With the Persian Expedition

In Short

A seasoned war correspondent serves alongside "Dunsterforce," a tiny, makeshift British military expedition dispatched across the Middle East in 1918. Tasked with securing North-West Persia and protecting the Caspian approach against Ottoman and Bolshevik forces, the party navigates extreme weather, treacherous mountain passes, unpredictable tribal alliances, and widespread local famine. The author presents a vivid, eyewitness recording of forgotten frontlines, mixing sharp military observations with detailed descriptions of regional customs. It survives as a rare, highly personal account of a chaotic, obscure chapter of the First World War.

The Story

In early 1918, a specialized British expeditionary group under General Dunsterville—popularly dubbed "Dunsterforce"—is sent to operate in the remote landscapes of North-West Persia and the Caucasus. Joining this low-visibility effort, the author travels out from Alexandria, steaming down the Gulf of Suez on a filthy, insect-ridden former cargo ship. The sea journey passes through Koweit and the Persian Gulf before reaching Mesopotamia, where the party observes modern military infrastructure cutting through ancient landscapes, from motorized transport in Bagdad to the solemn monument commemorating the siege at Kut.

Moving inland toward Persia, the expedition encounters severe logistical bottlenecks. The mountain tracks turn to thick morasses under heavy rain, swallowing Ford cars up to their axles and forcing the men to manually tow their transport across ruined causeways and mudholes. As the column advances through towns like Kirind, Mahidast, and Hamadan, the operational reality grows complicated. Local political loyalties are fractured, and the neutral Persian countryside suffers under horrific famine and disease brought on by years of occupation by rival powers. In Hamadan, severe distress drives the starving population to extreme desperation, creating a grim backdrop to the military enterprise.

The expedition's strategic focus centers on preventing Ottoman control of key cities like Tabriz and securing access to the Caspian Sea and the Baku oilfields. Small British detachments, working alongside Cossack auxiliaries led by General Bicherakoff, push forward to secure key locations such as Zinjan and Mianeh. Reconnaissance parties in light armored cars scout ahead over precarious mountain passes, attempting to bolster weak lines with limited infantry and cavalry reinforcements.

At Tikmadash, an advancing Turkish force superior in numbers attacks the forward positions, causing irregular native levies to collapse and forcing the small British contingent into a series of tactical retreats through Turkmanchai and back to Mianeh. Meanwhile, operations around the Caspian port of Baku become increasingly unstable as local factions falter, prompting temporary evacuations and rearguard maneuvers.

As autumn arrives, Dunsterforce officially dissolves, its personnel reassigned to broader regional units. The final phase of the author's service takes place in South-Western Kurdistan, where remaining Turkish opposition collapses into static posturing. After local insurgent chiefs like Nabi Khan surrender and agree to keep order, an armistice ends the regional struggle, leaving the author to reflect on a unique, complex campaign waged far from the main European theaters.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Leaving Alexandria aboard a dilapidated transport ship infested with parasites, the expedition travels down the Red Sea and through the Persian Gulf. The route introduces the author to colorful maritime figures and traditional Arabian Gulf hospitality, including a formal reception by the Sheikh of Koweit.

Arrival in Mesopotamia Disembarking near the Tigris, the party moves past the historic battleground of Kut toward Bagdad. Modern military innovations like steamrollers, Ford vans, and motor lorries disrupt the ancient atmosphere of the City of the Caliphs.

Into the Persian mud Heading east toward Kirind and Hamadan, heavy rains turn the unpaved roads into deep morasses that repeatedly trap the motor vehicles. The troops rely on local labor and tow ropes to haul their transport across treacherous mountain passes.

Facing the famine at Hamadan At headquarters in Hamadan, the expedition confronts a humanitarian disaster as war and political inaction leave thousands starving in the streets. The British officers attempt to maintain stability while navigating volatile local politics and hostile Democratic factions.

The push to Zinjan and Mianeh Armored cars and small detachments press northward toward Tabriz to block enemy advances toward the Caucasus. The column bloodlessly secures Zinjan and scouts the difficult road north, relying on light machine guns to overawe hostile political groups.

