Axis Cavalry

in World War II
Men-at-Arms 361
Axis Cavalry
in World War II

OSPREY
PUBLISHING
Dr Jeffrey T. Fowler Illustrated by Mike Chappell
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AXIS CAVALRY IN WORLD WAR II
GERMAN ARMY CAVALRY 1939-41
Pre-Wllr Reiter ltrooperl of the
S.ReIler Regiment, based _t
Stolp - note the .....mber stitched
In yellow on hi. dan: __
shoulder .Inops. The __of
the Socialist eqi4' end
.waslib bMge from the right
breast Gat" this pnoto to bef_
October 1935; -..d note the
collar patches wtth the ,IIYet'
lace bars allll mounted Of!
bac.king of c:av.'", V-11ow. He
.....-rs the rly MtD18 "eel
with ear cut-out" which
penisted In use In the .::....1...,
until tt>e late 1g30s, to the
utent thai It was erroneou-'Y
tenned the 'eavel..., he{met',
(Brian Bell Colleetionl
T
ilE GER..\lAN AR.\f\' (Rcichshccr) pcnllillcd by the TrealY of
Versailles following World War I totalled 100,000 men in ten
dhisions - seven infaml)' and three camll)'. The 18 cavalry
regimenLS represented 16.4 per cent of tom] manpower; it has been
suggested thaI the Emcme powers assumed that c.mllry posed lillIe
threat and. being expensi\'c to maintain, \\'ould restnct expenditure on
Olher milital)' priOlitics. III about 1928 the composition of a mounted
regimem was as follows:
IVgimmtal HQ (with trum/Nt corJ}$)
SigllOls phitoon
4x Sll1m: Mtuadrolls - each 4 officers + 170 men, 200 horses
HqJlllCnllnd & training squatlron - 4 officers + 110 men. 170 horses
glln phitoon - 4x MG08
Seven of the 18 mounted regimentS had an additionallifth squadron
(4 officers, 150 men, 180 horses), which in timc of war was to be
detached lO the command of an infalUry dhision to prmide a
rl.'Connaissance element.
In 1933 the advent of the Na,o:i govcrnment brought rejection of the
Versailles limitations and a rapid expansion ami re-cquipment of the
new WehrmadH. In 1934-35 the 4th, 7th, 11th. 12th & 16th Mounted
RegIS were transfonned into the 1st & 3rd Rille Regts. 1st, 2nd &
3rd Motorcycle Bns, and 2nd. 3rd & 6th Panzer Rebtimcnts. Other
regiments were stripped of individual squadrons to prmide the
nudells for anti-tank and armoured rccoilnaissancc units. (In 1936
and 1938 the 4th & 11th Regts returned to the cavalry role, the
latter with Austrian personnel).
Reorganisation and re-equlpment
In 1936 a modernisation and expansion of the cavah')' units
began. The drive for mechanisation and tactical inllovation
impacted upon the cavalry, changing the composiTion of
mounted units in fundamelllal (although the on-going
process of re-cquipmetH would not be completed before the
outbreak At the most basic le"el, the cavalry receh'ed the
shonened Karabiner 98k, a handier version of IJle old M1898
!\'Iauser rifle; although it became the Wehl'lnacht's sl<lndard issue,
this specifically designed for moullled troops.
The hea\y water-cooled Maxim sMG08 machine gUll, and the
air-cooled Dreyse 1:'I1G 13 which brieO)' became the standard light
machine gun, were replaced by the vastl)' superiolo MG31 in two versions,
for lise both as a section light automatic and a susl<lined fire suppon 3

Horse. tethered outskle their

.table. The ...blet were
.ub.tilntlill .tt\.lctu..., some of
which ....tllI .tandlne today.
Not. the many window. for
ildequate ventilation; fresh air
w.t e...ntlal for healthy
anImal. Stable routIne
conaumed much of a trooper'.
day, In earrlson or In the field,
(Paul LJohn.on Collection)
It. pre-w.r Germ.,. c.av.11"J' .table;
tIM spolJ.et.s c".nlineu of the
n- Indlc:.-tn the Ml'lount of
won. demanded, The .tall. ;Ire
the w.lk-In type ilnd ftoot'ed with
stnw, The M1e25 SiIOdJes ilnd
..._ bridln ... hunt Or! rilCk
nd pegs, wlth tIM ucklle
blilnkets fokillCl across the ..ilts.
(Pilul L..Johnsotl Collection)
weapon. Mortars of hoth 81null and 50mrn
calibre entercd lhc Gwalrr ullit's inventory,
adding an errcctivc illdircct IIrc capability.
