"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية: العمليات في بلاد فارس ١٩١٤-١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٤] (٥٦٦/٢١٣)

174
OPERATIONS IN PERSIA
West reached on the 6th May, to receive further alarmist and false
Persia ; reports that two Russian divisions were marching on Baghdad
M ay i9i 6 * without consulting Gleich, Halil next day ordered the with
drawal from Kut, for transfer to the Persian frontier, of a
Turkish cavalry brigade and the 2nd Division, an order which
was confirmed on the 8th by Enver Pasha. In the meantime
Bopp had been superseded and an order had been received by
Gleich from Falkenhayn that the Duke of Mecklenberg (ex-
Governor of Togoland) was to take over control of the Persian
Mission. This, however, he does not appear to have done,
owing to Halil's opposition*
Gleich tried, but without success, to send the Persians at
Baquba back to the front and then, realising their military
uselessness, suggested their disarmament. But this, on
political grounds, the Turks refused to agree to; and on the
15th May Halil decided to use the 400 Persian volunteers and
320 Persian gendarmerie, who were all that had not deserted,
with their German and Swedish officers to carry out garrison
duties at Mandali and Kifri. The German Minister from
Tehran and Nizam-es-Sultaneh, with his escort of one hundred
tribesmen, had already proceeded to Baghdad, where they
started to agitate for an active Persian policy. To this Gleich
was much opposed, for, although he considered that a local
offensive might be necessary to throw back the Russians, he
was convinced of the necessity for preparing for autumn opera
tions against the British on the Tigris. In fact, he tried to get
Falkenhayn to put a stop to the notion still prevalent that an
undertaking through Persia and Afghanistan to India was
feasible.
Halil was gradually won over to the idea of a Persian expedi
tion and would not listen to Gleich's warnings of the danger of
getting entangled in Persia. On the 16th May, Gleich learnt
from Halil that Enver, who was also favourable to the idea of
invading Persia, would arrive at Baghdad on the 19 th and had
already ordered more infantry and artillery to be withdrawn
from the Tigris front and sent to Khaniqin. In fact, as Gleicn
says, the intended stroke against the Russians had gradually
developed into a big expedition into Persia. Halil, who wm*
of opinion that the British would, of their own accord, shorty
retire from the vicinity of Kut, refused to pay any attention o
Gleich's objections to the undue weakening of the Tigns j^Mj
* It was only after much German pressure that Halil con^nted to^
appointment of this Prince to the command on the 6th June of a sma ^
force known as the Sulaimamya group. This he held for less t a
weeks, when he was recalled to Germany.