, 8th Kazan, 6th Chernievski, 10th Samara. Cavalry :
3rd squadron Popov’s Cavalry. 5th squadron Yarenski (sic Suggest Vorenevski)
Regiment. Artillery : 6th Kazan and 8th Orenburg batteries. 3 aeroplanes, two
engaged on reconnaissances and one on local duty. 2 armoured cars with a
machine gun apiece. Military Commander Tirasov, his assistant Gorchakov,
Civil Komissar, Zaizov. Another source adds 3 armoured railway wagons
mounting guns and three mounting 4 to 6 machine guns apiece—probably the
armoured train known as “ Bosa ”. This informant says there are 4 guns (4)
and 4 machine guns in the Amir’s palace in old Bokhara.
Samarkand. —12th March. Garrison 4,000, mixed nationalities, Russians
preponderating. Many live in strong points, entrenched and entangled. 12
field guns, 2 armoured cars and two aeroplanes were seeo. In addition a troop
train arrived during observer’s stay but none detrained.
Samara. —Garrison on 14th March was 5,000 of mixed nationalities hut
was reduced by.3,000 subsequently by despatches to Moscow. The following
units were enumerated Cavalry : 10th Kashirski. 2nd Kazan. 4th Koriski
(sic). Infantry : 12th Samara. 5th Turkistan. These do not give the maxi
mum figure quoted but may represent the residue after despatch of the 2,000 to
Mosccw. Artillery : 12 field guns. 3 armoured cars with machine trims. One
observation balloon.
A^r/a.—Garrison given as 7,000 on 12th March. This is possible in view
of the operations against the Sarfcs which were not claimed to be finished until
18th March. The majority of these troops were Muslims. In addition,
detachments of 500 were reported at Bosaqa (Afghan frontier) and at Kizil Aq
both places being strongly defended. There is another detachment at Imam
.Tatar Tappe which is also defended. Heavy guns are reported at Bosaqa.
Keiki itself is entiencbed and entangled. There is much war material in the
fort and one serviceable aeroplane was seen.
H. J. WALLIS, Major,
Military Attache.