The Cotton Spies

by Simon Glyndwr John

CHAPTER 43

  Two days after leaving Ashkhabad Fernee once again found himself in the Hotel Europe. The hotel was now the British headquarters for an advance party of the Muncerforce. Fernee quickly found and reported to Colonel Keyworth who commanded the advance force in Muncerville’s absence. Colonel Oakes who was with Keyworth was Muncerforce’s intelligence officer. Fernee quickly explained what was happening on the eastern side of the Caspian and then asked how it was the Turks had not seized the town already as they had been at Baku’s gates when he had last been in the town.

  Oakes told Fernee that the Turks had just strolled towards Baku expecting to walk into the town without opposition. So confident had the Turks been of themselves and so keen to avoid damaging the town, because they preferred to plunder an undamaged place, they had not bothered to shell the city. As it happened the Bolsheviks had lined up their guns in the town-square prior to their leaving for Astrakhan. The Bolshevik commander, Martov, on no more than whim decided that the gambolling casual Turks presented too good a target so he opened fire and caused so many casualties that the Turks had retreated to and subsequently stayed in their lines for the past six days. In the meantime General Muncerville had accepted the invitation to provide support to the Baku government against the Turks and the two colonels and a few NCOs were the advance troops of that British support.

  ‘What happened to the Bolsheviks?’ Fernee said.

  ‘Hagopian, the Bolshevik leader, and Comrade Martov, the army commander, after decimating the Turks seized some ships and took all the guns and ammunition that they could carry set off by sea for Astrakhan, basically abandoning Baku to the mercies of the Turks - just like they did before. The Caspian fleet is not Bolshevik so they chased after the Bolos and brought them back.’

  ‘Now they are back will they fight?’ Fernee spluttered.

  ‘Not yet, but we are discussing it with them and the Armenians. In fact all we have done is jaw-jaw since we got here, isn’t colonel?’ said Oakes glancing at Keyworth.

  ‘It is, colonel. Captain Fernee,’ Keyworth paused for a moment as he chose his words, ‘what is your role and why are you here?’

  ‘I am a Russian speaker who has been working in disguise finding out for Meshed exactly what was happening on both sides of the Caspian and whether the locals wanted support military or otherwise.’

  ‘Otherwise means money,’ interjected Oakes.

  ‘Yes, anyway there was nothing to be done at the moment on the other side so I thought I should pop over and see if I could help.’

  Oakes and Keyworth exchanged glances then the latter spoke. ‘I think your services as an interpreter will be most welcome starting,’ Keyworth looked at his watch, ‘in an hour.’

  ‘What about Meshed?’ Oakes asked.

  ‘I have a free hand or I should say a fairly free hand from the general. Being here I am sure, will please him because I can keep him up to date by reporting from here.’ He wondered if that was true.

  Again the two officers exchanged glances with both looking pleased at Fernee’s statement.

  ‘Now there is one serious matter,’ Keyworth looked stern, ‘Captain Mawle is he one of yours?’

  ‘Not strictly speaking. He’s a War Office chap sent via India to blow up some bridges over on the eastern side of the Caspian, but it turns out the bridges do not exist. He came with me the last time I was here. I told him to be useful militarily. If the Turks got here before you he was to blow up the harbour or if not perhaps some wells.’

  ‘Did he have any explosives?’ enquired Oakes.

  ‘Well we came in disguise and we couldn’t smuggle any across the border.’

  ‘Answer my question, did he have any explosives?’ repeated Oakes.

  ‘No, he was going to try and find some here.’

  ‘From where precisely? Then, what was he going to do, take on the Turks single-handed?’

  Fernee felt himself getting uneasy. ‘I think he thought the oil wells were bound to have some explosives lying around.’

  Oakes and Keyworth shook their heads in wonderment. It was Keyworth who spoke. ‘One man was going to blow up the harbour and five hundred oil wells?’

  ‘Well not all five hundred because that would be impossible.’

  ‘Captain Fernee, blowing something up without any explosives, I agree, is impossible. Blowing something up if you have no explosives knowledge and no discernible military ability is also impossible. I really do not know what London was playing at sending him out here.’

