For some time past many friends have been at some pains to impress upon me that, having had so many adventures in so many queer places, and having now come out of them alive and, if a bit knocked about, yet "still kicking," I ought to write down some account of my experiences, as they might prove of interest to many people who have had no knowledge of the kind of life which it has for the last few years been my lot to lead.
I therefore start by relating here that portion of my adventures which took place subsequent to the spring of 19181 when I went East once more after many years in other parts of the world.
Knowing nothing of how such a story ought to be written, I hope my readers will bear with my inexperience of "writing," in consideration of the variety of experiences of other kinds which this book endeavours to put before them. Political questions have been avoided wherever possible, and only introduced where some knowledge of the actual "' conditions obtaining at the time becomes necessary to enable the reader to appreciate the incidents related. I am anxious to express my very grateful thanks to my late Commanders, Major-General Dunsterville, General ...
Contents
Author's Preface / v Gbnkral Introduction / vii
Part I The "Hush-Hush" Army (May to November, 1918)
With Introduction By Major-General L. C. Dunsterville, C.B., C.S.I., General Officer Commanding Dunsterforce, 1918
Chapter I Eastward Bound to the Tigris The War Office -The Fourth Army Headquarters before Amiens -The "fast" convoy-Submarine attack-Malta-Alexandria - Cairo-The Australian Cavalry - Suez-The Red Sea Aden - Captain Cockman - Muscat - The Straits of Ormuz - The mouth of the Euphrates / 5-23
Chapter II Mesopotamia, the Land of the Rivers The great Euphrates River-German obstruction of navigation Bussrah - The port and its growth - The I.G.C.-Reflections on past prosperity and present prospects of the country - The river steamer - The rivers - Their transport value and difficulties - Troops' accommodation-The junction of Tigris and Euphrates-The Garden of Eden-Ezra's Tomb - Amora Loss of a man overboard - The desert Arabs and their camps - Their horses-Distant mountains of Persia - Kut - River windings - Report G. H.Q.-Bagdad-Orders to leave at night-Hospital-Convalescent home-Commander-in-Chief's house-Town and bazaars of Bagdad - Army Boxing Final -Departure by Decauville Railway / 24-40
Chapter III Persia: The Road and the Famine Railhead camp at Ruz -The Foot - hills - Khanikin-A.S.C. post - Entry to the mountains-The Tek - i - Gehri Pass, Ascent of Convalescent camp-Dinner on edge of precipice-The upland country - Brigand - infested country round Kirmanshah - Camp at Kirmanshah - The convoy - The Rock of Bisidun - Darius cuneiform inscription - Modern lorries and ancient bridges Bivouac in the open - The Asadabad Pass-Oil deposits Russian preparations for defence - Hamadan - Famine horrors-Relief work-Persian gun-fire-Biblical scenes the site of the Book of Esther-Ancient Ecbatana of Herodotus, Alexander the Great, Ruth, and Boaz to-day-Burning of the petrol dump - Road to Kasvin - G.H.Q. Hush-Hush Army-Billet-Ordered to relieve Armenians surrounded 300 mites west - Build armoured car - Jungalis-Battle of Menjit - Ordered to command convoy to force the passes to Caspian Sea / 41-62
Chapter IV The Caspian Sba - Advance to, Reliep of, And Sieg of Baku the convoy - the upper pass -Through the Jungalis in the lower pass - The sea at last - Kazian, the end of the road-Sickness - An oil tank as a transport-Bad weather-Bolshevik gunboat - Baku Harbour-The city-Preceding events-Services lent to Caspian Republic-The Government appoint me Controller of Ordnance-Difficulties-The arsenals, armament, and ammunition-The Armenians-Project to cut Turk communications-Constant attacks-Decide to with draw Government refuses to consent-Prospects of capture - Plan to blow up ammunition - Turks hesitate-Resistance continued - I acquire a German flat-The end approaches / 63-86
Chapter V Evacuation: The Steamer "Armenian" Enemy shelling-Work of the Armenian-Preparations for raid on enemy communications - Turk deserter's information the final attack - Preparations for evacuation - State of the quays -Guarding the arsenal pier-I traverse the quays to obtain reinforcements - Our H.Q. sentries -Permission to shift for myself - arrangement of signal - The Commissaire - His treatmcnt - e -Getting the breech-blocks-Massacre by Tartars-Withdrawal of our last pickets-The Turks in the town - Withdraw my guard from pier - Another Commissaire - The Armenian casts off - The hospital ship passes - The anchor is lost - Find and speak the Kruger at last-Follow her out -Trouble on board - Challenged by the guardships They open fire-Trouble with the captain -Trouble with the crew - At sea-Triumphal entry into port-The Chief's congratulations / 87-rn6