The cavalry expcrilllclllcd in \-.uying degrees
with armoured GI ...., hicycles and motorcycles.
These created a more divcrsified unit cap..ble of
handling a wider range of missions. Rej:,.-imellts
recei\'cd motorised ani i-tank, piolleer and
amlOured scout car platoons, the lauer \\ith twO
Kfz 13 machine gun cars and onc Kfz 14 radio car.
From 1936 the Kf... 69 . Krupp-Proue' six-whc..-eled
truck, capable of some orr-road mm'cmcm. belfdil
to be issued as a lo\\'ing and lransport \'chide.
Tactical doctrine also had to be rc\ised in order to
take ad\<llltage of the new equipment.
Perhaps the aspect most import.-.m to the cOlllinuillg rc1e\<lllcc of
con'llry was lhat of integr.11 howitzers and anti-tank f,'1.IILS. The standard
b'1.lII-howiucr, the heaviest weapon employed by C<l\".tlry uniu, was the
i.!x:m IIG18 ('light infano)' gun' - although termed in Cd\"dlr}' 1I11its the
'C<l\"dlry b'1Ill'). The regiments designatcd Rntrr or 'I-Ior.;c' (sec 'Anll\'
and Troop C.-.valry' bc1o\\') boasted four of these effccti\c and \'eNatilc
guns, the Km,al/Pri,unilS si..x of them. All were assigned to the rCbrimclllal
'heavy" squadrons, designated as 5th Sqn in 'Horse' units and 10th in
'Ca\"dlry' units,
'Honse' regimcllIs receivcd a platooll of three 37mm anti-mnk as
part of the IIQ clemenI; 'Cavalry' units had six, in a designatcd 9th
Squadron. Iniliall)' these weapons proved reasonabl)' efTeCLi\"c, though
\\<lrtime in arlllOlir design soon rendered them obsolete.
The IIG18 howil7ers were also somelilncs used in the anti'lank role.
In human terms the r.tpid expansion of the Army also had impac\.
In Germany, as in European annics, the c.l\<lI'1' had a high social
c..chet and had tended 10 allr.tCl otlicers from the consen'atj\"ely minded
aristocracy, They now bad to deal \\ith lhe 'new man' concepts promoled
by Nazi ideology, which Slressed the equality of every ablc-bodied man
serving the st..te. The importance of a .lUl/ker family background in the
selection of cavalry onicers declined, aud this created some friction as
those of more mundanc middlc<;lass ori!,rins filtered into the oOicer
corps. It also served a useful purpose, however, in encouraging
Howeyer, il would be a c'llicature to
lhal a traditional (avail}' background
disqualified olJiccrs for skilled and energetic
leadership in this new Wehrmachl. Generals
Baadc, Hapner, \"on Kleist. Lindemann, Eberhard
\"on Mackensen, von Sauckcn, Geyr von Schwep-
penburg, SlUrllmC, \"on Weichs and Westphal were
only a few of the ca\"<lh)' generals who gave the lie
to any such assumption.
Bicycle Troops
One squadron per regiment became bicycle-
mounted infantry, This seems odd today; but most
4 European eXI>crimented with biC}"c1e
Table 1: 1.Reiter (Horse) Regt,
peacetime establishment
Table 2: 1.Reiter (Horse) Regt,
Se tember 1939
5
Signal. troop:
1 CIIIicllI". 29..-..cl1TlllO'l; 25 tcnes - 17 Illddla, 4 pIiId\.
4 dral.I;1Jt 1x hor'w-O"awrI ""4 5ignIIs W8OQOII, Ix flldIo tnJck,
2Jo: K1z 1x ractoo lnl lx le1epto>e
lnl (mo(). 3x rlIdo 1x teIedla18 lmt"
2nd. 3m, 4th Squadrons: 815 1.1 Squadron
39 oflioEn. 2 o/liolals. 204 NCOs. 1,195 EMs: 1,421 /nll8s; 42Jo:
M334l1l1l1l. 16x MG34 (teavy1, e..: 81mm mortars. 7.5cm \PlS.
3Jc: 37mm AT g.ns: horse-d"8Wn vehicles, tnIiIer". 21x cars.
12Jo: In.JCI<3, lex aOO motorc)'clee. 9Jl GOitlietioll5, 3Jc:
"""""" ""
RegImental baggage column - 39 EMS, 50 11OfS(l$:
l1x Hll waggons Orawn by 41lorse looms. of wtIlCt1
5x 8!OOllJI1itial. 5x todOar, \ x fatria': pUs \Ial1ous In.d<:s.
sanitBli()n V8'lS. etc.