  ‘I would think they did on the off chance he would blow himself up. It would be one unemployable dunderhead less,’ laughed Oakes sardonically.

  ‘Captain Mawle, what did he do?’ Fernee nearly felt afraid to ask.

  ‘The day we arrived in Baku a ship from Astrakhan also arrived and anchored off shore. This Astrakhan ship had German staff officers aboard and they sent a boat ashore to ask where the Turkish Headquarters were. Our dear Captain Mawle on hearing this hired a boat. In this boat he went out to the ship, took out his revolver, marched on deck and arrested every Gerry he could see.’

  What is wrong with that thought Fernee then he saw the look on Keyworth’s face and he knew he was going to find out.

  ‘Just as he was rounding them up when what should arrive alongside the ship but a boat full of Baku soldiers, intent on arresting the Germans. To say the Baku soldiery were not pleased by Mawle’s action would be an understatement. Those soldiers felt that arresting the Germans was an internal Russian matter and had nothing to do with the British - I agree. Mawle arguing with the Russians when neither spoke the other’s language was also not appreciated by the latter. The man is an embarrassment so I want him gone.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘Today, on the next boat out of Baku, I don’t care where,’ Keyworth barked.

  ‘I’ll send him to Krasnovodsk there is bound to be something to do there.’

  ‘I can’t think what, as he has no language or military knowledge to speak of.’

  ‘Ashkhabad would be better don’t you think?’ Oakes suggested.

  Keyworth pursed his lips and then rubbed them with his fingers. ‘Further away you mean?’ Oakes nodded. ‘Yes.’

  Fernee waited expecting to hear the dread word ‘Meshed’ but it was not mentioned. A few minutes later Fernee was sitting in Mawle’s hotel room telling him the bad news.

  ‘Show a bit of gumption and you get bowler hatted. How was I to know the Russians were going to act and act fast? What do you want me to do?’

  ‘Go to Krasnovodsk and chat to a snotty, elderly colonel called ‘Beaky’ Barrington. See if he has anything for you. He’s one of Muncerville’s officers and I am not quite sure what he is doing in Krasnovodsk because that is in Meshed’s area of responsibility. If he can’t offer any work then I want you to go to Ashkhabad and wait. A Colonel Fishlock who arrived in Meshed after us was sent by Barber to Ashkhabad to find out what help the FTU want from the British. I went with Fishlock to the meeting with the FTU and they want troops. Fishlock returned to Meshed with those requirements the same day that I came here. I am expecting or at least I am guessing that Fishlock will return with some sort of instructions from Barber. Ask Fishlock if he has got anything for you.’ Fernee hesitated deliberately, ‘if he has not got a job for you or he has not arrived back in Ashkhabad within five days you will have to go back to Meshed.’

  ‘Christ, Tom, not back to Barber.’

  ‘Those are my orders. I just hope that Fishlock arrives back in Ashkhabad at the head of some troops. Actually I think that will happen and if it does Fishlock seems like the type of man who will give you the opportunity for the action you crave.’

  ‘Fernee is in Krasnovodsk on his way again to Baku, sir.’

  ‘Why is he going there? I thought his last wire said the place was just about to fall.’

  ‘Apparently it has not fallen and he reports that General Muncerville is on his way there.’

  ‘Anyway we don’t need Ferne
e there we need him here! Get him back now! I don’t want my officers gallivanting round the place just because they feel like it, I tell them where to go. What about that scallywag Mawle?’

  ‘In Baku he’s not blown anything up yet, though I’m not sure he’s even capable of doing that.’

  ‘Unless it’s himself and that would shorten the war.’ Barber picked up a report and stared at it for a moment as if thinking, which he was not. ‘If they want Mawle they can keep him. Get the telegram off about Fernee as soon as possible. Just because we are at war doesn’t mean that a junior officer can potter willy-nilly about Asia – I am angry Statham. Tell Fernee he’s to get back here without his feet even touching the ground. Do I make myself clear? He is in your Intelligence Department, Statham, this reflects poorly on you.’

  ‘But he is reporting directly to you, sir.’

  ‘If I wanted to split hairs about to whom he reports I would - but I don’t. I cannot do everything, colonel. When Fernee gets back here I suggest a severe talking to him by you will be in order. Dismiss!’