Romanian Cavalry against German machineguns

[Morar Andrei]

That happens on the autumn of 1916 during the battles for the Argeș Valley. A colonel sent the cavalry squadrons, just like in the Napoleonic Wars, to charge a German machineguns post, taking huge casualties: out of 327 soldiers, there remained only 84, and out of 14 officers 5 survived. What happened more exactly that day and which was the determination to make such a bold move? Thank you very much!

[Morar Andrei]

What would determine you to attack a machinegun post with cavalry? That would be like in the movie "War Horse"

[trajan]

One is reminded of the Polish charges against the Germans in 1939 - I know the son of one who did that and who survived - just! Well, as we all know, neither GB and its allies nor Germany and its allies made that mistake. I don't know what GB etc., did with its cavalry during the Great War, but after 1915/1915, the Germans sensibly dismounted most of its cavalry and used them as infantry, the remainder as scouts.

 

Brave chaps, those Poles and those Romanians - very much 'Half a league, half a league, / Half a league onward, / All in the valley of Death / Rode the six hundred.' 

 

I do continue to be amazed at the way so many WW1 commanders (and some WW2 ones also!) fought using Napoleonic-period tactics, despite what had been witnessed (and widely reported) about Japanese tactics in the Russian-Japanese War of 1904/1905. There is a wonderful 1913 book - Famous Modern Battles - that explains among other things how the Russian/Romanian bombardment at the Siege of Plevna in 1877 failed in part because of the use by the Ottoman army of earthen 'dug-outs' and the like, and yet even as late as 1917, GB generals were 'surprised' at the ability of the German army to recover quickly from intense bombardment - thanks to their 'dug-outs'!

 

Trajan

 

PS: are you anywhere near Jud.Salaj? I did a survey of the Tihau Roman fort! 

[Morar Andrei]

Unfortunately not. I live in Jud. Brașov, which is a bit far from Sălaj. But it's strange that the Romanian Army could observe the evolution of the tactics from its neighbours (the entered the war in 1916, so had at least 2 and 1/2 years to prepaire), but they still fought like in the 19th century, at least in the first stages. Their generals studied at hight universities in western Europe, even king Carol being at origin a general, veteran of the Prussian-Danish War of 1864-1865. Was there any determination to charge cavalry to machineguns, or which would be the chances to actually succeed? I want to know more about battle from the Argeș Valley in 1916.

[Morar Andrei]

Strange tactics on this war... somehow was neccesarely to transit from Napoleonic tactics to modern warfare

[Morar Andrei]

What happened that day?

[Morar Andrei]

?

[Guest]

Mate,

 

Charging MGs was not new in Horse verses MGs combat.

 

We (ALH) did it in most battles and Beersheba for us and Huj for our British mates.

 

Some times you just have to do it and some work out while others don't.

 

I have a number of ALH actions that met defeat when charging MG's, one saw a ALH Troop slaughtered doing it.

 

There are so many varitables doing this type of action that Iam surprise how often cavalry did it, but you can get lucky?

 

S.B

[Morar Andrei]

But why did they decide to still keep this kind of attack, even if it was dangerous and many times worthless? Plus, which was the situation during the battle for the Argeș valley, in that obligating the romanian commander send the cavalry forward? To get lucky, when you and your horse are a 2 - 2,5m tall target for a machinegun, are little. Only if the machinegunner would have a bad aiming...

[Morar Andrei]

Another image related ro the romanian cavalry from 1916:

[Morar Andrei]

I found out more exactly which battle was this. It was the battle of Robănești, also known as "the charge of Robănești". This is what happened:

 

On 23 November 1916 at 6 a.m. under dense fog, captain Alexandru Filitti, commander of the 3rd cavalry squadron is called from Lăcrița Mare where his squadron was stationed to Popânzălești to join the main forces of the Brigade. At 7 a.m. the entire Brigade starts advancing towards Bojoiu, Robănești and Pielești.

At 8 a.m. the Romanian vanguard, including part of the 9th Roșiori regiment and a squadron of machine guns encounters the German lines east of Bojoiu and its advance is stopped. Receiving reinforcements, the Romanian troops attack and after a strong exchange of fire the Germans retreat and the Romanians occupy the village.

