Abstract: This file contains material relating to the South Persia Rifles, southern Persia [Iran], the Bakhtiari [Bakhtiyari] Tribe and the oil fields developed by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC). It includes:A table showing the disposition of troops in southern Persia in December 1917The capture of an incriminating letter addressed to Mukhbir Us Sulteneh [Mahdi Quli Khan Hidayat Mukhbir al-Saltanah]The outbreak of clashes between the nomadic tribes of southern Persia and the South Persia RiflesThe call by Soulat [Isma’il Khan Sawlat al-Dawlah Qashqa’i], Ilkhani of the Kashgai [Qashqa'i] Tribe, for a jehad [jihad] against foreign forces in Persia [The Ilkhani being the Paramount Chief of the tribe]The loss of the post at Khaneh Zinian [Khan-i Zaniyan] to the Kashgais led by SoulatThe logistics required for extending the right flank of the Allied forces in Mesopotamia [Iraq] to the Caspian SeaThe reinforcement of the forces under Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes via Bandar Abbas and Bushire [Bushehr]The placement of Sykes under the command of General Charles Monro, Commander-in-Chief, IndiaThe departure of the German agent Wilhelm Wassmuss towards Khaneh ZinianThe general expression of ‘nationalist resentment’ at the presence of British forces in Central PersiaThe offer of the Persian Admiral, Mirza Ahmad Khan Tangistani Daryabegi, to collaborate against SoulatThe declaration by Habib Allah Khan Qavam al-Mulk Shirazi of his support for the Governor of Fars, Abd al-Husayn Mirza Farmanfarma, and his readiness to defend Shiraz against SoulatThe clashes between the Kalantar of Kazerun, Nasir Divan Kazeruni, and British forces outside ShirazAn offer of assistance from the Kalantar of the Kashkuli Tribe, Muhammad ‘Ali Khan KashkuliThe lack of co-operation between the British Minister at Tehran, Charles Marling, and Sir Percy SykesThe placement of all British troops in southern Persia under the command of an officer with the rank of Brigadier-GeneralA joint letter from the khans of Borasjun [Borazjan], Tangistan and Chakutah [Chahkootah] to the Political Resident at Bushire to enquire about the objectives of the recently-arrived British regimentsThe possibility of installing Mirza Hasan Khan Vusugh (Vusugh al-Dawlah) as Prime Minister, following the Italian victory at the Second Battle of Piave River, and the suspension of German operations against FranceThe recommendation of Brigadier-General George Younghusband to surround oilfields with ‘barbed wire fence with electric light standards and ring of sentries like prisoners of war camp’The willingness of the Ilkhani of the Bakhtiyari to ‘maintain order’ in the oilfields of southern PersiaThe siege of Indian Army troops at Abadeh by the Kashgai and the desertion of all South Persia RiflesThe mobilisation of Mirza Kuchak Khan's Jangali Movement to seize control of RashtA quarrel between the German agent, Wassmuss and the Ilkhani of the Kashgai, SoulatThe defection of the Kashgai chiefs ‘Ali Khan Qashqa’i Salar-i Hishmat and Ahmad Khan Qashqa’i Sardar-i IhtishamThe order from Khusraw Khan Bakhtiyari Sardar-i Zafar to Yusuf Khan Bakhtiyari Amir Mujahid to relieve the siege of Abadeh, and prevent Murtaza Quli Khan Samsam from joining the KashgaisThe pursuit by Sardar-i Ihtisham, Muhammad ‘Ali Khan Kashkuli, and Qavam al-Mulk Shirazi of Soulat and his band of followers and the retreat of Nasir Divan Kazeruni to KazerunA request from Soulat to Ayoz Kika [Haj Iyaz Khan Shakiri Qashqa’i] for reinforcementsThe arrest of Baha Us Sultan [Baha’ al-Sultan Shirazi], a leading democrat [i.e. of the Hizb-i Democrat-i Fars]The deployment of Sultan Kazem Khan [Sultan Kazim Khan Shamlu’s] Darrahshuri tribal forces to AbadehThe preference of Vusugh al-Dawlah for Swedish officers to lead the national police in PersiaA rumour about the presence of the German agent Oskar von Niedermeyer in Bakhtiyari CountryThe encirclement, by Soulat, of Sardar-i Ihtisham and the South Persia Rifles at FiruzabadThe relief of Sardar-i Ihtisham and the South Persia Rifles by Colonel Ernest Frederick OrtonThe death of Muhammad ‘Ali Khan Kashkuli at Shiraz on 20 October 1918The handover of the South Persia Rifles by Sir Percy Sykes to Colonel Orton and the former's arrival at DelhiThe refusal by Wassmuss to surrender to British forces, and his rejection of an offer of repatriationThe readiness of the Persian Government to co-operate in the arrest and deportation of WassmussA proposal by Colonel Orton of the South Persia Rifles for the organisation of a national Persian Army.Physical description: The foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 405; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-389.
Abstract: The papers in this file relate to the Eastern Persia Cordon.The papers include: the telegram from the British Consul in Sistan on road-making (18 October 1918); The number of British officers in the Sistan and Khorasan Levy Corps (29 October 1918); the possibility of recruiting Hazara men for the Sistan Levy Corps (2 November 1918); the transfer of 100 men from the Sistan Levy Corps to the Khorasan Levy Corps (18 November 1918); the decision to halt and redeploy the six squadrons en route to Meshed [Mashhad] (8 November 1918); the original purpose of the East Persia Cordon and Turkey's 'secession' from the War (8 November 1918); the monthly report on the number of officers and men in the Khorasan Levy Corps (8 December 1918); a telegram from Sir Percy Cox on the Government of India's decision to take control of, and the Government of Persia's claim of ownership over the Sistan-Mashhad Telegraph Line (27 January 1919); the placement of all troops up to Mashhad (except those of General Wilfrid Malleson) under the command of the General Officer Commanding, 4th (Quetta) Division (23 September 1918); the Secretary of State for India's approval for the extension of the railway to Karegi Narwar (21 August 1918); the approval for the formation of an (Indian) Ford Motor Van Company in Sistan (7 June 1918); the plan for the maintenance of the extended British Cordon from Birjand to Mashhad (7 June 1918); the General Officer Commanding, Sistan, Birjand on the disposition of the Sistan Force (2 March 1918); a telegram from Sir Charles Marling on the death of a Russian merchant (20 April 1918); the departure of 1 Squadron Cavalry from Birjand and a clash with certain Baharlu 'raiders', the raids carried out by Isma’il Khan Qashqa’i, Sawlat al-Dawla and his followers in the environs of Lar, because of tensions between Sawlat and Habib Allah Khan Qavam al-Mulk Shirazi (2 March 1918); the departure of the Cossacks from Mashhad, arrival of British troops at Turbat-i Haydari, and confirmation of the existence of telephone communications as far as the latter location (1 March 1918); a telegram by Marling on the sanitary cordon between Kariz and Turbat-i Haydari (25 February 1918); the punitive measures taken against the tribesmen in Fars and the coastal districts of Persia, withdrawal of the regular garrison from Bandar ‘Abbas and its takeover by the South Persia Rifles, construction of the Bandar ‘Abbas-Kerman road, and the strength of the Sistan Levy Corps (14 February 1918); the appointment of Lieutenant-Colonel G A Dale to the temporary rank of Brigadier-General (14 January 1918); the supply of sixty Ford vans from Egypt to Bombay for service in East Persia (21 January 1918); and a 'Note Regarding Eastern Persia' by R H Headley (25 December 1917).Physical description: The foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 38; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present between ff 16-34; these numbers are written in coloured crayon.