151 Squadron:
5 appn::Jl<.216 EMs. 254 hcnI8; 4x MG34 r-y. 9Jl
MG34 Iltol. 14x SMGs. 68x I1I8es; lx rnotoreyc:III c:ombIliltJon,
1x iBId kiIchln. 4x Hl2 & 3ll 1-f1 waggcns. t Y8IlOUS tn.d<3
HO_
3x /rtlCpS #,/d) - 1 ofIoW. 44 EMs. 50 ha'ses
HO """"
3x!ll!lCtlOrlJ - each 13 EMs. 14 tIoralls; lx MG34 tgJI.
Ix heavy zroop - 1 oflIce'. 39 EMs. 48 hotseII.; 4)( MG3411Ba11V
Notes:
... U:I to the start of the FU5siatI canpa91. .b'1e 1Q4 1.
IlllCh horse and bic',Oe troop was 8OcitlonBIy lssufId
2ll PanzerbOchse 39 !W1b.l<ri; rifles.
He & HQ tQUlIdron lmot):
301blrs.150EMs
HO""",
RiIlcc8I7l;1l;J1- 3x errnou'tld 8lXllA: anw MG 34. Ix radio tnd<
.......,.. tn:ll;p - 3x lOWed 37mn AT glftJ
Prt:n- b1:q:) - 3x WClICiI'lS ........ MG 34. n.tlt:& bclIIIs
-""""
5th $quao7orI lHeiWYI:
4 offIl::eI8. 226 EMs. 225 horses; &t 81/lYll rrortas.
4)< 7.Scm 11oYoltter8; 20x Yehcle8
HO_

HQ """"
3x lI8Ctions - each 21181mm, carrIage-rTn.I1ad.
orawn by 6-horoo !6MI$
C8vaty (pllroop
HQ I100P
2x s:bons - eactl2x 7.5cm IIG16 gurhowitzln.
drawn by 6-horse tearns
43 otficl:Ir.5". 274 NCOs. 835 enisted men- 1.152
922 sadcIe 1lor3es. 92 rerncults. 4 <'lrl:Ju!jlt .. 1.018 horses
Rogt He> &HO Troop corps & Iilg"'oaIs Pillooo)
18 otlicllra, 43 NCX:l6, 83 EMs: 48 saddle. 7 1UI"IOOOl. 4 drau;;1l:

Each. 5 ottioors. 42 NCX:l6, 151 EMs: 176 sadcIe, 17
--"" """
5 ofIicenr;. 42 NCX:l6, 142 EMs; 140 SOOdl&. 14 IllITIOlnS
No'""
, .. o6::iaI5. mldc:aI oIk::ers. 'o'8l8rir'B"Il
"" ncU:Ir1g I
/Soul:lIJ - RichIer. Qwaty dille 19" 1-451
---
lroops. which had rCill possihilities for r:a.pid
movement in \\'t.'Stem Europe. ",ith its dense
nelwork of lllemiled roads. Under fa\'Olll-able
conditions hicvdist.; could in faCI cover long
di<;tallC(.'S fasler Ihan hOl-..elllcn, ;lIld more quiell}':
they could deploy for action \\ithout losing lhe
scnices of hONoe-holders; and. of course, their
'mounts' re<lllired nonc of lhe specialisl care of
horses. l\icycle lroops pro\'ed \'ery successful in the
West in 1910. although the medieml quality
of most roads on the EaStern Fronl often
reduced them to fOOI-sloggers'. B)' 1938 'Cavalry'
regiments had acquired a complete, parLly
1Il00olised 2nd (BiC)c1e) Ballalion, giving the ullil
II squadrons. The hea\y weapons in biq-ck unit"
were carried by motorC)"Cle/sidecar combinations;
cach S(luadron hOld 17 of these, plus lour solo
mOlOrcycles and seven ,..11ten-;lin cars and trucks.
'Army' and 'Troop' Cavalry
An impOrl,Ult diSlinClion was made belween 'Ann}'
Cavalry' and 'Troop Cavalry'. 'AmlY Cavalry'
referred LO COJllptete 110rse-ll10ullled T11,mocuvre
unit" with weak tIIotorised support dements,
which would operate in lllolmlcd formations
directly under higher commands in tillle of
Ihese kepI the title Rriln' lVgimnlf (which
is Iranslalcd throughout this lexl as Horse
Regiment). 'Troop were panly mOlOrised,
panly horse-lllounlcd. panly bicycle unilS which,
upon mobilisation. \\'ould be dispersed to prmide
the reconnai.$S:mce baualions ofinfanu)' divisions;
these unilS took the tille KflImllml' Hl'gimmf.