In the meantime, two battalions of the 11th Bavarian Division, reinforced by machine-gun units and artillery occupied a front line form Pârșani to Robăneștii de Sus. At 8.15 a.m. the 9th Roșiori regiment is ordered to attack the German left wing located in the village Pârșani behind the Pârșani forest. The regiment advances west of the village of Bojoiu, towards Lăcrița Mare along the valley of the Vlașca River being kept out of sight by the Robănești hills. Shortly afterwards, at 8:30 a.m. the rest of the vanguard of the brigade continues to advance, crossing Robăneștii de Jos, advancing despite some German attacks till about 8.45 a,m. where it encounters strong enemy fire. The Romanians decide to attack the German positions. The 4th Roșiori Regiment is ordered to carry out the frontal attack and consequently dismounts. The fourth squadron takes position preparing for the attack along the Robăneștii de Jos - Pârșani road. On the right flank, three platoons of the third squadron take position covering the terrain to the Teslui River. To the left another platoon of the same squadron takes position, reinforced by the machine-gun unit. The first squadron of the regiment is kept as reserve. A unit of the horse-drawn artillery, under the command of captain Vasilescu, is also positioned on the left side. 

In the mean time, the 9th Roșiori regiment had stopped near some straw stacks, at about 800 meters south-west of the Pârșani forest. Lieutenant Emil Mora, who had scouted the area, reported to Colonel Călinescu that he had identified the position of the German artillery and could indicate the line along which the Romanian cavalry could charge that position. However the Romanians had no information about the position of the other German troops. Colonel Călinescu accepted the advice and ordered his second in command to select the squadron for the charge. At this moment, captain Alexandru Filitti volunteered to lead his squadron to charge the German positions.

Having lost some of its men in previous combats, the squadron was only 110 swords strong, and all other officers besides its commander had been sent on various missions. Captain Filitti decided to have two platoons, under the command of sergeant Ion Bălașa, advance northwards, under cover of a small hill and then to attack the flank of the artillery position. Captain Filitti decides to lead himself the main charge. Lieutenant Emil Mora, who was in charge of the supplied of the regiment and lieutenant Iuliu Roșca aide-de-camp of the regiment commander volunteer to take command of one of two platoons. Another volunteer is 67-year-old sergeant Gheorghe Donici who had participated in the Romanian War of Independence. When the charge approached the German positions, the Germans hastily pulled back their cannons. The entire 3rd squadron continued its charge to pursue the retreating artillery. In doing this they came under the fire of the German machine-guns which had been hidden behind the haystacks and the fire of the German infantry which had been hidden in trenches along the Craiova-Balș road. Captain Filitti was wounded by fire but continued his charge until his horse was killed by a hand-grenade and he himself was heavily wounded and taken prisoner. The result of the charge was the total annihilation of the 3rd squadron. Only two officers and 16 soldiers survived and were taken prisoners. The losses amounted to one officer and 94 soldiers.

[Guest]

Mate,

 

It goes to docrine in who ever's Army. It appears that all Cavalry type units are taught the tactic's of the charge and it has been used in all wars since the horse was first use in battle.

 

Even now days as an old cavalryman I was taught that even Armoured types (Tanks and APC's) still look for that chance to change an enermy unit.

 

Some times it works while other times it does not, but you try because we are taught the history of the Cav Regt and its the chance to do it and win.

 

British Cavalry has been doing it for hundreds of yours and charges like the Scots Greys at Waterloo which wiped out French formations only to be destroyed by a French counter attack by Cavalry.

 

Or the Charge of the Light Bde at Balaklva in the Chrimea.

 

Cavalry types we love that stuff and are always looking to do it.

 

So your Cavalry no dought also love to do it and if they got a chance will do it every time, even if it means there death?

 

Its just one of those things

 

S.B

[Morar Andrei]

Probably it was just the way they were thinking, the machineguns being relatively "new" on on the modern warfare and especially to the Great War. After thousands of years in which you used cavalry as main shock unit, it would be hard to give up on this usual..

[trajan]

15 hours ago, Morar Andrei said:

... After thousands of years in which you used cavalry as main shock unit, it would be hard to give up on this usual..

 

As the saying goes, Generals are preparing always for the next war by remembering what worked in the last one...