"تقرير الإدارة عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج الفارسي للأعوام ١٩١٥-١٩١٩" [و‎‎٤‎٣] (٣٩٦/٩٢)

FOR THE YEAR 1916.
7
October. Directly after his arrival the Governor-General took over the prison
ers of whom there were 18 officers, mostly Germans, about 30 rank and file,
mostly Austrians, 8 Turks and about a dozen Indians, including Sufi
Amba Pershad, the notorious seditionist.
After the arrival of the Governor-General and the British Consul steps
were taken to try and unravel the tangle into which the affairs of the Gendar
merie had fallen. The Imperial Bank of Persia and Telegraph Office were
re-opened and affairs in Shiraz soon became to all appearances almost
normal.
Various suggestions for getting away the prisoners were made, but it was
not possible to send them down to Bushire on account of the hostile Khans.
On the 11th November Brigadier-General Sykes w r itli his column, consist
ing of one section Indian Mountain Artillery, one Squadron Cavalry, the
Head-quarters wing of the 1st Battalion 124th Baluchistan Infantry and the
Head-quarters and certain number of South Persia Eifles, arrived at Shiraz
from Ispahan.
General Sykes took over the majority of the Gendarmerie left in Shiraz
and incorporated them in the South Persia Rifles, and the new force seemed
to be making good progress.
On or about the 1st November " Consul " Seller and three other prisoners
effected their escape from the citadel, and arrangements were made to transfer
the custody of the prisoners from the Governor-General to the regular Indian
soldiers of General Sykes' column.
The Governor-General proposed to make a tour with General Sykes about
the end of the year to Kazerun and get the Bushire road question settled.
His Ptoyal Highness had previously sent a special envoy down the road to try
and patch up some arrangements along the road pending His Boyal Highness's
arrival. But the envoy was not able to effect much.
On the 17th December the Nasir-i-Diwan, hereditary Kalantar of Kazerun,
„ .. who had previously made some trouble
Kazerua rismg, ther e w ith the Swedish Gendarmerie,
suddenly rushed the Gendarmerie barracks and captured a gun and some
machine guns there. The Gendarmerie at Kazerun had been taken over by
General Sykes a short time before. Nasir-i-Diwan's men subsequently captured
Mian Kotal and Dashtarjin. A small column was sent out from Shiraz,
taking with it Path-ul-Mulk to be Military Governor of Kazerun. It reoccu-
pied Dastarjin and Mian Kotal caravanserai, and made a reconnaissance
in force towards the Pir-i-Zan pass on the 25th December. The top of the
pass was, however, -held too strongly by Nasir-i-Diwan's men, and the
attempt was abandoned. Captain Wittkugel of the South Persia
Rifles was unfortunately severely wounded and there were a few other
casualties.
Before and after this Nasir-i-Diwan sent pressing messages to the Khans of
Daliki, Borasjun, Chahkutah and Tangistan, (i.e., all the Khans who have been
actively hostile to the British since the beginning of 1915) for assistance.
It is understood that not very much was sent but the end of the year
found the main Bushire-Shiraz road again blocked, but with Kazerun the
chief centre of disturbance instead of Borasjun which had enjoyed that
distinction up to August 1916.
As a result of negotiations between the British, Russian and Persian
South Persia MUitar; Police. Governments it was decided, early in the
year, to raise a lorce ot Military Police
officered by British officers for service in Southern Persia.
Brigadier-General Sir P. M. Sykes, K.C.I.E., C.M.G., was appointed to
command the force. It was decided that he should commence operations at
Bandar Abbas and move from there, as soon as he had sufficient force, to
Kerman.
On the 16th March General Sykes with a certain number of officers
arrived at Bandar Abbas, where he was received by His Excellency the Darya
Begi, Governor of the Gulf Ports and the Deputy Governor. H. M. S.
" Philomel " was also present and supplied a guard of honour and fired
salutes.