Military service at the beginning of the 1950s (1)

I did not dare to say I fast

Interview with Haji Mohammad Hashem Soleimani

Ehsan Mansouri
Translated by: Zahra Hosseinian

2015-12-13

Note: I had heard that Haji Mohammad Hashim Soleimani has served his soldiering in Pahlavi’s palaces between the years 1331 to 1333 (1952-1954). On a snowy day in the fall of 1394 (2015), I set off to Chonas village[1] in Arak. Mr. Soleimani’s job was farming. And although he was born in 1312 (1933), but still speaks about some events of his twenties precisely and warmly. It has passed more than 63 years since that time, but he speaks as if it happened yesterday. In his youth, he set off from a village in Arak to Shah's palace in Tehran; and even though he was married, he came to his home once on leave within those two years. Following interview can clarify the new aspects of early atmosphere in 1330s (1950s), and also the situation of military service or ‘compulsory’ of that time.

* What did make you to go for soldiering?

Along with 15 people, I went to Arak for serving military.

* You yourself go or they forced you?

They forced us.

* They came to your village and said you should go for soldiering?

They came to our village, read our names, and said that we must introduce ourselves tomorrow in Arak.

* They came from police?

Yes. I went to Arak with my brother. About 15 people also were with us. First we went to Hesar Street in Arak. There was a big building there. They called our names. “You stand that corner.” he said when it was my turn. “I give 100 Tomans too.” I said. “No, you cannot. You must go for soldiering!” he said.

* Why?

Because I was born in 1312, they didn’t accept.

* What about the others?

They were born in 1307 (1928) and 1308 (1929). They had been exempted and we hadn’t been. Paying 100 Tomans, they were exempted. A few others were born in 1312 (1933) that stood next to me. A man from the village of Senjan[2], who called Bolhasani climbed up the platform. He was also a soldier. Like me, they enrolled him for going to the palace. And the rest was enrolled for Eshratabad. The night we were there and tomorrow afternoon we went to the Arak railway. I said goodbye to my brother. One soldier was accompanied me and Bolhasani, and that 15 people who went to the Eshratabad were accompanied by two soldiers.

* Was the soldier ordered to introduce you to the Palace?

Yes. Because we didn’t have address, so he was with us and also introduced us. We all went Tehran by train. Those 15 soldiers went and we two went to Bagh-e-shah with this soldier. We slept that night and in the morning, when we woke up, found out two other soldiers from Deh Ahmad[3] were there too.

* Without any training you went to the Bagh-e-shah?

For two months we were trained there.

* Where?

We were trained in the Bagh-e-shah. Before moving to Tehran my brother gave me 500 Tomans and said: “give this 500 Tomans to the doctor, when he wanted to examine you, and asked him to exempt you.”

* Five hundred Tomans was a large sum?

Yeah, they exempted soldiers with 100 Tomans. Two days after our presence in the Bagh-e-Shah, we were told that we should examined by a doctor. I took out my shirt. The doctor put a stethoscope on the back of my shoulder and then my chest and examined. I said: “I want to offer you, Doctor, a little sum; so that you exempt Me.” he said: “how many days you come here?” I said: “4 or 5 days.” He said: “Have you missed your mammy within 4 days? Go, you have no problem!”

* Did you give that 500 Tomans?

No. I had to stay there and I put on military uniform. After two months of training, I was selected for guarding.[4]

* In Niavaran Palace or in Tajrish?

No. I served in the Bagh-e-shah, where the statue of Garshasp has been set in front of Palace and two gun carriages in its two sides.

*Which street?

That street led to four palaces. Two streets were leading to the palace of Shah. It was in the center of city. One of them led directly to the Officer’s college and then to the artillery. It wasn’t out of town. We went to Shemiran palace at the last month of spring. We would keep watch and then rest every other night.

* What did you do in training?

We would learn how to use arms. They said, for example, if we were at our post and unknown people came, we can say ‘halt” twice. If they didn’t stop, then we can shoot them from the chest to the bottom. They said if we don’t so, we will be fined.

* What was your weapon?

It was vz. 24 rifle.[5]

* What time were you awake?

Early morning at 4 o'clock they wake us up.

* Did you pray?

More soldiers wouldn’t pray. But I would. I would even fast.

* In which month you were trained?

I don’t remember.

* How was the weather of Bagh-e-shah?

It was better than here (village).

* Did you live in sleeping quarters?

Yes. We would sleep at double-floor wooden beds, not metal one.

* What did you wear at training time?

They gave us three sets of uniforms: training, ceremonial, and guarding. Ceremonial uniform was worn when we should escort the Shah. We would determine each one’s post and stand there until the Shah comes and enter the palace.

* How many of you were in training course?

We were 25 or 26.

* Where did they come from?

They came from Arak and its nearby villages.

* Was there any non-Araki in these 25 soldiers?

There wasn’t.

* What sort of food was given?

They gave us Adasi[6] and Lobia[7] for breakfast; and Keshmesh-polow and different kind of Polow-khoresh for lunches; and Abgoosht for dinner.

*Every night they gave you Abgoosht?

