"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [و‎‎١‎٣‎٧] (٥٤٠/٢٧٨)

BRITISH APPRECIATION
221
generally only passable by pack transport; and on each of the
lines of advance there were passes or difficult country to be
traversed.
Our available force was disposed as follows. One squadron
of cavalry, six guns,* three armoured cars, 300 infantry and
800 irregulars in the Mianeh area; two squadrons of cavalry,
a section R.E. field company and 70 irregulars in the Bijar
area ; and a squadron of cavalry with two mountain guns in
the Sehneh area. Behind these detachments, on the main
road to the Caspian, were 275 rifles and a field battery (less
a section) in the vicinity of Resht and between there and
Kazvin; an infantry company, one and two-thirds field
batteries, one armoured car and a squadron Dunsterforce
armoured cars in the Kazvin area ; and one and a quarter
infantry battalions at Hamadan.|
We could use mechanical transport on the roads from Kazvin
to Mianeh and from Hamadan to Sehneh, Bijar, Zenjan and
Kazvin, and pack transport elsewhere. It was felt that to
fight the Turks we could place little reliance on the irregulars
or friendly tribes and that our widely dispersed force was not
strong enough anywhere to stop a determined Turkish advance
along any of the three lines open to them.
After consideration of the various courses open to the Turks,
the conclusion come to was that they would most probably
advance from Tabriz via Mianeh on Kazvin ; and that to meet
this contingency we should have : first, to evacuate the road
between Enzeli and Kazvin; secondly, to move some artillery
from the Kazvin to the Hamadan area; thirdly, to reinforce
Mianeh with three armoured cars; and lastly, to evacuate
Kazvin.
On the 31st August General Dunsterville telegraphed to
Kazvin from Baku, where a Turkish attack was in progress,
asking that the Gloucestershire and 2nd Field Battery (then
near Kazvin) should be sent at once to Enzeli. But General
* Two 18-pounders, two field howitzers and two mountain guns.
| The above is the force as given in the appreciation, but the records show
some discrepancies. At Enzeli and between there and Kazvin were head
quarters and three platoons l/4th Hampshire and about 255 rifles l/2nd
Gurkhas, as well as half the Dunsterforce Armoured Car Machine Gun Company,
and the field battery (less a section) was under orders to leave for Krasnovodsk.
The 39th Machine Gun Company was at Kazvin ; and at Hamadan, or in its
vicinity, were seven and a quarter companies of infantry (l/4th Hampshire,
7th Gloucestershire, 9th Worcestershire and l/2nd Gurkhas), a section 21st
Mountain Battery and the 72nd Company, R.E. (less one section).