On June 28th one armoured car was in action along the Kasmar road, supporting infantry who were attempting the rescue of an A.S.C. officer who had been captured by the Jungalis. Captain J. Macky was wounded in this engagement.
On July 20th the Jungalis made a determined attack on Resht, which they occupied. They, however, failed to drive back the British troops camped on the south-west outskirts of the town. Both the armoured cars of the Brigade and those of the 6th L.A.M. Battery took a prominent part in the fighting, and later in the relief of isolated parties cut off in the town. The street fighting was heavy and difficult. Trenches were dug across the road and barricades erected, but the armoured cars thoroughly proved their suitability for street fighting. Their moral effect materially assisted in clearing the enemy out of the town a few days later. Captain G. N. Gawler was wounded during the fighting.
On July 28th, to relieve the pressure at Resht, and to make troops available to assist in the defence of Baku, the Brigade offered to organize a motor machine-gun company from the personnel of "B" and "C" Squadrons then training at Hamadan, awaiting the arrival of their cars from England. The offer was accepted, and the company, consisting of sixteen machine-guns (with crews), left Hamadan on July 30th. The machine-guns and ammunition were carried in sixteen Ford vans, and the personnel in the Brigade Peerless lorries. It was decided that half the company should remain at Resht until the situation there improved, the other half proceeding to Enzeli to be in readiness to embark for Baku should the situation there permit.
OPERATIONS WITH GENERAL BICHERAKOFF'S FORCES
IN THE CAUCASUS.
General Bicherakoff.s troops embarked at Enzeli on July 3rd. No. 2 Battery, "A" Squadron, was ordered to accompany them. In order to avoid possible trouble with the Bolsheviks, they wore Russian uniform, but later were ordered to discard it. The force landed at Aliyat, south of Baku, on July 4th, and proceeded by rail to Kurdamir, which was reached at midnight, July 7-8th. The cars were immediately detrained, and by 4 a.m. two cars were in action on the Russian right, near Kara Sakal, and remained in action all day against the Turkish advanced troops.
Two reconnaissances were successfully carried out in this area under cover of darkness, during the night, July 8-9th, and the Turkish outposts engaged. A reconnaissance at dawn, 3.40 a.m., on July 9th, met with heavy machine-gun and rifle fire.
The Turks attacked the village of Kara Sakal at 5 a.m. Their advance was greatly hampered by fire from the cars which covered throughout the day the withdrawal of the Russian troops in this sector to Kurdamir. On two occasions, the Turks having deployed in the proximity to the road, the cars ran right up into the opposing lines of infantry, which they enfiladed, forcing the Turks to withdraw.
On July 10th the Russians, after a reconnaissance by the armoured cars, attacked, but failed to reach their objective. An enemy counter-attack was repulsed by the armoured cars, which eventually covered the withdrawal of the infantry to Karrar. A determined attack on the rearguard by enemy cavalry was repulsed by one armoured car, with heavy loss to the enemy.
The battery withdrew to Sagiri on the llth, and was employed continuously in reconnaissance from July 12th to 18th.