Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎30v] (60/544)

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Brigade would be necessary, and if so, Marling should issue
instructions to Sykes to carry it out. The Commander-in-Chief
pressed for precise orders on the subject of control of these
operations, as the existing duality would certainly result in
inefficiency.
The Chairman regarded these telegrams as very disheartening,
Sir P. Sykes apparently even contemplated disbanding the South
Persia Pities The Chairman gathered that, as regards military
action, the Commander-in-Chief in India proposed to divert to
Bushire certain Indian troops now on their way to Egypt; and that
the War Office dissented from this proposal. The Commander-in-
Chief, India, further seemed to contemplate sending half a battalion
to Bandar Abbas and two battalions to Bushire with other troops,
with a view to operations in the hinterland, when the season should
admit.
General Radcliffe thought that the two battalions the Com
mander-in-Chief, India, proposed to send to Bushire must he the
two he was diverting from the reinforcements he was sending to
Egypt.
Mr. Montagu enquired if they were to understand that the two
battalions that Sir P. Sykes had asked for were not to be sent to him.
The Chairman pointed out that the diversion of the two
battalions had not been actually countermanded by the War Office,
who had merely suggested that their diversion was inadvisable.
General Radcliffe said that the view of the War Office was that
it might be desirable to move Sir P. Sykes to Ispahan to endeavour
to organise the Bakhtiari tribe.
The Chairman said that this proposal had been before the
Committee some time previously, when it had been rejected. It
would mean I hat Sykes would be further from the coast than he was
at present, and the result would probably only be to plunge us into
a new sea of troubles.
Mr. Montagu pointed out that if Sir P. Sykes had to wait two
months before reinforcements would start from India the Kawam
and others might side against him.
General Smuts thought that the Committee took too grave a
view of the situation. All the reinforcements that Sir P. Sykes
considered necessary were two battalions and a mountain battery.
He had, it appeared, suggested two propositions : (a) that two
battalions and a mountain battery should be sent to him from
Bandar Abbas ; (b) that 6,000 men should be sent to him from
Bushire. He did not think that Sykes was in any immediate
danger. He had about 2,000 regular troops, who were well
provisioned for tw r o months. General Smuts suggested for the
consideration of the Committee: (1) that two battalions and a
battery or a section of mountain artillery should be diverted from
Bushire to Bandar Abbas ; (2) that, as there was evidently con
siderable disagreement between Sykes and Marling, Sykes should
be placed under the direct orders of the Commander-in-Chief in
India ; (.”>) that Sykes should be given full discretion to disband
the South Persia Rifle Brigade at Ears.
General Radcliffe agreed.
The Chairman confessed that he was rather staggered at the
idea of disbanding even one brigade of the South Persia Rifles.
General Smuts pointed out that Sir P. Sykes had already given
them the option of continuing their service until the end of the
w T ar, with a bonus in prospect.
Mr. Montagu said that he would like to see the South Persia Rifles
withdrawn from South Persia, and. an alliance conducted on new
conditions with the Persian Government. In his opinion, to send a
small force like two battalions to the support of Sykes would only
make matters worse.
General Smuts considered that before there was any question of
withdrawal the situation must first be stabilised. We were in rather