Horsemen in No Man's Land: British Cavalry and Trench Warfare, 1914-1918
Of what use were the British cavalry during the years of trench warfare on the Western Front? On a static battlefield dominated by the weapons of the industrial age, by the machine gun and massed artillery, the cavalry were seen as an anachronism. They were vulnerable to modern armaments, of little value in combat and a waste of scarce resources. At least, that is the common viewpoint. Indeed, the cavalry have been consistently underestimated since the first histories of the Great War were written. But, in light of modern research, is this the right verdict?

David Kenyon seeks to answer this question in his thought-provoking new study. His conclusions challenge conventional wisdom on the subject - they should prompt a radical re-evaluation of the role of the horseman on the battlefields of France and Flanders a century ago. Using evidence gained from primary research into wartime records and the eyewitness accounts of the men who were there -  who saw the cavalry in action - he reassesses the cavalry's contribution and performance. His writing gives a vivid insight into the cavalry tactics and the ethos of the cavalrymen of the time. He also examines how the cavalry combined with the other arms of the British army, in particular the tanks. His well-balanced and original study will be essential reading for students of the Western Front and for anyone who is interested in the long history of cavalry combat.
"1120578486"
Horsemen in No Man's Land: British Cavalry and Trench Warfare, 1914-1918
Of what use were the British cavalry during the years of trench warfare on the Western Front? On a static battlefield dominated by the weapons of the industrial age, by the machine gun and massed artillery, the cavalry were seen as an anachronism. They were vulnerable to modern armaments, of little value in combat and a waste of scarce resources. At least, that is the common viewpoint. Indeed, the cavalry have been consistently underestimated since the first histories of the Great War were written. But, in light of modern research, is this the right verdict?

David Kenyon seeks to answer this question in his thought-provoking new study. His conclusions challenge conventional wisdom on the subject - they should prompt a radical re-evaluation of the role of the horseman on the battlefields of France and Flanders a century ago. Using evidence gained from primary research into wartime records and the eyewitness accounts of the men who were there -  who saw the cavalry in action - he reassesses the cavalry's contribution and performance. His writing gives a vivid insight into the cavalry tactics and the ethos of the cavalrymen of the time. He also examines how the cavalry combined with the other arms of the British army, in particular the tanks. His well-balanced and original study will be essential reading for students of the Western Front and for anyone who is interested in the long history of cavalry combat.
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Horsemen in No Man's Land: British Cavalry and Trench Warfare, 1914-1918

Horsemen in No Man's Land: British Cavalry and Trench Warfare, 1914-1918

Horsemen in No Man's Land: British Cavalry and Trench Warfare, 1914-1918

Horsemen in No Man's Land: British Cavalry and Trench Warfare, 1914-1918

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Overview

Of what use were the British cavalry during the years of trench warfare on the Western Front? On a static battlefield dominated by the weapons of the industrial age, by the machine gun and massed artillery, the cavalry were seen as an anachronism. They were vulnerable to modern armaments, of little value in combat and a waste of scarce resources. At least, that is the common viewpoint. Indeed, the cavalry have been consistently underestimated since the first histories of the Great War were written. But, in light of modern research, is this the right verdict?

David Kenyon seeks to answer this question in his thought-provoking new study. His conclusions challenge conventional wisdom on the subject - they should prompt a radical re-evaluation of the role of the horseman on the battlefields of France and Flanders a century ago. Using evidence gained from primary research into wartime records and the eyewitness accounts of the men who were there -  who saw the cavalry in action - he reassesses the cavalry's contribution and performance. His writing gives a vivid insight into the cavalry tactics and the ethos of the cavalrymen of the time. He also examines how the cavalry combined with the other arms of the British army, in particular the tanks. His well-balanced and original study will be essential reading for students of the Western Front and for anyone who is interested in the long history of cavalry combat.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781526761231
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Publication date: 01/10/2020
Pages: 240
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

David Kenyon is an archaeologist who has worked all over the UK as well as in Europe and the Near East. He has a lifelong interest in military history and in the Great War in particular, and he is one of the most experienced Great War archaeologists in the UK. He was the lead archaeologist on the TV project Finding the Fallen, and he has contributed to many other Great War programs.

Table of Contents

Foreword Professor Holmes vii

Acknowledgements x

A Note on Terminology and Organisation xi

Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations xii

Maps xiii

1 Introduction: The Opening Stages, 1914-1915 1

2 The Somme Battles, July-September 1916 39

3 The Hindenburg Line and Arras, November 1916-April 1917 86

4 Cambrai, November-December 1917 133

5 From Operation Michael to the 'Hundred Days', 1918 185

6 Conclusions 231

Appendices 246

Notes 256

Bibliography and Sources 277

Index 283

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