The home depoLS of the 15 regiments "'ere as follows:
I.Reiter Regt - Insterburg; 2.Reiter Reg! - Angerburg: 3.K:..v
Regl - GOeuingen: 4.K.av Regt - AJlenslein; 5.Kav Regt - Stolp; 6.Kav

Regl- Darrnstadl; 8.K.av RCgl- Ods; 9.Kav Reg! -

Fumcnwaldc: 10.K;\'I Rcgt - Torgau; I LKav Regl
- Stockcrnu; 13.K.'lv Rcgl- Lllllcburg; 14.Kav Regl
- LudwigsluSL: IS.Kav Rcgt - Paderbom: 17.K.'lv
Regl- Bamberg: IS.Kav Rcgt- Stuugan.
Each regiment was stationed within one of the
Wchrkrcis or milit:u1' regions. and assigned to the
command of a (Ilon.moloriscd) infantry or
mountain ,,!lny corps. Between 1933 and 1938
Riding & Driving Schools for training aflieen;,
reserve officers and NCOs with saddle and
dr.mglll horses were sel up in each Wehrkreis.
In addition to the re<:onnaiss,mce (AllJkliirungs)
b.,ualions for infanu)' divisions. a mounted SCOUI
and securil)' platoon was also provided for the
headquaners element of each ,,(th'c infantry
regiment from 1935. These "Infantry horse
platoons' - of32 mcn and 33 horses. plus a combat
train of onc Hil waggon \\'ith a two-horse team.
and one C)'c1isl - ,,'cre drawn paruy from mounted
uniLS of the S"'''l.lC Police wiul Anny cavall1' officers
and NCOs. but somc \\'cre detached complete
from ule ca,,<th)' uniLS.

The fael that the Gennan Army. so forward-
looking in man)' still cm;sagcd a m;yor role
for horses al a lime whcn olher anllies were
retiring them may seem paradoxical. In fact it was
Ule rapid eXlxlIlsion of the forces that ultimately
ensured the continuing exislence of horse uniK
It "'<1.5 a question of prodllction \'CI'SUS demand:
German industry could not keep pace ,\;th the
rapid expansion of the Army, which a huge
increase in manpo\\er (from ten to 55 divisions
between 1933 and 1939), bUI a much slower rise
in the nation's annual capacil)' for producing iron
and steel. Hencc, thc tllotorisation programmc
was far behind thal of many oU1(:r countries when
hoslilities broke aliI ill September 1939; orthe 55
divisions, only 14 were fully motorised.
There was thus a continucd reliance on the
horse ill both saddle and dr;lllght roles; horses
still provided sollie 70 pCI' cellt of the heavy lift
and trdrlspon capacity, including much of the
artillery transport. Since the moyorilY of the
infantry divisions remained unmechanised. they
also continued fO need mounted reconnaissance
uniLS on campaign. f....... ch 1939 infantrydi\'"ision of
17.200 men included 5,375 on irs wartime
establishment. The horse-dr.n\Tl Hn and Hf2
lr.msport waggons/.....eapons carriers remained in
widespread usc throughout the war.
Ii. pore.war ..alry IN'trol; the man on the wea... a
Gelreite,; (lance-.;orpotal ..j slftile chrn'on on his lett arm
only. HI. rtne .. carried to his lett rear In the saddle boot,
which was later eliminated.
In the old volunteer RelcMwehr, eq......trian training was
atrict and conducted along the ..... of dauieal 'dr8SSll9f!.
Recruits rode for ......1h<M.>... daiIJ In the "dIng hall under
the c;ritio;al eyes of bott\ NCOs and oMc:..... They also spent
many hou... pertectinSl their crou-country riding and jumping
sldlls - crltk:.al for miUtary "dlnog, so thilt the trooper's mind
was not preoc:cupiecl with such things whoen on acti.-e
servlce. Ii. total of 3.000 hoI.rtI w.. specified for a recruit's
equestrian lntinirtg.. 1935, wlth the relntroduc:tlon of
conscription and a 11ml1 01 len p,er cent YOlunteer recruitment
for the caIIalry, the Army lnitiall, I\ad only a rear to train a
trooper. Ridlnog Inslnletiort w.. cut to _ hour a dew. the
emphasl. shiftinog to weapon. and tactic:al tralnlnog. In which
the trooger waa reqUired to meet the same .tandards as the
Infantryman. (PlKll L..Johnson CoHectionl
The ublquitOllS Hf1 b1lnaport wll99O" and _apon. c.arrler;
this weighed 650kfl (1,4:JO{baj empty and could carry a load
of 75CM1f111.&501b$1. Hote tM tow profile can.._ cOYer. and
the team" Mle25 breast twmes.. Relna went of hemp or
(_ herejleather; an ovtrlder .... _t1_1lMd. The
horse In the foreeround .. a ftne Hanl..... The soldier
beside the driver .. cracllinll .. anirn8II companion In hi. lap
(paul LJohnaon COIlec:Uofl)
A fine shot of troops posing with their draught horses. The
transport and supply services of the WehlTllacht remained
approximately 70 per cent horse-drawn throughout the war.
