ARmy Rumour SErvice

**AlienFTM** · 30-05-2012, 10:03

Originally Posted by bokkatankie

To be fair even if they had been able to get forward in time and had charged through the gaps, the German knew ho to place MG and would have cut them down in droves. The cavalry had no useful function that was achievable in WW1, the MG had made this part of our (and their) doctrine obsolete.

Entirely valid. After a month's war and the race to the sea, the cavalry were doomed to spending their time in the trenches as a backbone for an infantry army savaged by the machine gun, then when the big job came along, they were parked on their horses' backs awaiting the chance to exploit.

But horse versus MG was a great VC opportunity. See Charles Ernest Garforth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**CaptainPlume** · 30-05-2012, 10:18

What about the Palestine campaign? I only ask because one of my final Squadron's VCs was won there.

**AlienFTM** · 30-05-2012, 10:25

Originally Posted by CaptainPlume

What about the Palestine campaign? I only ask because one of my final Squadron's VCs was won there.

... and here was me thinking that Cambrai was in France!

**CaptainPlume** · 30-05-2012, 10:31

Originally Posted by AlienFTM

... and here was me thinking that Cambrai was in France!

That was the other one, at Rossignol Wood not Cambrai.

**soprano54** · 31-05-2012, 08:23

Originally Posted by AlienFTM

Entirely valid. After a month's war and the race to the sea, the cavalry were doomed to spending their time in the trenches as a backbone for an infantry army savaged by the machine gun, then when the big job came along, they were parked on their horses' backs awaiting the chance to exploit.

But horse versus MG was a great VC opportunity. See Charles Ernest Garforth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm sure 'Joey' and 'Topthorn' would agree!

**midnight** · 01-06-2012, 14:06

I´d swap breathing against a VC anyday!

IIRC KDG used mounted troops for patrolling in Northern Italy during WW2,seems the horse could get around mountains better than vehicles,the older cavalrymen must have been chuffed to fcuk to get back on horses!

The Bavarian Mountain Troops still use mules for re-supply!

**chocolate_frog** · 01-06-2012, 15:36

Mules have bee used a few times in the british Army over the years... last time in Afghanistan a few years back I belevie.

**bokkatankie** · 01-06-2012, 16:29

Originally Posted by midnight

I´d swap breathing against a VC anyday!

IIRC KDG used mounted troops for patrolling in Northern Italy during WW2,seems the horse could get around mountains better than vehicles,the older cavalrymen must have been chuffed to fcuk to get back on horses!

The Bavarian Mountain Troops still use mules for re-supply!

Mules are transport not cavalry, I have a good shot of my grandfather with the company resuppply column from Burma, 1944, Lancashire Fusiliers, Chindits.

We also know that Cheshire Yeomanry used horse at the Litani Valley, Lebanon in 1941, last charge? Funnily enough my other grandfather was there with the Border Regiment.

**Purple_Emperor** · 01-06-2012, 19:08

Originally Posted by brave-coward

GB, you are correct, we've discussed this in nauseating detail elsewhere. We both understand (albeit disagree with) each other's points of view on the utility of the reserves in the provision of the combined arms manoeuvre capability. I suggest therefore that we not divert this thread to cover old ground. The subject of this thread on the other hand, regimental protectionism in the face of coming changes and the likely nature of those changes, is an entirely valid topic for discussion at this time. Perhaps some commentary on how this issue effects the TA component...?

Personally, I think we should lose the TA capbadges and become Y (yeomanry) sqn HCR across say 3 TA sqn locations. Joint reg/TA capbadges work for the inf. it's only the cav pretentiousness that says there can only be one regt with a cap badge (except of course in both wars!).