CHAPTER 34
The same day that the Kashgar Mission set off for Tashkent so did Fernee’s Mission to Ashkhabad and Baku. The Tashkent Mission rode openly with the British soldiers wearing their army uniforms. Fernee on his mission to Trans-Caspia went with Captain Mawle, a Persian and two Indian troopers – all five men were disguised as merchants or their servants. It was only eighteen days after his first journey on a train from Kaahka that Fernee was once again sitting on a packed train for Ashkhabad. The difference this time was that he did not converse in Persian, as he had done with Bedi, but in English. Mawle’s claims that he spoke various languages turned out to be far from the truth as he knew only a few words of Urdu and Pashtu - he could not string a sentence together in either language. Inevitably the two men’s use of English drew the attention of one of their follow passengers who turned out to be a frontier guard. The guard introduced himself as Boris Seleznev, a Russian, and when he asked whether Fernee and Mawle were British, he was told the truth.
Seleznev and Fernee discussed whether the Turks would capture Baku and then cross the Caspian. The Russian eagerly probed Fernee with questions as to what were British intentions in Trans-Caspia and what size army they had at Meshed. Fernee decided to be as open as he could with the man though he was deliberately vague as to troop numbers in Meshed. Fernee wondered whether his openness had been wise when Seleznev got off the train at one of the train stops and disappeared into the station manager’s office. Seleznev did not reappear from that office until a good half-hour later. As soon as Seleznev got back into his seat the train began again.
For a while nothing was said in the carriage then as the train seemed to be settling at a cruising speed Seleznev turned to Fernee and in a low voice said, ‘Captain, I have taken the opportunity to send a telegram to Ashkhabad stating that I have met you. I said that I would ask you whether you would be prepared to meet with the Commander-in Chief of our army and the leaders of the new anti-Bolshevik FTU government.’
It could not fit better into my plan, thought Fernee, ‘Yes, I am happy to meet them.’
It was gone midnight when the train pulled into Ashkhabad station. As soon as the train stopped Seleznev leapt off. A few minutes later he reappeared and asked Fernee and Mawle to follow him. The pair were led into a waiting room full of as disparate a bunch of men as Fernee had ever seen, and according to his sharp intake of breath neither had Mawle. Fernee then realised that he might be being harsh because the only light in the room was from a flickering candle and candle light never flattered anyone. One of the Russians, he assumed that they all were by their facial features, stepped forward and introduced himself as the Kuninoff, Commander of the FTU troops, he then introduced a balding man, Belov, as the FTU Government’s President and leader of the recent coup d’état.
Fernee heart sank when he looked at Belov who was nervous as he introduced the rest of his group without pausing for breath and without Fernee being able to grasp what name applied to which person. His introductions done Belov sat down heavily on a bench whilst Fernee and Mawle did likewise opposite him; the rest of the men gathered around as best they could. The air stank of stale sweat that almost made Fernee retch whilst he could feel the fear of the men gathered round Belov.
‘Who are you? What are you doing here?’ Belov had a deep voice that faltered at the end of each phrase. ‘By the way,’ he said as if anticipating Fernee’s question, ‘the train will not leave without you.’
‘Thank you. I am Captain Fernee this is Captain Mawle and we are both attached to the British Mission in Meshed, Persia.’ A murmur ran through the room. ‘We are on our way to find out if the Baku government will accept our help,’ Fernee stopped when Belov held up his hand.
‘What do the British want to achieve and what help do you British offer?’
‘First, stop the Turkish invasion of Russian territory. Second, drive them back to their borders and make them sue for peace. I will say this - that like the Russians we have been fighting the Turks and Germans for nearly four years to stop them invading your and other countries. Britain and its Allies are fighting to prevent our joint enemies from stripping the natural resources from those countries that they have invaded whether it is wheat from the Ukraine or wood from the Northern Russian forests. Britain will continue to fight the Germans and Turks till their armies have had so many casualties that they cannot go on. Currently as we understand it, the Turks are pressing eastwards and clearly want to seize the Caspian oilfields and the cotton of Turkestan before they then invade India. You will be concerned over the first two events as we are about the third. Needless to say that if the Turks were to continue their invasion of Russia then they will bring terror and murder to innocent people, particularly Christians. Britain is anxious to stop the Turks in their tracks before that happens.’ Fernee paused for effect ‘Britain has no designs on any Russian territory whatsoever.’
Belov had had a whispered conversation with Kuninoff and one or two others in the entourage. Belov’s voice did not tremble as he asked, ‘do you think your commander would send us troops to help fight the Bolsheviks?’
Considering what he’d just said about the Turkish threat Belov’s question surprised Fernee. He studied the Russian faces before him as he thought about his reply. Fernee wondered whether he should mention that he had met General Blavatsky in Meshed. Fernee decided that unless he was asked a direct question about the general it might be best at this time to say nothing in case the man had disappeared with the money. ‘I am afraid I am too junior an officer to be able to discuss that matter with you. What I would suggest is that you send a telegram to General Barber in Meshed. I suggest that the telegram says that you have met me and that I recommended your government talk to him,’ Fernee paused whilst he found a pencil and was pleased to find Mawle thrusting a blank piece of paper in his hand. ‘I’ll write his name first and my name second.’
Fernee handed the paper over to Belov who squinted at it before passing it over his shoulder to a colleague who gave it a peremptory glance before passing it on round the whole group until in ended back in Belov’s hand, where it stayed.
‘What I might add,’ Fernee paused as he grappled to find the right title, ‘President Belov.’
‘Chairman,’ Belov interrupted without rancour.
‘Perhaps you could arrange for me to be able to send a telegram in code to Meshed as soon as I arrive in Krasnovodsk? What I will do is report this evening’s conversation to the general and tell him that you will be contacting him directly.’
Belov looked round the room and then nodded at Fernee before he stood up and proffered his hand to Fernee. After both Fernee and Mawle had shaken everyone’s hand they were allowed back on the train which left the station immediately.
‘They didn’t look very statesmen like, Tom’ said Mawle once they were aboard the train.
‘No. I wonder how they will cope. I just hope the Bolsheviks are even worse. One thing though John now they know who we are there is no need for disguise.’ Fernee started to laugh, ‘not that the fact that you only speak English contributed much to our disguise.’
‘Well I admit a slight exaggeration on my part about my language and explosives capabilities - but I wanted to get out of London- do my duty.’
‘I can’t blame you for that,’ replied Fernee yawning. ‘It would have been nice if you had some abilities though.’
‘I admit that, but I can learn from you Tom. Did you notice nobody mentioned Blavatsky?’
‘I did notice. Blavatsky has our money, Captain Mawle; if you had to work with that lot would you come back?’
‘Yes, I’m honest.’
‘Really?’
‘Well about money. Shouldn’t we do something?’
‘I’m on a train in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a war, with an officer who has no practical experience of anything I might need. What can I do about Blavatsky? Absolutely nothing and what is more at this moment I don’t care. Now learn from me, John, you shut
your eyes and go to sleep.’
The Cotton Spies Page 35