Chapter VI Homeward Round--The Armistice The cargo of the Armenian - Kasvîn - Journey to Bagdad - The order of the day-Journey to Bussrah - To Suez-To Taranto - Paris on Armistice Day - Fourth Army Headquarters - London / 107-118
Part II Intelligence in Transcaucasia (February to August, 1919) With Introduction by General Sir G. Milne, G.C.M.G., Etc., Commander - in-Chief, Army of Black Sba
Chapter I "Rast Again" - Salonika, Constant, and Batoum Rationing at home - Meet Sir G. Milne - Appointed Special Service "Intelligence" Officer to G.H.Q., Constantinople - Morris left in England-Railway journey during French demobilisation - Rome - Rest camp at Taranto - Grecian Archipelago - Mount Athos - Salonika- Kit lost-Journey from Salonika to Constant - Catalja Lines-Constantinople - Palace of Constantine - Old Stamboul - Galata - The Grande Rue of Pera - St. Sophia-Adrian's Roman Wall Carnival in Pera - Down the Bosphorus -Varna - Samsun - A mine at sea - Batoum / 123-139
Chapter II The Caucasus - Afthr The Armistice The Czar's Imperial train - Party on board - Journey to Tiflis Georgia and its capital-British Advanced Head quarters My duties and establishment - The Azerbaijan frontier - Tartar brigands-Conditions in Tiflis - The main chain of the Caucasus -The Georgian Road - Queen Tamara's summer palace - The Russo-Georgian frontier - Russian brigands-The Ingoush tribe - Orders to equip a train and go to Kars - Snowed up - Conditions at Kars-Escape from Kars-Report to Commander - in - Chief at Batoum-Further orders / 140-162
Chapter III Eastern Anatolia - Trebjzond And Erzeroum Orders - Appointment with Commander - in - Chief at Kars-Leave Tiflis-The Advent of "George "- The Rion Valley - Batoum again - Landing at Trebizond The Zigana Pass - The Kharshut Valley - The Vavok Pass - Baiburt-The Khop Pass Bivouac in snow-The Upper Euphrates -Erzeroum - The Kars Road - The Russo - Turkish frontier - The Saganli Mountains - Kars again - Return to Erzcroum - The fortress town - Kiazim Karabekir - Difliculties -"George" and the camel-Reinforcement reaches Trebizond / 163-183
Chapter IV The Russo-Turkish Frontier-Trouble Brewing Visit from General Beach-Interview, with Kiazim Karabekir Pasha - Plans for repair of railway -Our supplies looted. Start for Trebizond - Beautiful camp - Our rein for cements Hidden guns discovered - Return to Erzerourn "sick" - Our party augmented - Plans for removing armament - Arrival of Mustapha Kemal - Reports of trouble on frontier - Joined by Russian officers, also American naval officer and others Leave for the frontier - Railway blocked - Night journey on a trolley-Armenian Generals at Kars-Leave for the South Hussein, the Kurdish Mountain Chief -The race down the pass / 184-205
Chapter V The Russo - Turkish Frontier - Kurds And Armenians Cross the Aras - Reception at Khagizman - The town - The general situation-Omar Aga, the Kurdish brigand - Interview - We run out of petrol - Return to Zivin - Position in Olti District -Camp in the Olti Hills - Eyeeb Pasha - His troops - Moslem refugees - Robbers punishment -Machinegun practice - Kurdish national game - Kurds going into action - Our car attacked and corporal shot-Return again to Zivin / 206 - 224
Chapter VI The Turkish Armistice a Fiasco - Foundation of The Nation. List Party Arrangements for evacuation of Turkish armament-Rumours of Erzeroum Conference - s -Turks refuse consent - Proceed to Erzeroum - Cable Commander - in - Chief, Constant - Cable Tiflis re Armenian atrocities on Moslems - Meet Commission appointed to investigate - Taken prisoner by Kurds - The armament is stolen - Commander - in -Chief's cable order to evacuate my men from Turkey - Proceed to Erzeroum Interview with Kiazim and Mustapha Kemal - Result of Conference - The Nationalist Pact - Halt at Sarikamish Ordered to Constant-Tiflis and Batoum - An American destroyer - Report to Commander - in - Chief-Orders for home - Dinner at Therapia - The Turkish train - Roumania and Bucarest - Journey to Trieste, Paris, and London / 225-243
Part III In Kemalist Turkey (October, 1919, To November, 1922) With Introduction by Lieut - Gen. Sir Charles Harington, G.B.E., K.C.B., Etc., Commander-In-Chief, Alied Forces in the Near East