The Sl,.. of the horse on the right Is tn.dy remal1lable.
Animals were cla$llified as $XW (keavy draught horse for the
artlilery), aK (heavy draught for othat" branches), or
sa (vel')' Mavy horses - In British telTllS, urtho....' like
Ihfs fine beast). (paUl L.lohnllOn Collection)
Aftcr mobilisation in 1939, the WehrTTlacin
included SOIllC 2,740,lXlO men, 183.000 motor
\chiclcs. 9-1.000 motorC)des - and 514.000 hon;es.
Of the s;n1dlc hon;es, the huge m:YOIit}' were
assigned to thc Troop C.1.\'dlry' divisional
mi"ed rl,.'Olll1aissancc batlalions. The basic com-
position of tlu:sc Aufk.]arullf.,'S Abteilungen was:
lJII I-IQ
Sigll(lls plntooll (pan lnOlorised)
Moull/ed sqlUlt!ron (see
iHo//JI1)'dr squadron
Neall)' squadron
(Total firepower included 3x armoured cars,
25x MG34 light, 8x MG34 heavy, 3x 50mtll
mortars. 4" 8lmtll mormrs, 3" 37111111 AT guns,
and:.!x 7.5cm gUlls.)
Only the 1st C:wall1' Brigade, based in East
1)l1Issia, sUlyived in the 'Army C:lv:III1' role. lllis
fonn:nion (see Tables L 2 & 3), built around tllC
1st & 2nd Horse RegimenlS.....'as the slIbje<:t of
cxperimcnts to dctcrrnine if horsed cavalry still
had :1 iL,,>itimate mctical role on the modem
bauleficld. It would be expanded to divisional
strcngth in the wimer of 1939-40 as a result of
irs relatively successful showing during the
Polish campaibTfl.
Table 3: 1st Cavalry
Brigade/Division, 1939-41
(AI 1st Cal/alry Br1gade, mobilised ntablishn--.t 1t3e
6.684 allWIIos. .552 I'ases; 409Jl to'9lHhwn IIIhdas.
4271< an & tn.e:b. 153 rrotllf'C;::le OOI.IWlIIIlIOllS, 165 lido
Il'lOOJIl'Cydes ex wrncued sctU G:WS.
_HO
1st Horse Flr!IgImsrlf las "l"abe 2)
2nd Horse (as Table 2)
lSi Biqde 8lIlIabJ:
-"'"""-
3x bocyl::Ilt - ead1 195 men. 9x MG34 .
4)1 MG34 1lIIy. 3x 50rml JT'JOrtS,
III
AT ptn - 8lldl3x 37rnm
2x cavary ptns - each 2x 7.5cm
lx rrorlar pln - ex 81 rnm
1st Horse MiJIlry Bat/akin:
HObat1ay
3K horse boUEIOO$ - ooct14J1 7.5cm
AT COIY1pMy (motl- 12x 37mm
AA (mot) - 12x 2<Xnm"
-""""'""
...... """""'"
&ActninisfllllOO:
2x Ir,tlI motOriSed Irlrlsport COUrns
2x f'orse-O'avofl tfDnSPOrt coIo.x'ms
I xI\tlt motOriSed tuel COUn'l

-"""""
""""""""'""-
- """""
""""""""""'""
Nolltll:
not 8CIMIIeCl n Im!llor PotstI carTlplIg\
edt two IIClMded
, _ not ...,. 8Cliweted
, .. be'ore ..U"1e Ig.t 1, eadl horse W1d I:Eyde tnXlP
8lXtIbii1tY l$Iued 2x 39 AT rilII!II
(8) 1,1 Cal/alry Division. ordered formed 25 Oelober 1939
1st Qwaty (as A abcM.ll
2nd Horse Brlgode (1orm9d 7 December 1939):
21s1 Horse Regiment IJ Btl, 151-5th SC1l$, Jormed from
8th. 28th, 162nd Reece Bns; II 811, 6th-10lh sc,'IS, from
7th. 54ttl, 14th Reece 80s.)
