AS A BOLSHEVIK SPY

Southland Times, Issue 18916, 1 September 1920, Page 7

AS A BOLSHEVIK SPY

BRITISH OFFICER'S EXPERIENCES. DISGUISED IN CENTRAL ASIA. LONDON, June 26. In August, 1918, Major Bailey, accompanied by another Indian officer, Major Bleeker, arrived in Tashkent, having been sent on a special mission to the local authorities by the Government. Shortly after they reached that town, Sir George Macartney, the British Consul-General at Kashgar. also arrived in that place with a view to returning home on leave via Russia. On his arrival. Major Bailey had several interviews in his capacity as a British officer with the local Bolshevik authorities in Turkestan, but was unable to get any satisfaction from them. Sir George Macartney, who soon found that he could not return, as he had hoped, to London, via Russia, had to make urangements for going back through India. In due course he left, and Major Bleeker also returned, leaving Major Bailey alone in Tashkent. Shortly after the arrival of Major Bailey’s mission, there had unfortunately been a collision between the British troops and the Red Army near Askabad, and this had the effect of making the Bolsheviks very suspicious of the British officers. HE DISAPPEARS. It came to the notice of Major Bailey, through friends in the wireless service, who were subsequently shot, that a message had been received ordering his return to India, and that another message was being sent from Moscow ordering his arrest. He then applied for official sanction to leave Tashkent and to return to India, hut the Chief Commissary refused to grant this. The Turkestan officials did not apparently want to arrest him, but. said that grave suspicions were entertained regarding him at Moscow.

In view of these circumstances, Major Bailey suddenly disappeared. Through the assistance of a certain friend he was enabled to enter a house in his ordinary attire, and to emerge from another shortly afterwards disguised in an Austrian uniform. A rigorous search was subsequently made for him all over the town, but he was helped by friends, and for a fortnight remained hidden without once venturing into (he street.

At the end of his fortnight’s hiding, he went, out for the first time, and in disguise drove a cart out of the town. He failed in an attempt to leave Turkestan, as he found that all the roads were rigorously guarded. At this period he found it quite impossible to enter Tashkent, as a counterrevolution had broken out. Every house was searched, and all suspects arrccted. No fewer than 4000 persons were shot, and in fact a great prnnortion of the men of the upper classes of the town were wiped out. During all this period. Major Bailey being naturally unable to enter the town, remained in hiding, hut. after the executions he thought, it would be possible to re-enter Tashkent. At that time it was expected locally that the British force, which was at Merv, would advance, and he thought it better to wait until this had been accomplished. But time passed, and news came through eventually of the retirement of the British. Major Bailey then realised that he had to get out of Tashkent somehow, and there were only two ways in which this could be accomplished; either to get employment in the Bolshrevik administration, or to make a bolt across the desert, which at that season of the year, owing to drought and heat, was impossible. Aft or several weeks, Major Bailey, by means into which it would be unwise to go, eventually became engaged in (he Bolshevik counter-espionage sendee as an Austrian. At this moment, the Bolshevik commissaries had received information of the presence of a number of British officers, who were said to be in Bokhara, organising the Bokhara forces against the Reds. Of these they wanted details, but they realised that it was very dangerous work. Eventually an agreement was fixed up by which Major Bailey was to do this work. “PRESIDENT OF INDIA.” Dressed now in Russian clothes, Major Bailey left by train for Now Bokhara. An extraordinary thing occurred in Bokhara, for while he was there the Bolshevik agent who was accompanying him received a wireless from Moscow asking him if :my news had been received of the "Anglo-Indian officer Bailey.” Major Bailey helped to draw up a reply to this, informing Moscow that it was believed, on the information of spies, that three Europeans, disguised, one of whom was doubtless Bailey, were at that moment cn route for the Pamirs.

In the hotel at New Bokhara. Major Bailey found Mohandra Pratab, the notorious Indian agitator, who had spent a considerable portion of time during the war in Berlin, and who described himself as “President of the Provisional Government of India.” Major Bailey got in touch with this person, and conversed with him for over two hours in German. On the following day he left for Bokhara City, ten miles distant. Here he lay concealed for tperiod of two months.

One night. Major Bailey, accompanied by a number of Russians and Austrians who were anxious to escape, rode out of the town, crossed the railway and in two day's reached the Oxus. The party' numbered 25, and they were mostly unarmed. They had a period of prolonged anxiety' and considerable suffering in travelling through (he desert. whirh was traversed for some six days unf'l they reached the Kushk railway. Here they found the line held by the Bolsheviks, and they had once more to cross under cover of the darkness. They then had another three days’ experience of the desert, with severe shortage of food, being compelled to eat the forage for their ponies. Finally the little party reached the Persian frontier, and unfortunately, at the very end of their journey, they ran into a patrol of native Bolshevik troops, who at once opened fire upon them. Their aim was very wild, and although Major Bailey and his companion? disposed of two of the Red?, none of the band of fugitives was hit. After those experiences, another five days’ march brought Major Bailey and his companions to safety at Meshed.