The Note-Book of an Attaché: Seven Months in the War ZoneWood, Eric Fisher
History
The Note-Book of an Attaché: Seven Months in the War Zone
Wood, Eric Fisher
World War, 1914-1918 -- France -- Paris; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
The Austrian and Hungarian horse artillery were in such close relation
with the cavalry that their support was very good. In fact, the
artillery get into position as quickly as the cavalry. The chief
function which cavalry have performed successfully in this war has
been that of reconnoissance. The French and German armies use
aëroplanes and cavalry patrols as their principal means of
reconnoissance; the latter scout in parties of from six to fifteen men
commanded by an officer. The British do the same work with two
motor-cycle riders. The transmission of dispatches by cavalry has
become virtually nil in France because of the extensive use for this
purpose of telephones, automobiles, and motor-cycles. It is very
doubtful, however, if automobiles and motor-cycles could successfully
be used for dispatch-bearing and reconnoissance in any country except
France. On the Russian frontier the poorness and scarcity of roads
make the use of automobiles difficult and the use of wheels and
motor-cycles impossible. It would, therefore, seem that for
reconnoissance and dispatch-bearing, cavalry will usually be the means
employed.
Cavalry have to a certain extent been used as reserves. They were thus
first used by the British. In recent months I have often seen large
French cavalry reserves. At such times they are, in effect, mounted
infantry, so that reinforcements may be transferred a greater distance
in a shorter time. My personal observations have led me to believe
that aside from their uses in reconnoissance, the principal value of
cavalry is as mounted infantry held in reserve. When fighting, cavalry
must dismount. Early in the war there were occasions when cavalry
fought while mounted, and whether against artillery, infantry, or
other cavalry, the chief result was the killing of nearly all the
horses.
In the Austrian, Hungarian, and French armies many cavalry regiments
have been converted into infantry. I do not think that this is chiefly
due to lack of horses but to the fact that the opportunity for
fighting while mounted no longer exists.
ENGINEERING
The only work which I observed to be done entirely and solely by
engineers was the construction of bridges, of which they have had to
build a great number. I was impressed by the fact that many of these
bridges were quite original in conception. They are nearly always
intelligent makeshifts which might truly be called inventions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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