"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية: العمليات في بلاد فارس ١٩١٤-١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎١‎٨‎٩] (٥٦٦/٣٨٣)

330
OPERATIONS IN PERSIA
At 12.15 p.m., when the advanced section of mountain guns
was in action about half a mile east of Ahmadabad and all
but a half-company of the Baluchis were clear of that village,
the Burma Mounted Rifles, retiring in line of squadron columns
about seven hundred yards south of West Janat, were suddenly
charged from the westward by a body of three or four hundred
Qashqais ; and at the same time they came under a sudden
fire from West Janat which caused a number of casualties,
including Lieutenant-Colonel Dyer and Captain M. J. Murray
wounded. Behaving with great coolness, the Burma Mounted
Rifles halted and dismounted to turn and face the enemy,
A fire-fight continued for half an hour. The four guns with
Colonel Orton at once began to fire rapidly over the heads of
the Burma Mounted Rifles, the headquarter troop of 15th
Lancers was sent forward to reinforce them, a message was sent
to Colonel Vanrenen to open rapid gun fire against the southern
edges of the Bagh-i-Janat, and most of the Baluchis from near
Ahmadabad were sent up in support. The Qashqais displayed
great bravery and in places got within two hundred yards of the
Burma Mounted Rifles, but the increasing volume of fire they
encountered was too much for them and by 1.15 p.m. they had
fallen back, having sustained heavy losses.
This was practically the end of the fight, as the tribesmen
soon all withdrew out of action and Colonel Orton’s rear guard
arrived back at Shiraz about 3.30 p.m. without further trouble,
Colonel Orton had achieved his object most successfully, it
being estimated that of about 3,200 tribesmen engaged, 200
had been killed and 300 wounded ; the total British losses being
5 killed and 24 wounded. Next day Sir Percy Sykes tele
graphed to India expressing his high appreciation of the disci
pline, gallantry and soldierly spirit of the Burma Mounted Rifles.
In spite of this success, anti-British agitation increased in the
Shiraz ; city, where mullahs were openly preaching a Jahad and were
Tuni^roi? i nc iti n g the mob to take action against all who helped t e
* British. This had already resulted in loss and injury to some
of the South Persia Rifles, and Sir Percy Sykes telegraphed on
the morning of the 17th June that the strain on the ar
Brigade was so great that if it continued they were likely soo
to leave the British side. Farman Farma and Qawam,
continued, did not seem to be doing their best to restore or e <
apparently hoping thereby to force H.M. Governmen
concede the large demands they had both already nia e
pensions and pecuniary compensation for losses they mg
suffer by siding openly with the British.