No, sometimes; in summer, when we are at Shemiran palace, my brother and one of my friends came to visit me. It was around noon that they wanted to leave. It was an order that if someone came to visit the soldier, must not leave without having food. It was around noon when they decided to go. I said: ‘Don’t go!’ They said: ‘from where you want prepare food?’ I said (ironically): ‘My mother has cooked it.’ I went out and said to the cook: ‘I have two visitors.’ He said: ‘Bring your dish.’ He filled two Yaqlabi[8] with steamed rice and said: ‘take them!’ he also gave me three loaves of bread which was baked in fraying pan. Visitor’s tent was separated. I took the food and said to my visitors: ‘there you are!’ my friend said: ‘What a meal!’ I said: ‘I said that my mother has cooked it!’

* Where did you go after training?

We went to the Shemiran palaces. At the last month of spring we went to Shemiran palace, as I said before. We were at four palaces in these few months; Shams Palace, Abdul Reza Palace, Hamid Reza palace, and Marmar Palace. Queen's palace was at Bagh-e-Shah.

* Had the coup of 28 Mordad been over?

No. I hadn’t still gotten epaulet. My parents had come to meet me in their way toward Mashhad. My brother was with them. They refer to the entrance of Bagh-e-Shah and said: ‘we want to meet Mohammad Hashem Soleimani.’

They had been told: ‘the situation is chaotic and visiting isn’t possible.’ It was the same time when Mossadegh had sent Shah to the boundary (border), and ordered the army didn’t let Shah to back, because the army was under Mossadegh’s command. But Javid Guard, which was in the Bagh-e-Shah, wasn’t under Mossadegh’s command. Some clashes were occurred. Guard’s soldiers had been taken to Majidieh garrison and imprisoned. They had broken the door of sleeping quarters and come out. They even had broken the door of arsenal and come to four palaces. A warrant officer brought the chariot out of Shah’s palace and settled in front of Mossadegh’s palace. I was in Bagh-e-Shah at that time. They shot with chariot and a colonel was killed in the tin roof of palace. Also they destroyed the wall of Mossadegh’s palace and entered. Batmanqelich[9], who was army chief, ordered that no one has the right to attack the soldiers; because they are under command of commander and non-commissioned officers. But arrest all non-commissioned officers. Then, they informed Shah. Tomorrow, Mossadegh was arrested in the palace of Shah’s brother. Shah promoted all non-commissioned officers of guard. They didn’t do anything to soldiers, because soldiers were under command of non-commissioned officers.

* Had you seen Mossadegh?

No, I've never seen Mossadegh. I was in training when he was on trial.

* After training you went to Shemiran?

Yes.

* Was your sleeping quarters at Shemiran?

At the time of Pahlavi himself, a palace had been built, which called ‘Black Palace’, that was the sleeping quarters of soldiers. It was about 100 meters away from other palaces.

* All the soldiers were there?

Yes, all were there. I and Bolhasani were there together. Indeed, we both were there together until the end of our soldiering.

* What time you wake up at Shemiran?

The same time, at 4 Am, all of us wake up, and everyone who wanted to pray, he did it.

* Did they pay attention to praying?

No.

* Were they strict about your beard?

I didn’t shave in two years of my soldiering, because my face didn’t have any hair, I mean nothing had sprouted up.

* What about others?

Every early morning the commander would come and touch the soldiers’ faces. If it was rough, he would punish them. All soldiers had to shave early morning, as soon as they wake up. Every morning and evening, soldiers’ faces examined. Our uniform had a white turndown collar which must be washed.

* What's your rank?

The soldiers didn’t have any rank. But they gave ‘first sergeant’ rank to temporary soldiers, who took soldiers to the post and sent back.

* Did you have epaulet?

Yes, we had it. It had two lines.

* Did you get salary?

Yes, I would get seven Rials and ten Shahis[10] monthly. They also would give us sugar and tea month to month; about a kilo of sugar and some tea. Soap was also given for washing our clothes. The rest of soldiers, who were not in the Shah’s palace, would get three Rials and ten Shahis.

* You were in the Shah's palace and got more salary?

Yes. We got more than others.

* How much they would pay to non-commissioned officers?

I don’t know.

* You would get 7 Rials and 10 Shahis; so, how much salary was paid to a worker?

Workers’ wage was 4 or 5 Rials.

* Have you yourself met the Shah?

Yes. I would stand in front of palace’s entrance and another soldier also would stand in the opposite side of me. We saw and saluted Shah, when he went out.

The non-commissioned officers wouldn’t dare to come out of guardhouse, when we were in Shemiran at summers. They ordered us to stand around the pool. Shah and his wife came for swimming in the pool. They took the tubes, which were around the pool, with their hands and moved into pool. But the non-commissioned officers didn’t dare to bring their head out of guardhouse. Shah and his wife, of course, weren’t naked and had underwear.

* Could you take a leave?

Within the two years that I was there, I had just 13 days of leave. In these 13 days I went to Chonas. The night before the first day of year…, I mean the Nowruz, they let me to go for a leave. So, I went to Qom and stayed there.

* How did you go to Qom?

With buses that went to Qom from Shamsolemareh. I went for pilgrimage.

* How long did it take from Tehran to Qom?

I didn’t have watch. I don’t remember. The road wasn’t asphalt. It was earthen and sandy. From Qom, I went to Arak by truck. He didn’t get any money and said: ‘as you are a soldier, don’t need to pay.’

I remember that one day in Ramadan I had fasted. Fasting actually wasn’t permitted. I was guarding with uniform, because it wasn’t permitted to guard without the guarding uniform. I fainted and fell. Soraya[11] immediately came down from balcony and said to captain Makouyi that this soldier feels ill; why you don’t deal with him?