 In February 1916, it moved to Persia, where it had the unique distinction of being actively engaged against the Bolsheviks in 1918 during the hard-fought actions at Merv, Kaka and Dushak in the Russian Turkestan.At Dushak, all of the British officers, and the Indian Subedar Major of the regiment, were either killed or wounded, and the battalion was led by a Subedar.In 1917, the 19th Punjabis raised a second battalion, which was disbanded after the war.