Haig's book review

[Chris_Baker]

Douglas Haig (and Lloyd George)

from Manchester Evening News November 1998

Blood on their hands.

That has to be the worst-informed, most scurrilous piece of rubbish I have ever seen, on any subject. Please don't fill up my precious disc space with this garbage.

If we are to continue discussion of this subject, let's make it an informed discussion.

[Guest Jimmy Knacky]

Anyhow me an Kates to busy playing cyber footsie.

[Kate Wills]

FOOTIE Jimmy FOOTIE!!

[RodB]

Going back through this thread, I am prompted to ask just how many cavalry vs machine gun charges there were in the war?  Not, as it were, accidental encounters, but deliberate charges.  By anyone against enemy machine guns.

As my expertise is narrow and includes neither cavalry nor MGs, I wouldn't know where to start looking.

Report coming right up.

"A vast mass of horsemen emerged from both sides of the little wood and, uniting in front of it, rushed towards us. That immense lump of living beings approached our line in a mad gallop. Glancing back involuntarily I observed that our artillery had completely ceased firing and that its crews were getting their carbines ready to defend their guns.

But quicker than I can relate it misfortune came thundering up. Without being quite aware of what I was doing I felt all over my body to find some place struck by a horse's hoof. The cavalry came nearer and nearer in their wild career. Already one could see the hoofs of the horses which scarcely touched the ground and seemed to fly over the few hundred yards of ground. We recognized the riders in their solid uniforms, we even thought we could notice the excited faces of the horsemen who were expecting a sudden hail of bullets to mow them down. Meanwhile they had approached to a distance of some 350 yards. The snorting of the horses was every moment becoming more distinct. No machine-gun firing was yet to be heard. Three hundred yards---250. My neighbor poked me in the ribs rather indelicately, saying, "Has the old mass murderer (I did not doubt for a moment that he meant the major) gone mad! It's all up with us, to be sure!" I paid no attention to his talk. Every nerve in my body was hammering away; convulsively I clung to my rifle, and awaited the calamity. Two hundred yards! Nothing as yet. Was the old chap blind or ----? One hundred and eighty yards! I felt a cold sweat running down my back and trembled as if my last hour had struck. One hundred and fifty! My neighbor pressed close to me. The situation became unbearable. One hundred and thirty---an infernal noise had started. Rrrrrrrr---An overwhelming hail of bullets met the attacking party and scarcely a bullet missed the lump of humanity and beasts.

The first ranks were struck down. Men and beasts formed a wall on which rolled the waves of succeeding horses, only to be smashed by that terrible hail of bullets. "Continue firing!" rang out the command which was not. needed. "More lively!" The murderous work was carried out more rapidly and with more crushing effect. Hundreds of volleys were sent straight into the heap of living beings struggling against death. Hundreds were laid low every second. Scarcely a hundred yards in front of us lay more than six hundred men and horses, on top of each other, beside each other, apart, in every imaginable position. What five minutes ago had been a picture of strength, proud horsemen, joyful youth, was now a bloody, shapeless, miserable lump of bleeding flesh.".

Unnamed German deserter reporting French cavalry charge, Meuse 1914.

TRANSLATED BY J. KOETTGEN. NEW YORK. B. W. HUEBSCH. MCMXVII

[Muerrisch]

Rod, thank you: now that is evidence!

[PhilB]

The Official History, p 191 for Cambrai:- 12 Lancers made a mounted advance at the gallop for Gauche Wood. "Mounted effort failed under artillery and heavy machine gun fire"

Pte A.Groves, 12 Lancers KIA 30/11/17. Phil B