During the fighting at Baku a considerable concentration of troops at Tabriz enabled the Turks to advance towards Zinjan, driving our outposts at Mianeh across the Kufian Kuh. Eight more armoured cars from England arrived at Hamadan on September 1st. In spite of the fact that the majority of the personnel for these cars had been taken to form the machine-gun company, the balance of personnel was rapidly organized and "E" Squadron formed. The cars needed considerable {271} attention mechanically, and this was rapidly carried out, cars as they were fit for the road being despatched to Zinjan. The serious threat to the main communications to Enzeli by this Turkish advance necessitated the consideration of a general withdrawal to Hamadan on September llth. In spite of mechanical difficulties, the Brigade offered to get the whole squadron to Zinjan immediately, and, further, to organize from batmen and cooks sufficient crews to man four machine-guns, the whole being carried in a Peerless lorry. This squadron and machine-gun section were concentrated at Zinjan by September 16th, and their addition to the small force justified a stand being made north of that place, and the orders for the evacuation being held in abeyance. Reconnaissances, in which one section 6th L.A.M. Battery played a considerable part, were pushed out as far as Jamalabad, where Turkish cavalry were engaged. "E" Squadron had considerable trouble from back axles giving. The presence of armoured cars undoubtedly checked the advance of the Turkish troops beyond Jamalabad. An additional twelve armoured cars left Bagdad on August 19th, arriving at Hamadan on September 1st. These cars also needed overhauling, and in view of the back-axle trouble experienced by "E" Squadron it was considered desirable to take down all back axles and thoroughly overhaul them. In the meantime the personnel of "D" Squadron was collected, {272} organized, and trained. This squadron was stationed at Hamadan, for fear of any possible advance of Turkish troops from Urumia via Bijar. A road reconnaissance towards Bijar was carried out by two armoured cars on October 3rd. These reported that the road was impassable, and the country unsuitable for armoured cars some sixty miles north of Hamadan. On the formation of Norperforce on September 14th, it was pointed out that Persia did not offer opportunity for the employment of a large number of armoured cars, whilst there was great difficulty in obtaining the requisite petrol to keep the Brigade mobile. It was considered that the armoured-car work could be carried out by eight cars, especially as the approach of winter would make movement impossible. Much of the work would be in the nature of patrol work, and previous experience had shown that this was very expensive in Rubberine tyres. The pneumatic tyres for the cars had not up till that date arrived from England. Accordingly, on October 2nd the withdrawal to Mesopotamia commenced.