22nd Horse Regimom 811 trom 3rd. 17th, 173rd R&CI Bns;
II Btl, tmm 21st. 30th. 1561t1 Recce ens)
2nd Horse MiI8ry BiltraKN1
(e) RllOI'gllnl..
2 FIfIOrt/lI')' 1940 ll/21st Horse Ragt lisb<w1ded: three
rrx:x.ned IllglIi 01 tfviSkln IlQ.alised lit 2 bre eaen 01 sabnl SQl"l5,
pUs 9th (HeeIIyl a'Id 101h (HQl &flS.
2 Atri 194/ 2nd Horse Bde redesig'l9Iad lSI Horse Bde.
oo.*"isillg: lSI Horse Reg( (l.1l): 2nd Horse RegI" I); 21st Cavalry
Aagl (lSl-&h 5q1S): Il'lCJIorqdl:l bn. otiI 5 bliIIIeres: I$I.
Horse M'{ Reg! (l, I, 11). 0Msl0naI tins 40th. 8IUlIlpt
86th C/IY &I.
28 NcNertIt:Jf.- f 9.f I
151 ClIYf/Iy 0Ms01 241h Panaw C/MsIon.
7
The 37mm antt-tank tyn, the
standard WenrmacM _apon at
the outbreak 0' war but obsolete
by the end 0' 1"'1. The erew
wear coIour1od eIen:;I.. uncls on
theit" helmets - e' Pisle A.
Column 0' twos ne.r the Somme
RI...er, Fr.nee, 1~ 4 0 . These
troopers, possibly members of
the 1st C.....lry OI...lslon, sport.
eomblnatlon 0' both thl MHl35
front saddle paeks end thl
M 1 ~ 4 0 ...r saddlebags. They
stili earry sabres _ e' Plate A.
(Imperial Waf Museum RML225)
GERMAN ARMY CAVALRY
OPERATIONS, 1939-41
1st Cavalry Brigade in Poland, 1939
The WehrmachCs only 'Army Cavalry' formaLion
was blooded in Poland on the C;:lrly morning of
I September 1939. The 1st Cw Bdc, shielding 3rd
Army's eaSLCrn flank in its thfilst soutll-eastwards
from Eastl'l'ussia, advanced with 1st Horsc RCb>t in
the van. The iniLial border crossing was lightly
opposed and Ihe lil'S! objecLive, the town of
Mp;einicc, was taken after a bombardment b)'
arLillery and morl..'lrs. TIle brigade encountered
the Polish 7th Uhlans in Ihe \icinity of Fr.mkowo
on 3 Seplcmber. The lancers were driven off, as
"-.lS a Polish alt;'lck 011 brigade he<ldquaners. The
brigade crossed tile "arew River as thc lead elcmenl of 3rd Army on
5/6 Scptembt:r. AssignL-d to tl1e l2tll Inf Oi\, the brigade was altacked by
Polish infantry, who were repulsed only with difficuh}'; some documents
\\'cre bllmttO avoid their f'alling into enemy hamL<.. Poland experienced
a severe drought in the summer and :mtllmn of 1939: this compounded
the problcms of mountc..d opcr:ltions, as manpower needed elsewhere
had 10 be employed to locate :lIld b'1.I:lrd sparse water supplies for the
horses and men.
From 8-14 September Ihe brigade continucd 10 conduct
reconnaissance palIols throughout its assigned area; mounted pau'ols
were critical in providing ilHelligcncc about enemy forccs. Such pau'ols
generally consistcd of one to three riders, \\hose lllsk was 10 obscrvc and
reporl enemy acd\;ty. They sometimes ::ItlC::lllpu::d 10 hold the cnclll}' in
place until help arrh'cd - a technique wilh lillie suni\"al .... Alue for the
unfortunate seOllLS. Recollnaissance palrols cOll"islCd 1I0t only of riders
bill also of armoured cars. motorcycles and bicyclists. The unimproved
roads of Poland, many of them din, were ideal for horse and light
\'chicle operations, but the dl1'tless of ~ h e roadbeds could cre,lle
problems, as the clouds of dust kicked inlo Ihe air by travelling units
could be obscn'cd for somc distance.
On 23 Septcmber, in lhe vicinity of Krasnobrod, the Polish 25th
Uhlans clashed widl a force of German cavalry in classic style. The Poles
8
llsed their lances and the Gellllall troopers their
sabres - an extraordinarily ":Ire eyent. MLCr
initially besting the Germans tJle Polish troopers
dashed on, only to be lll'lS!.acrcd by German
machine gnns.
