CHAPTER 37
As soon as Fernee arrived in Krasnovodsk the following morning he went straight to Marunov’s house. Marunov was not surprised to see Fernee on his doorstep - bad news travels fast so it seemed. Krasnovodsk expected Baku to fall any moment and the FTU were beginning to panic at the thought that the Turks might cross the Caspian immediately. Marunov then said that a Colonel Barrington had arrived from Enzeli. Marunov said everyone he knew were not impressed that Barrington could speak neither Russian nor Armenian. Fernee deduced from the manner of the doctor’s manner of speech that perhaps Barrington’s lack of linguistic ability was not the real reason he was unimpressed by the British officer. Fernee immediately left for Barrington’s hotel as soon as his meeting with Marunov ended.
‘Captain Fernee I presume?’ Barrington said looking up from a table where a few papers were scattered. ‘I thought you were in Baku. Why are you back here?’
Fernee told him the news about the advance of the Turks, the fleeing of the Bolsheviks and finally McWilliam’s trip to Enzeli to ask Muncerville to move British troops to Baku.
‘I would have insisted that these Armenian blighters get our support ages ago, whether they wanted it or not.’ Barrington face became contorted, ‘Why are you dressed like that, Fernee? Where is your uniform? May I remind you that you are a British officer and that you have to impress these Russians with your appearance!’
‘Sir, if I had worn uniform I might have been shot in some of the places I travelled through. I was working undercover and the general approved of that, sir. If it was not for my disguise I would not have got out of Baku. If I had not got out of Baku I would be unable to fulfil General Barber’s orders to me which were to report the situation in the town to him. General Barber also told me speed is essential for my report. He said he expected the report to be the basis for the decisions he will be making.’
‘Cloak and dagger stuff. All very well for penny dreadful and other books of that ilk but I have no time for them myself. I am a serious soldier who takes his role seriously. Clear, captain?’
‘Sir!’
‘When you are with me you will be properly dressed.’
‘I didn’t even bring a uniform, sir, if it had been discovered I might have been shot.’ Fernee’s face was beginning to burn as he fought to keep his temper under control.
‘Stuff and nonsense, we must do something about it! I have a small staff but they will get you looking like a British officer.’
Fernee decided to change tack. ‘Can I ask what your role is here? Does Meshed know you are here? If they don’t then I shall have to let General Barber know about your presence when I submit my report to him.’
‘I report to General Muncerville, you may inform General Barber of that as a matter of courtesy.’ Barrington continued in a steady drone, ‘My role is to ascertain on behalf of the British Mission at Enzeli exactly what is going in Krasnovodsk, and to meet with its government. I am not responsible to Brigadier General Barber, Meshed or India – I hope that is clear. Now in order for me to do that I want you to act as my interpreter when the pair of us go down to the railway board office, currently used by the Free Turkestan Union Government as its offices.’
This nincompoop worked for Muncerville – we’ll never win the war. The man seemed a typical red badge staff officer – living in a different world. ‘Thank you, sir. I best draft my report now.’ Fernee started to get up.
‘Sit down! I have not finished!’
‘When will that be sir?’
Barrington looked at Fernee with shock. ‘I was talking, Fernee. Don’t interrupt! I will finish when I get to the end and not before that. Now I gather that the FTU consists entirely of old railway men.’
’Not all of them,’ Fernee’s voice trailed away as he saw Barrington’s face change colour.
‘I can’t imagine the railway men at Tunbridge Wells, where I live, running Britain. I dare say these are no different, probably a bunch of incompetents and illiterates.’
‘No, I wouldn’t expect this lot could run Britain, sir.’
Barrington looked stern. ‘Don’t make idle and facetious remarks, Captain Fernee. Go and find my staff and get them to kit you out. Then perhaps you can do some useful work in uniform not looking like a raggle-taggle gypsy wastrel. We’ll go to see this FTU bunch as soon as you are properly attired. Be quick about it.’
Fernee left the room and went to find Barrington’s staff which consisted of an officer and three other ranks. Fernee was able to borrow a cap that was too small, a khaki tunic that was too big and a pair of his own trousers that just happened to be brown. Fernee now looked like a man trying to provoke a smile from all and sundry. The shocked look on Barrington’s face when he saw Fernee in uniform was worth to the latter a week’s pay – the amazing thing was Barrington was too shocked to say anything.
The meeting that the two Britons held with the FTU puzzled the latter as they could not understand who Barrington was, or why as a British Officer he came from Enzeli and not from Meshed. Barrington who sat through the meeting with his legs carefully crossed smoking the whole time unless he was brushing imaginary dust or ash off his immaculate uniform. The members of the FTU clearly reciprocated Barrington’s attitude to them and it was in an unfriendly atmosphere that the FTU and the British officers parted.
Fernee thought himself inordinately lucky that the following day he was not asked to perform any interpreting for Barrington. Instead Fernee visited oil storage facilities outside the town to determine the amount of stock they held because Barber would need to know what he could rely on especially if and when Baku fell. That evening Fernee and Doctor Marunov talked till the early hours of the morning about Bolsheviks, the Tsar and the most particularly the mental attitudes and aptitudes of officers, both British and Russian.
‘I've had a coded telegram from General Barber instructing me to report back to him immediately,’ lied Fernee having gained admittance to Barrington’s office the morning after his discussions with Marunov.
Barrington grumbled, ‘I need you here as an interpreter.’
‘I'm so sorry but the general, if I may be so bold, is a bit of a martinet - he likes to be obeyed.’
‘You shouldn't use that word about your commanding officer. I've got no option but to let you go.’
After a few hours sleep Fernee began the journey back to Meshed via Ashkhabad.
The Cotton Spies Page 38