Page 584 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

4 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GUL? POLITICAL RESIDENCY

1 8cction No. 3M.G. Company.
Detachment Brigade Signalling Section.
2 Sections 169 I. F. A.
Supply Detachment.
The evacuation of the trenches developed into a complete route, Qhazan
far-es-Sultaneh in particular riding without drawing rein 27 miles to Borasjun*
This was the only attempt made by the rebel chiefs of tho maritime region
to withstand troops in the field, although there was a certain amount Cf
sniping at night. The enemy force at Chaghadak was found to have increased
to 600 men, and 29,000 rounds of ammunition were captured. From 8eptem.
ber 29th the period of active military operations opened ; the General Officer
Commanding, Bnshiro Force, assumed political charge of the sphere of opera,
tions, with the Deputy Political Resident as Chief Political Officer, and the
Political staff was gradually strengthened by the deputation from the
Mesopotamian Field Force of the following officers : Major H. C, Pulley
12th Pioneers, who had already been on special duty under the Deputy
Political Resident for three months, Lieutenant-Colonel E. G. Gregson,
C.I.E., and Captain D. M. Fraser, Central India Horse. The Chaghadak Field
Column rapidly developed into the Striking Force, commanded by Brigadier-
Generaf A. M. S. Elsmie, C.M.G., the final composition of which, on Novem­
ber 24th, was as follows:—
Staff—
1 Squadron, 15th Lancers.
1 Section, 23rd Mountain Battery L M. A,
2 Sections 35th
3rd Indian Machine Gun Company.
54th Company Sappers and Miners.
3-55th Coke's Rifles.
1-117th Mahrattas.
l-127th Baluch Light Infantry.
Trench Motor Battery.
The first task of the force was obviously the occupation of the home,
of the rebel chiefs and their replacement by others. Accordingly Chahkutab
was occapied on October 9tb, and Shaikh Abdullah installed in place of
8haikh Hussain, on October loth; Ahram, on October 19th, and Bora^jur.,
on October 23rd. The replacement of Zair Khidhar at Ahram present'd
difficulties owing to the epidemic of influenza then raging, which entirely
presented the engagement of local tufangchis to support the authority of
the new ruler when installed. Eventually the appointment was conferred upon
Hassan Khan, nephew of the last hereditary Khan of Tangistan, and he was
installed, on November 9th; Zair Khidhar, who had meanwhile re-occupied the
place, being dislodged without fighting. Gazanfar-es-Soltaneh, on his paitf
made his submission to the Governor at Ahmadi on October 20th, and pro­
mised to come out and meet the column on its approach to Borasjun. Tue
terms offered him were exile to Kerbela till the end of the European war, when
his case would be reconsidered, and settlement of his revenue acoount with tn®
Persian Government. He professed readiness to accept the terms, h^
absconded by night to the Gisakan Hills, where he had a camp ready
As he persisted in sending evasive answers to letters, his camp was raided
burnt, with his whole reserve of ammunition. This loss disposed of Gha**®^
as an effective enemy, and his relative, Agha Khan, who had been kept -
him in chains for seven years and was released by our troops, was app01®
in his place.
With the occupation of Daliki, on October 30th, the whole of the P^ne
section of the road was satisfactorily held, and cleared of obstacles to
construction of the railway. Meanwhile Zair Khidhar had also been i®. ^
viewed under a safe-oonduct, and offered the same terms as Ghaz&nf*r»
he showed himself disposed to accept, but finally refused, after oonfernuS

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