Meanwhile, across the entire breadth of the
German a(ho:.lllce, lhe lIlounu.-d re<:onnaissance
squadrons of the infantry divisions sen'ed
successfully as the eyes and cars of their
Something of the strain of mounted operatlons
can be glimpsed in tJle following excerpt from The
writings ofL'Ince-Corporall-lonnes, sening with a
14tJl Anny di\ision do..."" SOUlh in the Carpathian

'Mter a fest of about an hour, we pressed 011 once more, A broad,
sand)' road led Oil wards up through a high pass. 'nle infanlrymen were
cursing and swearing because our horses were throwing up so milch
dus!. It seemed the hills would ne\er come to an end. It was alread)'deep
twilight when we reached the highest point. Beyond, the ground sloped
sharply away downhill, I was angf'). because in spite of the incline ','e
were haling to trol. I lell that my horse. l-Ier70g. could lake no more of
il - he WdS stumbling conslantly. I called Ollt to the section cOlllmander,
-llerLogs had as much as he can - and rd scarcely gO( tile words
OUI when the poor beast fell 10 his knees. TIlere was no doubt thai he
in se\'ere pain, though he \\,;'\Sllt !;Ullt:.
' ...We had gOlle 70klll on the first day, then 60 on the second. And on
lOp oftha!. we'd had tile trek oyer the mountains, and earl)' this morning
with the advance palrol, abollt 20km up and dowlI hill - g"dlloping.
what's more; and no,'o' another 40km on top ofthaL All in all. that meallt
we'd gone nearly 200kl11 in three days \\ithout any proper rest.
Cm>alry also helped in searching for the 'Hubal Group. This was a
force of Polish camlrylllcn and supporters which conductcd
against the Germans frOIll 23/24 Scptemher 1939 ulllil as late as 30 May
1940. M.yor Henryk Dobn':anski formed the initial group from mcmbers
of the 10th Uhlan Reg\., Rcseryc C..wah" Btigade, This independent
force succeeded in occupying the resources and energies of lllany
Wchnnachl and 55 unilS for some months, creating havoc undl hunted
down and almost annihilated in the vicinity of Kielce. Elements of the
Hubal Group a\'oided the fatal ambush, in which their commander was
kill cd: and they only disbanded when ordered to do so by the Polish
resistance leadership upon the news of the fall of France in June 1940,
Poland lent itself to mounted operations. The thick forests and dirt
roads were ideal for the hitand-run raids conducted by the Hubal
Group. Con\'ersely, German mounted units were neccssa,)' to search out
and destroy the Poles, Their hors!..'S were "bit: 10 tra\'erse ter'.lin
imp,assable to mOlorised forces. and allowed them to stay in cOlHact with
the I'oles after encounter cng;':lgelllcnK Infantry could also Lr.1\CrsC the
forests .. md swamps, but their slow ..all' of march prevented thcm finding.
fixing, and destroying the more mobile enemy.
Generall)', despite the h;,mdicap of their lack of heay}' arullel)'
support, the mounted units of the Wehnnacht perfonned well during:
the Polish campaign.
One of the most dartgerova
arid technically challenlllng
fof' ca'f'alry wn the
mef' crossln9. " the stream was
....ltow, a group of riders _nt
lIPSt....m .nod formed
brQkwatef' with the bodies
of their mounts while the rest
of the unit swam their
Itonn acrou. The authon
cornspondent HelT Hans
Deckert ,..;aJled that he had
_ at Ie.st _ trooper d_
during svch training I.en;ises,.
Riders sometimes crossed wat...
barriers without dO$mounting;
theW' also u$ed rubber boals, the
t..-pe1'S riding In lhe boats while
holding onto lhe bridlea of their
moi.Inla Iwlmmlng alongside
(thl' technique Is described in
Wehnnachl Manu.1 HDv 316).
Ran, w.... sometimes used as
well, as ltIustl1lled In this shot of
SA personnel making a river
cro..lng; and thIs could be as
hazardous as swImmIng the
horses, The hora.es are
un,addled but remaIn bridled
for control purposes. Rowers
are uMd for locomotlon raTher
than combustion engines,
(PaUl L.Johnaon Collection)
9
10
Cavalry In the West, May-June 1940
Holland is a land of obstacles; mililaq' ad.....mces
may be slowcd or e\'en stopped by the polders,
d)'kcs, bridges. marshes, and waterways criss-
crossing the COlllll.l)'side. Cwalry had an ad\"antage
over annour. Ihey could rc.X"onnoitre crossing sites
swiftly and much conspicllously. They could
also sei7.e thc far bank wllh less noise and while
making less of a targel of themselves than
motorised units. The now-expandcd 1st Co'walry
Division also served in Belgium and shortly
thereafter in France.
