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REVIEW BY JONATHAN EATON
Despite the vast literature on the First World War, there remain important aspects of the conflict that have yet to be fully explored. In recent years, a series of valuable treatises have expanded our understanding of the conflict beyond the Western Front. In his new book, Nick Higham makes a significant contribution by shedding light on an extraordinary and little-known episode around the Caspian Sea in the closing days of WWI.
In the early 20th century, Baku (now capital of Azerbaijan) was a significant source of oil, producing around 50 per cent of global supply in 1901. Following the Bolshevik Revolution and withdrawal of Russian forces from the international conflict in 1918, the British Government feared Baku’s oil reserves would fall within the German orbit through being seized by Ottoman Turkey. Even more concerningly, such an attack could theoretically serve as a prelude for further Turkish expansion into Afghanistan and Persia, potentially leading to the fomentation of rebellion among the Muslim population in India as a direct threat to British colonial interests.
To secure Baku’s oil installations and strengthen the Caucasian Front as Russian forces began to withdraw, the British sanctioned the creation of a military mission comprised of officers and non-commissioned officers selected from among the forces serving on the Western Front and Middle East. Named the ‘Dunsterforce’ after its commander, the mission was to mobilise and direct local forces to hold Baku and the surrounding areas.
The Dunsterforce was aided by extraordinary ‘mavericks’ – individuals with varied skills and eccentricities who collectively progressed the British cause. A childhood friend of Rudyard Kipling, Lionel Dunsterville commanded the expedition, drawing on his military experiences in India, China, and the North-West Frontier. Toby Rawlinson was a passionate early motorist who served as a volunteer driver in France (where he customised his car with additional machine-guns) before organising the air defences of London. Edward Noel had extensive experience in consular posts and was adept at diplomatic intrigues as part of ‘Great Game’ espionage between Britain and Russia.
Ranald MacDonell, a well-connected Scottish clan chief and diplomat, undertook hair-raising train journeys to smuggle currency in support of the mission, constantly menaced by Bolshevik and pro-Turkish forces. Reginald Teague-Jones, a daring intelligence officer, was erroneously linked by the Soviets with the mysterious murders of 26 commissars after the fall of Baku, and lived for the rest of his life under an assumed name and the fear of Soviet reprisals. His true identity was only clarified after his death at the age of 99.
The initial British attempt to hold Baku and its oil reserves lasted for only six weeks before Turkish troops seized the city. Limited resources and the inability to mobilise effective local defence forces ultimately inhibited the mission’s success, despite the talents of its leading figures. Turkish dominance in Baku was short-lived, and following the surrender of the Ottoman Empire, the British reassumed control of Baku prior to the establishment of Azerbaijan and its ultimate incorporation within the Soviet Union.
Higham is perhaps best known for his previous role as a BBC correspondent, and his journalistic abilities ensure that this is an engaging and well-paced read, enlivened by an extraordinary cast of characters whose unusual talents and skills made an impact within the geopolitical uncertainties of the end of the First World War.
Mavericks: empire, oil, revolution and the forgotten battle of World War One
Nick Higham
Bloomsbury Publishing, hbk, 368pp (£25)
ISBN 978-1526677013
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