The two armoured cars from Baladjari were withdrawn to the Seliansky Barracks at the north-west corner of the town at 9 a.m. Their departure opened up the left flank of the position at Baladjari. This, together with the danger of being cut off by the main attack, forced the Baladjari detachment to withdraw at 1.30 p.m. They were covered by the machine-guns, which retired successfully, the last gun only leaving when the Turks were within 100 yards of their position, three members of the crew being wounded during the withdrawal. They took up a fresh position on the top of a ridge some 600 yards to the rear. At 8 a.m. one armoured car was ordered out along the Voltchi Vorota road. It here engaged the enemy single-handed for two and a half hours, and though shelled intensively, managed to escape destruction by continuously moving in a figure of {269} eight in the very small space available for manoeuvre. This checking of the main attack allowed the Russian forces to be re-formed in rear and stiffened up with British troops. The remaining two armoured cars from Baladjari were ordered into action along the Baladjari road, with orders to prevent the troops withdrawing from Baladjari from being cut off. They were in action in this area the whole day, running up among the Turkish troops and inflicting very heavy casualties, destroying three enemy machine-guns and dispersing in panic some Turkish cavalry which were massing for the attack. At 11 a.m. the machine-gun section from the Balakhani road was withdrawn, and remained in reserve throughout the afternoon near Seliansky Barracks. At 5 p.m. orders for the evacuation of Baku were received, the armoured cars being disposed as follows, to cover the withdrawal of the infantry: 1 car on the Dighiyar road. 1 " " " Baladjari road. 1 " " " Voltchi Vorota road. The withdrawal commenced at 8 p.m. and was carried out without incident, the last car arriving at the embarkation point at 10 p.m. Owing to the still doubtful attitude of the local authorities and Caspian Fleet, it was considered inadvisable to delay whilst the armoured cars were embarked, and orders were issued for their destruction, as well as for the destruction of the motor {270} transport which had accompanied the Brigade, and which had done most useful work in rationing the Brigade and other British troops in the line. The following cars were consequently destroyed: 4 Austin armoureds. 6 Vauxhall tenders. 3 Ford touring cars. 2 Ford ambulances. 18 Ford vans. 1 Ford van (belonging to Wireless Section). Kazian was reached on September 16th. During the fighting leading to the evacuation the Russians' cars under the Marquis Albrizzi rendered valuable assistance, and covered the withdrawal of the local troops in the early morning of the 15th, and were eventually evacuated with General Bicherakoff's detachment to Petrovsk, where they were attached to No. 2 Battery of the Brigade. OPERATIONS AT ZINJAN.