The Last Great Mounted Infantry Charge

senojekips

senojekips

Active member
Today is the 90th anniversary of the capture of Beersheba by the Australian 4th and 15th Light Horse Regiments,
From Digger History:
Beersheba is often called the Last Great Cavalry Charge. That is incorrect in 2 ways. The Germans and the Cossacks both had cavalry charges in WW2. But more importantly, the Light Horse were Mounted Infantry, not Cavalry. They did not have sabres or lances only 18 inch long bayonets and their rifles slung over their backs. Far from being the Last Great cavalry Charge in history it is (probably) the ONLY Great Mounted Infantry charge in history.
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It is also famous as having been probably one of the longest charges, 4 miles, in full sight of the enemy, first coming under Artillery fire then Machine guns then rifle fire.
When the trenches before Beersheba were reached, the Brigade mostly bypassed the first and main trenches, but casualties occurred. Some Light Horsemen raced through to the town to capture objectives. Others dismounted at various trenches or had their horses shot from under them and dazed or not 'got to work with the bayonet'. A terrible disorder soon reigned with some Light Horsemen reduced to using their rifles as clubs. Mostly the Turks seemed anxious to surrender, but scattered units exchanged fire with the Light Horsemen, some bitterly refusing to give up until large numbers had been shot or bayoneted.
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I had a uncle killed during this battle he was killed on hill 1250. He was Sgt with The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment. Hill 1250 got it name from the victory there by Saladin in 1251

A picture of the Military Cementry where he was buried in Beersheba

BeershebaHill1250.jpg
 
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Is Beersheba really the last charge?

I forget the name of the Battle, but during the Blitzkrieg of Poland there was a cavalry regiment of Poles that charged through a German Panzer advance.
 
mmarsh said:
Is Beersheba really the last charge?

I forget the name of the Battle, but during the Blitzkrieg of Poland there was a cavalry regiment of Poles that charged through a German Panzer advance.
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Entirely possible but the Polish charge (assuming it happened) was a cavalry charge, the Australian one was done by mounted infantry ie they carried guns not swords and lances.
 
I'd also say to be considered "great" it would have to be successful. The Polish charge was a complete and utter failure to say the least.
 
bulldogg said:
I'd also say to be considered "great" it would have to be successful. The Polish charge was a complete and utter failure to say the least.
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Actually the Poles won. I found it it was called the Battle of Krojanty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Krojanty

During the action the Polish cavalry units met a large group of German infantry resting in the woods near Krojanty. Colonel Mastalerz decided to take the enemy by surprise and immediately ordered a cavalry charge, a tactic the Polish cavalry did not use as their main weapon.
The charge was successful: the German infantry unit was dispersed, and the Poles occupied the woods. Moreover, the German advance was stopped for enough time to allow the withdrawal of Polish 1st Rifle battalion and National Defence battalion Czersk from the area of Chojnice (see Battle of Chojnice). However, the sounds of the battle notified the crews of the APCs stationed nearby, and soon the Polish unit came under heavy machine gun fire.
According to Heinz Guderian's memoirs, the Polish cavalry charge impressed the Germans and caused a widespread panic among the soldiers and the staff of German 20th Motorised Infantry Division, which delayed their offensive and forced them to consider a tactical retreat. This was however prevented by personal intervention of Gen. Guderian.
 
I stand corrected, seems the charge I was thinking of and was taught about in HS history was Nazi propaganda according to today's authors.
 
I believe the last US Cavalry Charge was conducted by the Army/ Filipino Scouts on Luzon in 42.
 
Does this one count - 13 Nov 1917? It was a drawn bayonet charge.



DURING the last full charge ever made by the British cavalry, the officer leading the advance turned to a corporal galloping beside him and asked how things were going.
The corporal replied: “Sir, it’s my birthday today and the best I’ve ever spent.”

The remark was typical of the selfless courage shown by the heroic troops during the horseback advance on Jerusalem in the First World War – an event to be commemorated at a special service tomorrow.

The officer was Colonel Sir Randolf Baker, and his grandson, James Gibson-Fleming, will read a lesson at the service.
The cavalry charge took place on November 13 1917 against Turkish troops entrenched across two miles of open ground towards Jerusalem.

The last British Army cavalry charge was at the Battle of El Mughar, near Jerusalem, on 13 November 1917. The Buckinghamshire Hussars, supported by the Dorset and Berkshire Yeomanry Regiments, overran a Turkish position, taking several hundred prisoners.​

The last British Army cavalry charge was at the Battle of El Mughar, near Jerusalem, on 13 November 1917. The Buckinghamshire Hussars, supported by the Dorset and Berkshire Yeomanry Regiments, overran a Turkish position, taking several hundred prisoners.

*​
 
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Del Boy said:
Does this one count - 13 Nov 1917? It was a drawn bayonet charge.

DURING the last full charge ever made by the British cavalry, the officer leading the advance turned to a corporal galloping beside him and asked how things were going.
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No,... there were cavalry charges by both the Poles and the Germans in WWII.

This is alleged to be the last, possibly the only and definitely the longest, mounted Infantry charge. These units were not armed with the traditional cavalry weapons, of sabres and lances. It appears from all references that I can find that the Bucks and Dorsets charged as cavalry unit, not using bayonets until they dismounted.

Mounted Infantry were only armed with rifles and bayonets and under normal circumstances would ride to the battle area, dismount and fight on foot as regular infantry while the horses were moved to the rear, however on this occasion the Turks had a clear field of fire of over 7000 yards so it was decided to charge on horseback.
They did not have sabres or lances only 18 inch long bayonets and their rifles slung over their backs. Far from being the Last Great cavalry Charge in history it is (probably) the ONLY Great Mounted Infantry charge in history.
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http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-conflicts-periods/ww1/lt-horse/beersheba.htm
 
Yes, senojekips, you are likely correct.

It was first swords, then off horses and a charge with fixed bayonets.

The picture of the charge shows drawn swords.

"It began at 3pm and, as many horses tired on the difficult terrain, the troops refused to give up, dismounted and continued the charge on foot up a hill with fixed bayonets.

The men of the Bucks Yeomanry scrambled up the bank of a wadi to cross 3000 yards of open ground near the village of El Mughar.

The Dorset Yeomanry, meanwhile, covered 4000 yards, more than 2 miles, before dismounting and continuing on foot.

The battle was won by the evening and the British captured the enemy guns. British troops would never make a full charge on horseback again. Just weeks late tanks took over.

The regiment won two Distinguished Service Orders, one Military Cross, three Distinguished Conduct Medals and seven Military Medals. The Bucks Yeomanry won one DSO and one MC.

Col. Baker was 38, he had been in charge of a beach at Gallipoli, and was then wounded by a shell, but went to Egypt with his regiment.

Horses were used alongside tanks at the battle of Amiens in August 1918 and we had a cvalry division in Palestine until 1940."


At their commemorative service today, 11 Nov 2007, the last post will be sounded by a trumpeter from the
Band of the Light Cavalry.


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