The sun., 1919-07-14
PERM EVACUATION
WAS GIGANTIC TASK
Brig. Gen. Jack Saved 100000
People, Munitions and Guns
Under Big Difficulties.
Special Gable Despatch 10 TIE sUS from the
London Times Service.

Special Gable Despatch 70 TIE sUS from the
London Times Service.
Copyright. 1919: all riohts reserved
Follotcing is the first detailed account
Of the evacuation, on June 80 Of the i'm
por1ant Russian city of Perm BY the
forces Of the omsk Government:
EKArERINBuRo, Russia July (de-
layed) Perm was abandoned on Mon
day. The evacuation was carried out
under great difficulties but practically
all the arms and stores of the garrison
as we'll as the inhabitants were removed.
Credit therefore is due almost entirely
to the skill and courage of Brig. Gen.
Jack, assisted by a handful of British
and Russian officers.
After the departure. of the comman-
der-in-chief, Gen. Dietrichs, on June 81
the efforts of the flotilla and the troops
remaining on the west bank OF the River
Kama to gain time to evacuate the city
the Kama on the night Of June 20 and
silently passed through the sleeping city
and marched eastward to take up a new
line
Gen. Popoliaeff had been with the
troops on June 81 and rs. On his re-
turn Brig. Gen. Jack obtained authority
to assume charge of the evacuation,
which had been sadly neglected. Gen.
Popoliaeff readily assented. On Sunday
morning the great bridge over the Kama
was cut. the second span from the left
bank being blown nearly to the shadows,
effectually stopping traffic for weeks.
The situation became extremely critical.
Owing to neglect of the Kungur line
to the southeast while 1t was still open.
| traffic had all to be directed by the Tagil
route east, which ascends the left bank
Of the river fifteen miles to Levishin. On
Sunday trains filled with refugees and
baggage stood here in full view Of the
enemy. within gun and rife range and
unprotected. Every moment was
precious.
At this juncture newly completed ar
mored train came out Of the arsenal and
proceeded on its trial trip up the single
track Tagil line, holding up traffic for
three hours. British helpers, working
day and night despatching trains, for
get their fatigue in their enjoyment OF
! the unconscious humor OF the situation
! Thanks to the passivity OF the Reds
| panic was averted and the seemingly
| inposs' BILE task OF evacuating a city Of
| more than 100. 900 people along a single
| line within two days was successfully ac.
complished. Under Brig. Gen. Jacks di.
/ rect supervision. and thanks mainly tc
! his personal efforts. seventy-two trains
/ fuIly loaded were cleared within forty
eight hours
After its last desperate effort the flo.
tilla assembled the river TO Levishin
where it landed and entrained its guns
which were safely evacuated with the
crews, British and Russian. Thereafte
the contents OF the naphtha tanks emp
tied into the river caught Are and the
whole fotilla was destroyed. The las
train left on Monday night. when the
whole landscape was lit up by the con
! fiagration and the air was rent by the
explosions OF munitions and the rattle
Of. enemy machine guns.
Brig. Gen. Jack has arrived here will
! his officers to continue his good worl
In this much congested centre. Admlra
, Kolchak and Gen. Dietrichs return to
morrow from a short visit to the western
army. and the southern force. Si
Charles yIlot. the British Commissioner
has returned to Omsk