Chapter I London And Constantinople Interview with Sir Henry Wilson - Interview with Lord Curzon Reception of my reports-My instructions-Journey via Paris and Rome to Taranto-Embark on a hospital ship - Call at Salonika - Passage of the Dardanelles-Orders to fit out a new party at Constant-"A" mess -Organisation of my Mission - Their training - Adrian's Aqueduct - The Forest of Belgrade -General Sir Tom Bridges - General Sir Henry Wilson-Admiral Webb-Admiral de Robeck - Dinner on the Iron Duke - Fox - hunting - Golf - A fire - ship in the Bosphorus - Loading mules on the transport-Sail for Trebizond - Landing in Anatolia / 249-264
Chapter II Anatolia in Winter Trebizond in winter - Camp at Hamsikeui - The Zigana Pass - Our house at Gumush Khaneh -Visit of Greek Bishop - The Vavok Pass - Persian travellers - My men exhausted - Bivouac in the snow - Reach Baiburt - Start for the Khop - Our Turk mountaineers - Their Chief and their oxen - The climb Ankers good work - Bivouac on the summit - Christmas night - Sunrise amongst the peaks - Casualties on the road - Reach Erzeroum / 265-281
Chapter III Erzeroum in 1920 Our house - The Army Commander - His orphan military school - The climate - The food - The wolves - I send some of my party in sledges to the coast - Our arrest - Destroy my papers -Surrounded by a mob - Play chess-Turk preparation for a military offensive - Kiazim Pasha leaves for the front - He is succeeded by Kiazim Bey - Teach the men Morse signalling Make and plant a garden - Peace terms are announced - Our cars are taken-Our officer is withdrawn - Our guards steal our food-We become ill and weak-Our Irish driver joins the Turks - Our Christmas festivities-We receive a box from the Americans at Trebizond-We are removed to the prison / 282-305
Chapter IV The Prison Some reflections - Armenian prisoners - The building - The new Commander - Our fellow -prisoners - The Armenian officers - Salah-a-din - A letter - My answer - Outside assistance Another letter - The surprise - The search - Its result Deprived of all literature - Salah-a-din's kindness-His books - Rumours of exchange - Visit of Headquarters Staff Officer - Order for our march to the coast-Our preparations - Lieutenant Hairie - Our lack of resources - Obtain credit from the "job master" - Our departure - Ilija - "George's" lameness-The hovel at Pernikapan -The Khop - Baiburt Khadrak - Gumush Khan eh - Zigana Khan - The pass - Hamsikeui-Trebizond - Our good treatment there / 306-326
Chapter V Prison Again The Fort at Trebizond-Good treatment-We are told we are to return to prison-Our officer's offer to send a letter to Constant- My dispatch - Our departure - Americans at Gumush Khaneh -Erzeroum Prison again - Kindness of the officer commanding the prison-My accounts and precautions - We are searched for money - Prince Toumanoff and his family - My model house - My dictionary - Permission to sit in the prison yard - s - The Bulgarian officer - The letter in a cigarette - Sketch of ancient mosque - Moonlight music Visit from Nouri Pasha - Otlwr visits -Ordered to the coast - Fighting on the Khop - "George's" speech - Billet at Trebizond - Maman - Colonel Baird arrives - We are taken on board H.M.S. Somme / 327-353
Chapter VI Exchange and Home Turks return my papers and box - Arrangements for exchange-British expect to receive 140 prisoners - Three only are forthcoming besides ourselves - I board the cruiser-The High Commissioner cables authority to exchange - Constantinople once more - Colonel and Mrs. Gribbon's hospitality - Admiral Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt - His imitation - The Chief-Our interview -Dinner with Embassy Staff - Accumulated correspondence - The men arc entertained at the Embassy Luncheon with Sir Charles and Lady Harington - Chief's cable to War Office - Reasons for refusal to see reporters Sail for Malta in the Centaur - The Achi Baba position in the Gallipoli Peninsula - Full - speed trial of Centaur - Malta Lord and Lady Plumer's kindness-The Palace at Valetta The castle - Cable from General Harington - Dinner with Sir John de Robeck -The Somme takes us to Naples Entertain our liberators - "George's" railway tragedy Paris - "George" rejoins - Arrive in London - Recommendation of men-Sir Henry Wilson-Collapse -Medical board's recommendations - New regulations - Visit to South of France-His Majesty receives our party at Buckingham Palace-Interviews with Lord Curzon at Foreign Office - Demobilisation-Pensions / 354-377
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
For some time past many friends have been at some pains to impress upon me that, having had so many adventures in so many queer places, and having now come out of them alive and, if a bit knocked about, yet "still kicking," I ought to write down some account of my experiences, as they might prove of interest to many people who have had no knowledge of the kind of life which it has for the last few years been my lot to lead.
