"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [و‎‎١‎٥‎١] (٥٤٠/٣٠٦)

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SUCCESSFUL EVACUATION 247
with peremptory orders for the British troops to return to the
line of defence. The enemy shelling had ceased, the Turks
had not yet entered the town and the Baku people, they said,
meant to continue the fight. But General Dunsterville refused
to sacrifice more lives in a vain cause. Whereupon the
Dictators said that the fleet would be ordered to sink his ships.
General Dunsterville, however, decided to take this risk. He
knew that it would take some time for the fleet, which had no
searchlights, to receive and carry out these orders ; while even
their obedience was uncertain, as they disliked the Dictators
and were not unfriendly towards the British. The only real
danger was from a guardship at the entrance of the port ; but
she had no large guns and General Dunsterville hoped to pass
her unseen in the dark.
The departure of the President Kruger was delayed till past
midnight by families of the crew ; but she got off at last and
was just passing the guardship when one of her crew turned
on all the electric lights. This led to a challenge from the
guardship and to her opening fire, fortunately without effect.
The three steamers carrying troops all reached Enzeli safely
next day.*
The Armenian followed the President Kruger and was hit
by several small shells from the guardship ; but she managed
to get through to Enzeli without loss of life.
A certain amount of material had to be destroyed in Baku
and the animals were handed over to Bicharakoff’s contingent;
but all the personnel and guns were safely brought away,
thanks to the foresight and capacity of General Dunsterville,
Commodore Norris and the officers under them.
Baku had been taken by the Turks without German
assistance. Colonel von der Goltz saysf that till the end of
August the Germans had only a weak mixed brigade at Tiflis ;
and, though reinforcements came by sea from South Russia,
followed by a Bavarian cavalry brigade, great difficulties were
* A fine testimony to the gallantry of the British at Baku is afforded by a
document presented to General Dunsterville at Enzeli in the following terms :
“ We the Committee and crew of the S.S. Kursk have witnessed with
intense admiration the heroic conduct of your brave British soldiers in the
defence of Baku. We have seen them suffering wounds and death bravely
in defence of our town, which our own people were too feeble to defend. It is
wonderful to us that these fine fellows from that distant island in the North
Sea should have come all this way to the Caspian and have given up their lives
there in the cause of honour and glory. We are so much impressed by their
bearing and valour and by the whole episode of the British endeavours to
save Baku from the Turks, that we wish to be at once taken over as a body
and granted British nationality.”
t ‘‘Meine Entsendung nach Baku.”