"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية: العمليات في بلاد فارس ١٩١٤-١٩١٩" [و‎‎٧‎٤] (٥٦٦/١٥٢)

SEISTAN FORCE
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administration of that town from the British on the 16th
October and throughout the month the British garrison there
remained undisturbed, though there were occasional rumours
of an impending tribal attack. At Kerman also, October saw
little change in the situation. The Germans under Zugmayer
continued their agitation, which the Persian Governor was
quite unable to check and which had the effect of increasing
unrest in Makran. Our naval ships were consequently obliged
to patrol the coast line and the Government of India took steps
to increase the Makran Levy Corps, to arm villagers and to
organise a better local intelligence system. But as the area
was of no great political importance they decided to take there
no other steps of a military nature.
The British force in East Persia was reinforced by a third ^Persia;
double-company 19th Punjabis, which reached Kacha in the
middle of October, by a third squadron 28th Light Cavalry with
horses for all three squadrons, which left Nushki on the 12th
October, and by twenty more Hazara ex-soldiers from Meshed.
Colonel Wikeley, whose difficult task was enhanced by the
necessity of avoiding any appearance of waging war against
neutral Persians, had received his orders and instructions in
a series of telegrams sent to Colonel Dale and himself since the
end of July. These, collated and defined in a letter issued by
the Chief of the General Staff in India on the 6 th October,
were to the following effect. Colonel Wikeley, while keeping
in closest touch with the British consul in Seistan, was
solely responsible for the military measures necessary to carry
out his mission of intercepting and capturing, or destroying,
any German parties who attempted to enter Afghanistan* or
Seistan. By the end of the month, the regular force at his
disposal would consist of three squadrons of cavalry, three
double-companies of infantry and six machine guns. As it
was undesirable to run the risk involved in splitting this force
up into a number of small detachments, Colonel Wikeley was
authorised to spend money freely in organising a good system
of intelligence and in obtaining timely information of enemy
movements. As regards the distribution of his force, for which
he was authorised to build huts, the Chief of the General Staff
suggested the location of three parties, each of equal strength,
at Birjand, Nasratabad (Seistan) and Kacha, respectively.
* It may not be amiss here to point out that we had the right, by treaty,
to conduct Afghan relations with any other Power.