SPECIAL FIGHTING FORCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17111, 17 March 1919, Page 5

SPECIAL FIGHTING FORCE.

OPERATIONS IN CAUCASIA. NEW ZEALANDERS INCLUDE?. [from our own correspondent.] LONDON. Jan. 21. In December, 1917, about a dozen New Zealand officers and twenty-two non-com-missioned officers were seconded from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force for special service with the British Army, and at the time there was much speculation as to their destination. Their equipment was manifestly for a hot climate, but speculation as to tlv exact destination continued for weeks. Three of the officers have just got back to London, from Bagdad. They are Major F. Starnes, D.5.0., Canterbury Regt., Captain E. R. Wells, M.C., Otago M.R., and Captain 0. F. Seaward, M.C., Auckland Regt. Those who, in December, 1917, held rank below captain were specially promoted to that station. The remaining members of the party are now either at Bagdad or Bombay, and in all probability they will return to New Zealand direct. The party included, in addition to those already mentioned, Captains S. T. Seddon, Auckland Regt., T. W. L Rutherford, (M.0., Canterbury Re*., W. F. Tracy, M.C., Otago Regt., C. M. McL. Bathgate, Otago Regt., A. C. P. Hay, R. K. Nicol, M.C., Wellington Regt.; S. G. Scoular, N.Z.R.8., and 0. E. F. Kingscote, N.Z.R.B. Major Starnes had command of one of the columns that operated > from Bagdad to travel through Persia, by way of Kermanshah and Hamadan, with the intention of joining forces with that part of the Russian Army in the Caucasus which was still fighting the Turks. The column got as far as Kasbin, near the Caspian Sea, but difficulties arose in the shape of very strong opposition from the Jungaleee, a frontier Persian-Turko tribe, who, backed by the Turks, showed considerable opposition, and the falling back of the Russians and Armenians prevented the column from carrying out its original intention to go through to Baku. From Kasbin the column turned towards Bijar and Lake Urmia, and formed part of the protecting flank of the British troops which ultimately reached Bagdad. The New Zealanders passed all through the famine-etricken district of Persia, and in some parts food was 60 short—unobtainable, in fact— women were seen eating their children. Anything that could be had was obtainable only at a huge price, and the soldiers had a great difficulty in getting stores of any kind owing to their great distance from a base. The special additional allowance of £1 per day was of little benefit, for even > then, _ what they were able to get was insufficient. The object of the special force being achieved, it reached Bagdad and there, disbanded. In it there was a proportion of British, Canadian, Australian, and South African officers and men in addi- j tion to the New Zealanders. :