Page 607 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

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rOR TEE TEAR 1918.
with tho Bardar Tor the institution in Narmashir of an irregular force of ha> y
rain el ry 100 strong, ns a part of tho South Persia Rifles establishment. Vo
British officer being available, ltissaidar Ahmad Yar (30th Jacob s Horse),
one of the Instructors of the Kcrmau Brigade; was detailed w^h the local
rank of Sultan to train the Camelry who were to be collected by Sardar
Muiallal. The force was not intended to he anything more, than a substitute
for the abolished Jambaz sowars, nor to be used for anything but police work
and defence in Bam, Narmashir, Jamal Baiezand possibly Jiruft; but it caused
the greatest consternation among the Bameri and allied border clans, yrho
foresaw a curtailment of the periodic raids into the fat Narmashir and Jiruft
lands by which they “'had profited for so long. As a result Sardar Mujallal,
who bad hoped to secure good fighting material by recruiting among the Bame
border Balucli who had formerly been in receint of Jambaz pay, found it
impossible for himself and Ahmad Yar to keep Co force together ; 70 of the
100 originally recruited deserted iu April, 40 of whom under their officer,
Mir Muhammad Taqi, at once reverted to their former predatory habits. In
May Ahmad Yar, who had made his headquarters at Burj-i-Muhammad (8
miles South-East of Fahrch in Narmashir), was in an awkward position with
only 25-30 men aud no support nearer than Kerman, 170 miles distant.
Luckily a small composite detachment under Captain Kreyer, Officer Command­
ing Delianeh Baglii, happened to arrive in the distiictat the end of May escort­
ing a caravan carrying specie for the Imperial Bank of Persia from Birjand to
Kerman; acting under orders from Kerman, Captain Kreyer after handing
the specie over to the Bam authorities marched against Mir Muhammad Taqi,
whom he found with 40 men at Kasimabad, 20 miles South-East of Fahreh. In
the ensuing engagement Muhammad Taqi and three others were killed, the rest
escaping. After this the prospects of the Camelry brightened, and their
numbers leached 00 or more. Unfortunately, however, on Sth October Ris-
saidar Ahmad Yar was shot in the bazaar at Bam in broad daylight by Yar
Muhammad Khan, son of the Bameri Sardar.
The murder of one who had borne himself well and had been respected
throughout Bam and Narmashir caused much local indignation. The Baluch,
who were in Pam district in some numbers, left it hurriedly fearing reprisals,
and concentrated under Yar Muhammad in Narmashir. The situation was
eased, however, by the arrival at Bam on 16th October under the command of
Captain Coffey of a detachment of South Persia Rifles Infantry which had
already been under orders for Narmashir (cute under “ Road Construction **
below). Captain Coffey found Narmashir quiet and the Baluch fled.
Arrangements had at once been made through the local authorities for get­
ting into touch with the Bameri Sardar and if possible inducing him and Yar
Muhammad to come into Bam or Kerman with a view' to settling the repara­
tion to be paid by the Bameri for the murder. Both Nawab Khan and his
son expressed their readiness to come in under guarantees; but in the in­
fluenza epidemic which shortly afterwards ravaged Narmashir and Persian
Baluchistan Yar Muhammad died and his father w*as taken seriously ill, so
that by the end of the year no further progress had been made in the case.
After the death of Ahmad Yar the Camelry deteriorated, and their numbers
were further greatly reduced by influenza. Early in January , the Officer
Commanding Kerman Brigade proposed that the Camelry should be disbanded
and this was sanctioned. As, however, Bam and Narmashir had been free
from Baluch lawlessness and incursions since the arrival of the South Persia
Rifles detachment and as the local Persian authorities made ^strong representa-
district fo *th retenti^n 0n tllis account> has teen decided to keep it in the
Condition of roads.—Thanks to the organization by the South Persia
Btndar Abbas-Kcruian routes. ^ Bandar Abb88-Tarnnr\-
Saidabad road as a military Line of Com-
^ *?eP]l0ne and regular escorts, the two easterly
bv w ad und Jlru£t re8De°Uvely, were practically unmolested
by the Baharlu throughout the year. The Baluch on their side do not
prey on caravan traffio to any great extent. On the Saidabad road itself