File 1341/1921 Pt 1 'Khorassan Intelligence Summaries 1921-1922' [‎660r] (967/1080)

According to recent reports, of which further confirmation is still
desirable, the Kushk area has been depleted of troops to a very considerable
degree.
Troops from Baku were being reformed at Krasnovodsk early in the month
m preparation for their despatch eastward.
92. Bolshevik garrisons.—Samara —2fth February, 6,000 troops including
1,000 cavalry.. Guns plentiful. On occasion 12 field-guns are paraded round
the town to impress the population. 3 airplanes seen up simultaneously.
Airplane repair shop and 2 munitions factories.
Wireless station removed to site outside the towm.
Troops ill-clad but fairly well fed.
Orenburg .—28th February. 2,500 troops including 500 cavalry. About
1,000 troops were despatched to Moscow in mid-February. Units identified :
5th Kashirski, 3rd Aral, 1st Kazan. 2 field-batteries of 6 guns each.
(Informant states that this garrison forms part of the 1st Turkishtan
Division. As Orenburg is beyond Turkistan limits the accuracy of this is
doubtful.)
Samarkand. —1st March. 2,000 troops mostly Russians. 200 cavalry and 2
field batteries. Units identified : 1st Tashkent, 4th Cherniaev, 6th Koluzaev,
2 heavy guns, 2 armoured cars, 1 airplane. Ammunition plentiful.
Troops fairly well clad but on short rations.
On 27th February drafts totalling about 1,000 were despatched to
Tashkent.
150 wounded from Andijan who arrived on 25th February were sent to
Tashkent.
Kagan. 6th March. 3,500 troops including Amirabad. 400 cavalrv.
Units identified : 2nd Taskent, 12th Turkistan, 5th Cherniaev, 9th
Koluzaev, 1st Arab 2 6-gun field batteries with 2 heavy and 6 field-guns in
addition. 2 armoured cars. 2 airplanes. Ample ammunition. Troops ill-clad and
on short rations.
Above troops are stated to form part of the 1st Turkistan Division.
On 4th March 400 Russian troops arrived from Karshi and were sent on
to TashKent. 250 wounded from Karshi arrived the same day. 1 train of re
inforcements from west sent to Karshi on 3rd March. Troops in Karshi area
are said to be exclusively of communist persuasion from which it may be
deduced that the Bolsheviks have not overmuch confidence in non-communists
for fighting purposes-
Kushk.- 26th February. 4,000 troops mostly Muslims and including 300
cavalry. 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 9th Turkistan reported to be present.
Takhta Bazar.— February. 600 troops including 200 cavalry. 1st
Turkistan infantry finds bulk of garrison. 4 mountain or field guns. (Another
source on 3rd March estimates the garrison at upwards of 2,000 and states that
the 4th Turkistan, 7th Kazan, and 7th Cherniaev were present. It is unlikely
that any troops would have been returned to this area so soon, and a discre
pancy requiring further confirmation exists between the two versions. Turk
man arrivals, however, state that only “a few hundred troops” were present
recently.)
On March 1st and 2nd drafts from Kushk proceeded to Merv.
Tashkepri. —25th February. 300 men of the 1st. Turkistan.