1918 – February 26

What comfort in the nice house of the Mc.Murrays – such a sleep and such a rest – The vile weather continues and it snows again. I hear Barttelot had to abandon his cars and ride from Kermanshah, likewise Offley Shore – it is a marvel how I have brought these 40 cars over this 1000 miles of bad road and 7 snow passes without losing one. Now we are permanently blocked with heavy snow on the passes each side of us.

Sent many cables home, but no reply yet. As what I have suggested amounts to a change of policy in Persia, I suppose they have had to have a Cabinet Meeting* about it and that will cause the delay. They want me to go by the Tabriz road** – how little they understand the situation. I should have to be taken prisoner or shot the first day, or take a force big enough to fight. The people we are out to help seem a worthless lot and cannot pull together. The Armenians and Georgians hate each other and the Tartar hates them both. I shall never cease to marvel at our escape from Enzeli – I expect they are now cursing their foolishness in letting us go. Each was trying to get the other to fire the first shot and neither dared, but the Red Guards who arrived from Baku just as I left, would doubtless have done it, and they had us cold. If I had stayed another 24 hours it would have been all up. Thanks be to God! The situation all round is bad, but here, at least, we can put up a fight – I have implored Baghdad and London to send troops, but they take no notice.

* The involvement of the British Government’s Cabinet Office gives some indication as to the significance of this mission.

** The map below shows the location of Tabriz (I couldn’t get it to stop saying Pars Hotel) to demonstrate the alternative route that the War Office in Baghdad wished Dunsterville to take.

1918 – February 8

More snow and more snow. It is awful. Had long talks with Shore, Goldsmith, Mc.Murray, Barttelot, Rowlandson etc. re this doubly, doubly complicated situation in North Persia and in the Caucasus – it is enough to make one’s brain reel and thoughts continued all night and destroyed sleep. Shore looks utterly nervy and broken down, Rowlandson also. Called on Russian General Baratov. 

1918 – February 7

Snowing again, confound it, and all yesterday’s work spoiled. I determined to ride over with Duncan and no escort – all went well – snow in drifts 12 to 15 feet – got men working both sides. At Zagha a Russian officer Lieut. Zypaloff, took us on in a motor to Hamadan, where we arrived at the Mc.Murrays, Imperial Bank of Persia at 4.30 p.m. A lovely house and every comfort which made me unhappy, thinking of the others in the old serai at Asadabad. General Shore* meets me here from Tiflis to explain the situation.

*Brigadier General Offley Shore is mentioned in this book here, in which the situation in the area is being discussed. It is well worth spending a bit of time reading it.