ملف ٢٢٩٧/ ١٩١٩ "تقارير شهرية للمقيمية البريطانية في الخليج الفارسي. ١٩١٢-١٩٢٠." [ظ‎‎٣‎١] (١٠٤٤/٦٧)

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4
Khan left for Ahram, picking up on the way 40 tufangchis, lent to him by Ahmed
Khan of Angali. After some hesitation he entered Ahmar without any opposition
from Zair Khidhar who was still in the gardens, in the outskirts.
i
On the night of the 18th July Shaikh Hussein made an attempt to capture
Chahkutah, but failed and remained in a garden near Tul Ashki.
His Excellency Darya Begi tried to organize the tufangchis of the local Khans
to attack Shaikh Hussein, but found it impossible without regular troops and there
fore asked for the co-operation of the South Persia Rifles, and (if possible) of the
Flight of Royal Air Force. Arrangements were made for this co-operation and the
South Persia Rifles arranged that the Borazjun Detachment, reinforced from Kase-
run under the command of Captain Munn, Officer Commanding 1st Regiment,
should come to the assistance of the Darya Begi. While the reinforcements were
coming from Kazerun, Captain Munn came to Bushire on the 20th to consult the
Deputy Political Resident to make final arrangements. The Darya Begi having
left for Ahmedi early on Wednesday, July 21st, it was decided that Captain Munn
should go out and suggest to His Excellency that his party should make a night
march from Borazjun and that a combined attack should be made on Shaikh
Hussein early on the 22nd. This was arranged and the column of South Persia
Rifles consisting of 100 Infantry and 50 Cavalry and one Austrian Mountain Gun,
left Borazjun on the night of July 21st-22nd, and attacked Shaikh Hussein at dawn.
The attack was completely successful, and reflects much credit on the Officer Com
manding and all concerned. Shaikh Hussein was killed, and his son was severely
wounded and has since succumbed. The enemy casualties were comparatively
k eaV y—over 20 reported killed or died of wounds during the flight, and several
wounded. The South Persia Rifles’ casualties were 13 in all. Of these, 4 were
killed in the aclion, and 9 wounded. One of the wounded has since died in hospital.
The attack was made practically by the South Persia Rifles alone as co-opera
tion on the part' of the tufangchis was conspicuous by its absence. The only
Khan noticeably useful was Abbas Quli Khan of Ahmedi, who had 12 men with
him. An aeroplane went about in the early morning, 22nd July, but failed to observe
| ^he enemy owing to low visibility due to dust haze, and to the fact that Shaikh
! Hussein had made trenches with head cover (!).
On the 21st July a report was received from the Intelligence Officer that a
dhow carrying arms had left Koweit the afternoon before with 60 rifles and 30 boxes
of ammunition on board, bound for the coast between Halileh and Dilwar. The
Director of Customs was informed, and was asked if he could kindly send a Customs
launch out to try and intercept it. The launch was sent out, and observed a dhow
anchored near Halileh which was suspected of being the one concerned. On
approaching it, the crew hoisted the anchor and put out to sea. The launch, however,
intercepted the dhow, and as it approached, the crew of the latter were seen to be
throwing articles which appeared to be the arms, etc., overboard. On boarding
the dhow several rifle butts were found and it was proved that the dhow was the one
“ wanted ”. The position was buoyed with a view to the employment of divers.
This has since been done but without success, as the bottom at that point is mud
and the arms have sunk in it.
Hussein Khan, who had been appointed Zabit of Dashti, by Salar Nasrat
the Deputy Governor, occupied Khormuj. The fort was handed over to him by
Zair Abdullah without any trouble. The latter has departed to Faqih Husseinu.
Rais Abdul Hasan of Sana who had been engaged in desultory firing round
Khormuj the week before, on the news of the death of Shaikh Hussein and the
approach of Hussein Khan, made himself scarce.
Zair Khidhar on hearing from Ahmed Khan of Angali a rumour that if he
remains in the neighbourhood of Ahram, the South Persia Rifles would pay him
a visit, wrote in a very chastened tone a reply saying that he had no wish to re-instal
himself at Ahram ; he is believed to have gone back to Khawiz.
Bunder Abbas.
With reference to last month’s report, Mirza Khalil Rais-i-Malieh, returned
from Minab of his own accord on the 17th July. He informed His Majesty’s