Clash at Tikmadash and retreat Outnumbered British forces attempt to hold Tikmadash against a deliberate Turkish offensive, but the failure of local irregular levies forces a fighting withdrawal. The retreat through Turkmanchai back to Mianeh flips local commercial sentiment, exposing the vulnerability of the small force.

Caspian operations and Baku Collaborating with Russian auxiliaries under General Bicherakoff, British armored car units engage Turkish troops along the Caspian littoral to protect Baku. Unreliable local troops and swift enemy encirclement force a tactical withdrawal north along the railway toward Derbend.

Pacification in Kurdistan Following the formal disbandment of Dunsterforce, the author observes the final weeks of the conflict in South-Western Kurdistan. Surrendering tribal leaders are integrated into local security roles, effectively ending hostilities prior to the general armistice.

The People

• The Author (Martin Henry Donohoe): A veteran war correspondent serving with the expedition. He seeks to chronicle an unheralded, complex theater of war while navigating extreme physical conditions, relying on his extensive background in international reporting to observe local customs, military blunders, and political dynamics.
• General Dunsterville: The commander of "Dunsterforce." He aims to hold a vast geographical sector with minimal men and resources, facing constant logistical delays, tribal hostility, and isolation from main command centers, ultimately seeing his force dispersed into larger regional formations.
• General Bicherakoff: The leader of a Russian volunteer auxiliary force. He wants to defeat Ottoman forces and secure the Caspian region without losing his own troops, but finds himself constantly constrained by political shifts and unreliable local militias, forcing repeated tactical retirements.
• The Grand Vizier of Koweit: A polished Arab official who balances traditional Bedouin hospitality with a deep familiarity with Western tastes. He serves as an agreeable host to the arriving British officers, smoothly bridging cultural divides during their transit through the Persian Gulf.
• Captain Kettle-like Master: The eccentric, sharp-tongued captain of the decrepit sea transport carrying troops down the Red Sea. He manages a chaotic ship and a multi-ethnic crew through colorful language, poker, and sheer force of personality.
• Nabi Khan: A tall, formidable Kurdish chieftain who initially sides with the Turks against the British. After his forces are defeated in battle, he boldly enters the British office at Bijar to surrender, subsequently becoming an effective regional police partner.

In Its Own Voice

"The latter was a decrepit steamer, indescribably filthy, which had been running in the China trade for a quarter of a century."

The author describes the dilapidated transport vessel carrying troops down the Gulf of Suez toward the Persian Gulf.

"Half an hour's downpour will convert any Persian road into a morass, and that between Surkhidizeh and Kirind is no exception to the rule."

A description of the severe weather conditions that routinely immobilized the expedition's convoy of light motor cars.

"Flinging his weapons on the table, he exclaimed, 'I have been foolish; aye, misguided by evil counsellors; I have lost, and am here to pay the price.'"

The dramatic moment when the Kurdish leader Nabi Khan enters the Political Office at Bijar to surrender.

What It's Really About

Beneath its narrative of remote military maneuvers, the book examines the messy reality of fighting an asymmetric war in neutral, politically unstable territory. It exposes how great-power conflicts destabilize vulnerable borderlands, bringing severe economic collapse and famine to civilian populations who have no stake in the broader European struggle.

The work also explores the limits of improvised military expeditions. Operating far from established supply lines, small forces must rely as much on political maneuvering, bluffing, and local alliances as on actual firepower. The author contrasts the rigid expectations of standard Western military doctrine with the fluid, opportunistic nature of tribal warfare, illustrating how formal military plans often disintegrate when confronted by harsh geography, local self-interest, and logistical isolation.

Why Read It Today

This account appeals to readers of military history, travel writing, and Middle Eastern affairs who want a firsthand look at one of the First World War's least documented theaters. The prose moves with the practiced speed and sharp observation of a veteran journalist, providing vivid descriptions of landscape, cultural encounters, and logistical chaos.

The text carries the natural stylistic marks of its era, including early twentieth-century colonial perspectives, candid observations of regional poverty, and period terminology for various ethnic groups. Rather than presenting a polished narrative of grand strategic triumph, the author provides an honest record of a fragmented, confusing campaign marked by broken vehicles, extreme mud, administrative neglect, and human suffering. Reading it today offers a valuable perspective on how global conflicts ripple outward into secondary theaters, leaving long-lasting impacts on the landscapes and people caught in their path.