File 5257/1919 'Persia: the Military Commission' [‎38v] (81/534)

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r , Tti fpmDorarv detachments where it is not desirable to
the Deputy Governor. In s krar [ s a d ^ y i n Heu of rations, or flour and one kran.
lay in supplies the men iece j a j d i n a t necessary localities beforehand
In the case of c 01 ™ 118 ;. ^PP^l^Xn over by the column. The headman of
Kd^ord^tisP for the total amount and the distribution to the owners
0f ^Rations trefssued^ily one day in advance. Flour ^immediately passed to the
unit baker es other rations to unit kitchens, except in the case of tea and sugar,
which tsi^sued direct to the men. Each unit has its cooks and bakers, one per
Imdron or companv, and one per unit headquarters. Each company or squadron
has a set of field cooking pots in addition to permanent unit kitchens.
Men are given two meals a day. Nahar about noon and dinner m the evening.
Individuals arrange for their own morning tea. Most units have a small cofiee shop
where tea can be had on payment. In small stationary detachments the men make
their own arrangements for cooking. + +
Forage is issued to units for several days at a time according to their storage
P 2 ^ Cost. The present annual cost of the South Persia Rifles is about
35 000 000 krans, based on the average of the first seven months of 1919. The whole
cost of the South Persia Rifles is borne by the British Government.
(ii.) The Cossack Division.
26 General .—This division has grown from a single regiment of 500 raised by
Russian officers in 1879 to its present size. The force, though paid for by the Persian
Government, is regarded by the Russians as a Russian force with which to maintain
their hold and influence over Persia. Russian officers are appointed without
reference to the Persian Government, nor are any accounts rendered by the chief of
the force to that Government.
The present strength of the force amounts to—
56 Russian officers.
66 Russian N.C.Os.
202 Persian officers.
7,856 Persian ranks.
3,141 horses.
8,058
27. Organisation .—The division consists of a headquarters and, at present,
nine otryads or detachments. It is commanded by a Russian officer with a Russian
general staff officer to assist him. The headquarters staff is divided into an executive
and an administrative branch, each composed of both Russian and Persian personnel.
The otryads are mixed forces of all arms, called after the localities in which
they are stationed. They vary in strength from a battalion, a cavalry regiment and
twelve guns to a company, a squadron and machine guns. The strength and location
of otryads vary from time to time and the needs of the situation. The present nine
otryads are named after Tehran, Tabriz, Ispahan, Meshed, Hamadan, Gilan, Ardebil,
Mazanderan and Urumia. The Ispahan otryad isi now located at Burujird, the
Meshed one at Astrabad and the Mazanderan otryad at Bander Gaz. In units the
otryads total 28 infantry companies, 17 squadrons, 20 guns and 28 machine guns.
he artillery is formed in four-gun batteries or two-gun sections, the machine guns
m sections of two guns each.
28. Equvprnent. The majority of the rifles in the division are of Russian
w* € n n S , U PP le ^r ? 1 .? 11 arms factories in Russia, There are also some charger loading
Winchesters Of the machine guns ten are German pattern, four Russian and fbur-
*" e Colts - The reserves of small arm ammunition are reported to be low. The
or-7 ^ re P ar f e < ^ aa d P ar % mountain, some of Russian pattern and some
Schneiders. Gun ammunition reserves are also said to be low.
the equipment is either made in the division workshops or bought locally.
Sproxlma in^o thft ^fh ta p ed The clothin S consists o? a uniform
22 per head per annum being provided in the budget for its upkeep.
but recently a certain number of “ faujes ” have been allotted tfthfdTviion S the
undeTthfiftte^svstem fiitTh“ bonlche ” s y? fce ™-. Good material is obtainable
found to nr<Mnoo y d Zff 6 ^ me c th ° d ° f ad , mln istering that system has been
ound to produce difficulties m the way of getting the best men. There is a system