I therefore start by relating here that portion of my adventures which took place subsequent to the spring of 19181 when I went East once more after many years in other parts of the world.
Knowing nothing of how such a story ought to be written, I hope my readers will bear with my inexperience of "writing," in consideration of the variety of experiences of other kinds which this book endeavours to put before them.
Political questions have been avoided wherever possible, and only introduced where some knowledge of the actual "' conditions obtaining at the time becomes necessary to enable the reader to appreciate the incidents related.
I am anxious to express my very grateful thanks to my late Commanders, Major-General Dunsterville, General Sir George Milne, and Lieut.-General Sir Charles Harington, for their uniform kindness to me at all times, and particularly for the great honour they have done me in contributing the introductions to the various parts of this book, of which they have each such special knowledge, and I am more than satistied if, when serving under them, I have been able to carry out their orders in a manner which has met with their approval.
My thanks are doubly due to my old friend and chief, Admiral Sir Percy Scott, both for his general introduction to this book and for his great kindness to me on many other occasions.
A. Rawlinson
London January 15, 1923.
General Introduction By Admiral Sir Percy Scott, Bart., K.C.B., K.C.V.O., LL.D.
I FIRST met the author of this book at the Admiralty early in 1915. I had then just been given the task of defending London against attacks from the air, and Mr. (now Lord) Balfour informed me that, while presenting me with this appointment, he could not give me the means necessary to protect London. It did not sound a very nice job, but in war-time one has to take anything.
Although I had never met Toby Rawlinson before, I was acquainted with part of his career. I knew that he had been in the Seventeenth Lancers and had played polo for England on many occasions, and that he gave up a soldier's life to let his mechanical knowledge make a fortune for him in the early days of motor-car racing.
This exciting amusement did not appear to off er Rawlinson sufficient chances to break his neck; flying was more dangerous, so he took to that new pastime, and his International Pilot's Ccrtifi.catc was the third one issued. He represented the British Aero Club at the earliest International meetings on the Continent, and he and Rolls were considered the most daring of fliers; they both crashed at the International races at Bournemouth in July, 1910. Rolls was killed, but Rawlinson recovered. He then went back into business, but gave it up on the outbreak of war, and in August, 19141 put himself, his motor-car, and his machine-guns at the disposal of General Headquarters in France as a volunteer. From that time the tale of his adventures, until I had the pleasure of meeting him, would fi.ll a big book. Eventually he got blown up, and ought to have been killed, but he was not.
Knowing much about the character and ability of Toby ...
A. Rawlinson
Adventures in the Near East
Andrew Melrose
Andrew Melrose Adventures in the Near East 1918-1922 By A. Rawlinson, C.M.G., C.B.E., D.S.O. Latr Lt.-Col. R.G.A., And Commander R.N.V.R.
In Three Parts With Introductions by Major-General L. C. Dunsterville, C.B., C.S.I. General Sir G. Milne, G.C.M.G. Lieut.-General Sir Charles Harington, G.B.E., , -. K.C.B., D.S.O.
And A General Introduction by Admiral Sir Percy Scott, Bart. K.C.B., K.C.V.O., Lj;,.D.
