Malleson Mission
Encyclopedia
The Malleson Mission was a military action by a small autonomous force of British Soldiers, led by General Wilfred Malleson
, operating against Bolshevik
forces over large distances in Transcaspia (modern Turkmenistan) between 1918 and 1919.
was in chaos. The Bolshevik Tashkent Soviet
was under attack from various groups, including cossacks, who had claimed independence for their regions. In addition, there were dealings between them, the White Russian
forces and the British
. Geopolitically, from the British point of view, the area was of interest to them because of its proximity to British India and Persia and their general sphere of influence. While Russia remained an ally this was not an issue for the British, but with the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, it became one. To add to the complex situation, around 28,000 German and Austrian soldiers were in the area, as prisoners of war.
. His mission was given as “to combat German and Turkish propaganda and attempts to organise men, railways and resources towards assisting hostile enterprises, aggression or active operations against us or our Allies.”
Malleson instructed Reginald Teague-Jones
to make preliminary contact with the Ashkhabad Committee, the group in control of the anti Bolshevik Transcaspian Government
. The first military action occurred when a machine gun attachment was sent across the Indian border to aid the Transcaspian forces against the Bolsheviks. This detachment of Indian gunners, led by a British officer, assisted some local units in a battle against the Tashkent Soviet
Bolsheviks. The local units were outnumbered, disorganised and nearly defeated. However, the two Indian machine gun crews inflicted 350 casualties and prevented a total rout of the Transcaspians.
Malleson had further contact with the Ashkhabad Committee. They were eager to secure British funding and support, as they basically had no economy or method for raising funds. Two British colonels had secured dealings with another group, The Turkestan Union, a shadowy group who secured money from the British but whose motivation and levels of support were unclear. The group and the money were not seen again.
On 12 August, Malleson moved his 500 men of the 19th Punjabis across the border. These joined the local force of 1000 Transcaspians, who were seen by the British as rather poor quality troops. They were commanded by a Turkmen Chieftain, Oraz Sirdar. The Bolshevik force first, consisting of a good proportion of Austrian ex-POWs, attacked the British/Transcaspian force, but was repelled. There was further action at Kaka on 28 August, 11 and 18 September, which saw a minor success for the British, encouraging the Transcaspian and British leadership in Meshed. Malleson then received some reinforcements with the arrival of the 28th light cavalry from Persia.
At this point, Malleson, against the wishes of the Indian Government, decided to push further into Transcaspia and attack the Bolsheviks. The combined force completed a double night march, and engaged and defeated the Bolsheviks at the Battle of Dushak The British/Transcapsian force suffering 60 killed, 180 wounded while inflicting 1000 casualties on the Bolsheviks. The Anglo Indian forces did most of the fighting, with the Transcaspian forces largely unreliable. A bayonet charge by the Punjabi infantry, as well as an attack by the 28th cavalry eventually saw off the Bolshevik forces. The Transcaspian forces retired to Kaakha, while the Bolshevik forces retired with their trains to Dushak
, but then pulled back further to Merv. The British occupied Tejend on the 20th of October. The Transcaspian force then went on to occupy Merv.
Armoured trains featured in the battles, the Transcaspians having two, the Bolsheviks three. Roads were not usable, and vehicles did not have the range. Armoured trains, armed with cannons, were used for transport and to attack.
However, with the end of the World War I
, one of the primary reasons for the mission, the threat from Germans and the Turks, was no longer. Malleson, however felt compelled to support the Committee.
. He appointed two Turkmen to the new committee, and it became more susceptible to British influence at this stage.
White Russian forces, from General Anton Denikin's Southern White Russian Army, started joining the Transcaspian army in small groups. The Transcaspian Government soon became linked with the White Russian Forces.. Deniken eventually started having more control over the force, as more of his troops starting fighting with them.
Wilfred Malleson
Wilfred Malleson may refer to:* Major General Sir Wilfrid Malleson , Major-General in the British Army* Wilfred St. Aubyn Malleson, Midshipman awarded the Victoria Cross...
, operating against Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
forces over large distances in Transcaspia (modern Turkmenistan) between 1918 and 1919.
Background
In 1918 Russian TurkestanTurkestan
Turkestan, spelled also as Turkistan, literally means "Land of the Turks".The term Turkestan is of Persian origin and has never been in use to denote a single nation. It was first used by Persian geographers to describe the place of Turkish peoples...
was in chaos. The Bolshevik Tashkent Soviet
Tashkent Soviet
The Tashkent Soviet was a public organisation set up in Tashkent during the Russian Revolution.The Tashkent Soviet was established on 2 March 1917 at an inaugural meeting which consisted of thirty five workers from the Central Asian Railway. It was headed by a technician by the name of I. I. Bel'kov...
was under attack from various groups, including cossacks, who had claimed independence for their regions. In addition, there were dealings between them, the White Russian
White Russian
White Russian may refer to:* White Russian , an alcoholic beverage* White movement members during the Russian Civil War from 1918 to 1923* A White émigré from the Russian Civil War...
forces and the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Geopolitically, from the British point of view, the area was of interest to them because of its proximity to British India and Persia and their general sphere of influence. While Russia remained an ally this was not an issue for the British, but with the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, it became one. To add to the complex situation, around 28,000 German and Austrian soldiers were in the area, as prisoners of war.
