Military History

Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave of Memorial
Persia & Baku	British War & Victory Medals	Tehran Memorial
Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
Arrive in Persia in July 1918	~	Fenny Compton
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted Date	Other War Memorials
The Battle for Baku	February 1916 at Coventry	~
Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
Baku	~

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

A previous series of events had convinced General Dunsterville, OIC of the British forces in Persia and Baku, that no reliance could be placed on the local troops in the fight against the Turks, and that the evacuation of Baku would soon be necessary. Without better support it was clearly impossible for the small British force to hold a line of fourteen miles from the sea to Diga. The British had 900 men in the line, with 400 more on guard and other duties in Baku. However, before they could evacuate the Turks attacked on September 14th, 1919. The main body of the Royal Warwickshire was then holding a line from Baladjari to Darnagul Salt Lake, with two companies of the 9th Worcester on their left and an Armenian battalion on their right. The attack began at 4.00 a.m. but for some time the British troops successfully held their ground and beat back the enemy. Jesse was wounded during this action and died the next day. But early in the afternoon the Turks broke through further south, where local troops failed to hold the strongest part of the line. So first the Worcester and then the Royal Warwickshire were compelled to fall back. Meantime the North Staffords holding on to their position on the southern ridges secured the safety of the withdrawal. The fighting stopped at sunset, and General Dunsterville then gave his orders for all the troops to march down to the sea. Everything had been got in readiness beforehand; the sick and wounded were embarked; by ten o'clock all troops and guns were on board, and by midnight the evacuation was complete.

Middle East and Persia Map  © National Army Museum	Tehran Memorial