tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post5383353532276731677..comments2024-03-28T01:33:17.573-04:00Comments on History Is Elementary: War HorseEHThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17964668210604436937noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-39666273856133584222012-04-09T23:09:25.567-04:002012-04-09T23:09:25.567-04:00The idea that cavalry was phased out of the war is...The idea that cavalry was phased out of the war is actually incorrect. During the stalemates of 1914-1916 mounted cavalry actions did play relatively minor roles. The problem was more of conflicting doctrines and lack of familiarity with how to use the cavalry's advanced training in the British Army than the Cavalry being useless. Haig wanted to create breakthroughs in the front so that the Cavalry could get through and raid and flank in enemy territory, while other generals wanted to 'bite and hold' trench works and some threw away valuable opportunities in their one-mindedness about infantry.<br /><br />In reality, the British Cavalry were leaps and bounds ahead of other European Cavalry forces, and the equal of the Infantry on foot. The Cavalry were the first to adopt lighter machine guns, the first to learn combined-arms methods that would later be used to such great effect in WWII (including the use of the Royal Flying Corps as both reconaissance and aerial bombers!). The Cavalry were suited to fighting on foot and on horseback, and were used as infantry, pioneers, patrolmen, and a variety of other tasks.<br /><br />The Battle of Moreiul Wood is not the norm of cavalry in the war. Brigadeer Seely who commanded the Canadian Cavalry Brigade at Moreiul was impetuous and ordered the cavalry into action too fast for their supporting arms - artillery, machine guns, armoured cars, the RFC - to be deployed. That the Royal Canadian Dragoons (who dismounted and fought on foot in the wood) and Lord Strathcona's Horse (it was Lt. Flowerdew's C Squadron who charged) were still capable of turning the German advance on the ridge is testament to the training and the immense value of mobility in 1917 & 1918.<br /><br />Equancourt and Guyencourt, as well as the Battle of Gattigny Wood were three actions of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade which were FAR more in line with modern cavalry tactics of the war. They included flanking, small units charging German trenches and machine guns, with armoured cars and the CCB's machine gun squadron providing suppressing & diversionary fire while another unit would gallop to the objective, dismount, and then clear the objective on foot. An important thing to remember that the cavalry was trained foremost in small, squadron sized operations rather than the massive divisional sized charges that the Germans and French trained in. The British Cavalry really was far and away the most modern force on the field in 1914-1918.<br /><br />As an interesting note, machine guns did little against cavalry charges. Pre-war veterinary tests and experience in the Second Anglo-Boer war showed that horses didn't suffer reaction shock to machine gun fire unless it was point blank, or if the round was lucky enough to hit the horse in the leg or a major organ.<br /><br />Those interested should read David Kenyon's "Horses in No-Man's Land" (2011), or the Marquess of Anglesey's "History of the British Cavalry Vol.8" (1997), which are both fascinating volumes about the Empire's cavalry in the First World War.Tyson Smithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-86440057020792994292012-01-11T21:10:11.041-05:002012-01-11T21:10:11.041-05:00Thanks for that informative article. I love learni...Thanks for that informative article. I love learning things like this. I actually write my own blog on various things like the history and origins of words, holidays, etc. <br /><br />Another fun fact for you that I've found out through my readings: war horses were usually not named by the soldiers that rode them because they had such a short life. Due to the amount of action war horses saw, soldiers were warned not to get too attached to the horses they rode. <br /><br />Thanks again for the information. I subscribed to your feed so look forward to more:-)Janai Robinsonhttp://www.thingsyouneverthoughtof.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-83774966237866137722012-01-11T12:41:30.355-05:002012-01-11T12:41:30.355-05:00Great reminder of the important role that horses a...Great reminder of the important role that horses and cavalry played in the Great War. So many textbooks focus on the technological advances that were made during that time. I especially like the inclusion of the painting by Alfred Munning. You have definitely given me a new way to look at the Great War and what to incorporate into my teaching. Thanks.Sandra Dotyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06238762701957787430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-92230300838478429112012-01-10T09:41:52.179-05:002012-01-10T09:41:52.179-05:00Prior to American entry into WWI there were Britis...Prior to American entry into WWI there were British officers sent to the western states just to buy as many good horses as they could.<br /><br />I believe in 1916 US cavalry were in action on the Mexican border.<br /><br />There's a nice Australian film about cavalry in Palestine in WWI called The Lighthorsemen. <br />The Germans used horses for transport extensively in WWII. In the last 2 years the German army became increasingly demechanised.Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-56525523883215492202012-01-09T12:29:11.052-05:002012-01-09T12:29:11.052-05:00Great review. can't wait to find this book fir...Great review. can't wait to find this book first before watching the movieshaleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17957849802584524211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20993778.post-71113142497036935632011-12-28T05:55:10.548-05:002011-12-28T05:55:10.548-05:00i thank you so much for this nice info...i wish yo...i thank you so much for this nice info...i wish you all the best.richardsonhttp://videogames700.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com