The mission
Concerned about the Bolsheviks and German and Turkish activity, the British Government decided to send a force to the area, from India. The force was to be led by General Wilfred MallesonWilfred Malleson
Wilfred Malleson may refer to:* Major General Sir Wilfrid Malleson , Major-General in the British Army* Wilfred St. Aubyn Malleson, Midshipman awarded the Victoria Cross...
. His mission was given as “to combat German and Turkish propaganda and attempts to organise men, railways and resources towards assisting hostile enterprises, aggression or active operations against us or our Allies.”
Malleson instructed Reginald Teague-Jones
Reginald Teague-Jones
Reginald Teague-Jones MBE was a British political and intelligence officer. He was active in the Caucasus and Central Asia during the Russian Civil War.-Early life:...
to make preliminary contact with the Ashkhabad Committee, the group in control of the anti Bolshevik Transcaspian Government
Transcaspian Government
The Transcaspian Government was set up by Railway workers of the Trans-Caspian Railway in 1918 and lasted until July 1919. It was based at Ashgabat.-Origin:...
. The first military action occurred when a machine gun attachment was sent across the Indian border to aid the Transcaspian forces against the Bolsheviks. This detachment of Indian gunners, led by a British officer, assisted some local units in a battle against the Tashkent Soviet
Tashkent Soviet
The Tashkent Soviet was a public organisation set up in Tashkent during the Russian Revolution.The Tashkent Soviet was established on 2 March 1917 at an inaugural meeting which consisted of thirty five workers from the Central Asian Railway. It was headed by a technician by the name of I. I. Bel'kov...
Bolsheviks. The local units were outnumbered, disorganised and nearly defeated. However, the two Indian machine gun crews inflicted 350 casualties and prevented a total rout of the Transcaspians.
Malleson had further contact with the Ashkhabad Committee. They were eager to secure British funding and support, as they basically had no economy or method for raising funds. Two British colonels had secured dealings with another group, The Turkestan Union, a shadowy group who secured money from the British but whose motivation and levels of support were unclear. The group and the money were not seen again.
On 12 August, Malleson moved his 500 men of the 19th Punjabis across the border. These joined the local force of 1000 Transcaspians, who were seen by the British as rather poor quality troops. They were commanded by a Turkmen Chieftain, Oraz Sirdar. The Bolshevik force first, consisting of a good proportion of Austrian ex-POWs, attacked the British/Transcaspian force, but was repelled. There was further action at Kaka on 28 August, 11 and 18 September, which saw a minor success for the British, encouraging the Transcaspian and British leadership in Meshed. Malleson then received some reinforcements with the arrival of the 28th light cavalry from Persia.
At this point, Malleson, against the wishes of the Indian Government, decided to push further into Transcaspia and attack the Bolsheviks. The combined force completed a double night march, and engaged and defeated the Bolsheviks at the Battle of Dushak The British/Transcapsian force suffering 60 killed, 180 wounded while inflicting 1000 casualties on the Bolsheviks. The Anglo Indian forces did most of the fighting, with the Transcaspian forces largely unreliable. A bayonet charge by the Punjabi infantry, as well as an attack by the 28th cavalry eventually saw off the Bolshevik forces. The Transcaspian forces retired to Kaakha, while the Bolshevik forces retired with their trains to Dushak
Dushak
Dushak is a small town in the Karakum Desert on the rim of the Kopet Dag mountains of Ahal Province, Turkmenistan.-Geography:It lies on the M37 highway which connects the town to Ashgabat in the west and Tejen in the east and is also connected by rail on the Trans-Caspian railway. The settlement...
, but then pulled back further to Merv. The British occupied Tejend on the 20th of October. The Transcaspian force then went on to occupy Merv.
Armoured trains featured in the battles, the Transcaspians having two, the Bolsheviks three. Roads were not usable, and vehicles did not have the range. Armoured trains, armed with cannons, were used for transport and to attack.
However, with the end of the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, one of the primary reasons for the mission, the threat from Germans and the Turks, was no longer. Malleson, however felt compelled to support the Committee.
Resignation of the committee
By late 1918 the Ashkhabad Committee was starting to lose grip on the capital and asked for British assistance. Malleson had not supplied the committee with funds he had promised. There was general rebellion in the capital and the Ashkabad Committee resigned. On 1 January 1919 a new Committee of Public safety was formed to rule Transcaspia, its composition of five people largely chosen by Reginald Teague-JonesReginald Teague-Jones
Reginald Teague-Jones MBE was a British political and intelligence officer. He was active in the Caucasus and Central Asia during the Russian Civil War.-Early life:...
. He appointed two Turkmen to the new committee, and it became more susceptible to British influence at this stage.
White Russian forces, from General Anton Denikin's Southern White Russian Army, started joining the Transcaspian army in small groups. The Transcaspian Government soon became linked with the White Russian Forces.. Deniken eventually started having more control over the force, as more of his troops starting fighting with them.