'nle fit'Sl Wehrmacht unit to cross the Seine
Rker was the ca\"alry squadron of tlle reconnaissance battalion assigned
10 6th Inf Oiv; the squadron commanded by Olx:rleutnant Georg
von BOselagcl', ""ho ,,'ould later become known as a champion of ca\'<llr)'
operations on the Easlern Front.
11l(: lSI Co'W Oi\' assigned 10 4th Arm),. The di\lsiOIl crossed thc
Sommc on 7Junc. securing the left flank of XXXVII 1Corps ilnd fighting
in the \icinilY of Mculcn. It reached Saumur on 19JUIIC. but all attempt
to sci.le the Loire River bridge failed - Lhe bridge blowlI up along
\\lth the cavall)' patrol still on it. TIle battle for Saumur .. md thc 25km of
riverbank around tlle lown look place on 18-19June. lronicall}'. lSI Col\'
Oi\"s opponenls includt'd the cadets of the French Schoul
out...ide the town. The French c.'1dets retrealed under orders on 20Jllnc.
On the 23rd. seOlllS of lSI Ow Oiv rcached the \icinity of l...<l Rochelle,
and the cessation of hostilities was annoullced thai nighl.
Theory and practice
The commander of a reconnaiss.<lnce unit used each of his clemcnts -
horsed, armoured car, motorcycle and bicyclc - so as 10 lll<udmisc their
potential. For inslance, lhe bic)'c1e troops screened the advancing
infantry while remaining predomill<llHly on firm roadwa),s. The
horse patrols covered inaccessible to bicycles. anllourcd cars and
mOlOrc)'cJes. They patrolled the woods, unimproved din roads. and
areas of broken terrain. The armourcd cars. opel"ating- in threes, often
reconnoitred areas of interesl further ahead. All elements or any IWO
might be combined to accomplish a specific mission. 1'\'lotorcycles
operated in the sallie manner as armoured scout vehicles.
The divisional reconllaiss;.ll1ce ballalions often combined 10 form
larger eleillcllls for specific missions; the mounled squadrons usually
remained .....ith their assigoncd divisions, howe\'er. Meeting cng;.lgemcnts,
in which opposing forces collide unexpectedl)', were common; the
baltalion's heav)' SUppOI'( weapons would then be called into pia)'. A
mounled unit's firepower \\'<1$ diminished by one fourth in relation to
oUler units of compalOlble size, since every fourth trooper was detailed 10
hold his own and Ihree other horses when ule lInil dismounted to fight.
Tbe horses were sometimes tled together in twos facing in opposite
directions; this pre\'ellled Lheir nmning a\\"a}', and remO\'ed the need to
have a U'ooper "oatch over them.
TIle lSI c.'1V Oi\' had sc)'n.'d the Wehnnacht well up to this point; it had
tr.t\'crsed over 2.000km (1,250 miles) during Lhe campaign in tlle West
Bicycle squadron of the
battalion of a
GenN'n Infantry diislon. They
ride Mt9311 P.triII WKC blcycles
- many f-'9n eveles were .lao
Into Ht'YIce after the fall of
F.-nce. Khaki CM1'Ia. cyclists'
c.peN strapped to the
... or Nlndleba..... and
Karablner Mb eycllats' rifles are
"anted ....,. Onlfoml and field
a,.. standard Infantry
I...... (Friedrich Herrmann
M""-"" Collection)
OPPOSITE Men of mounted
rKonnal"llnee squadron with
ona of the dlvl.lons marching
Into RU5lIia under Army Group
Centre, summer 1941. Their task
wa. critical, and .uch troopers
often stayed In the .addle for far
too many hou... at one time. The
nlor NCO at lett front has his
Bubmachlne gun slung on hi,
b.ek _ elearly, there I. no
of any enemy
eontact. Aft.r 1939 all NCO. in
eommand positions were tssued
SMG., normally the llmm Erma
MP38 and later MP40 (although
Initial ahortO!t9M led to IoOme
",.rlety _ one photo .hows
WKhtno<tl.rM canylng
St.,..-.S060thum 511001.
Captured Rusalan Pf>Sh series
SMO, WeN .Iao popular on the
Eastern Fron' lor their ailftt)liclt)'
.nd retlablltty. (Bundeun:h....
101U13811057/8)
Hf1 weg.gon. here wlth
c:.nv.s c_,
and fou"korH hitch I'8ttler tt\8n
the utual pIIk, The target' Hf2,
which atw8yS needed Iou"
horte team when In the fIfld, wn
used by supply c:oIumns but was
too unwieldy fM a c.val..,
tqUildron tnIm.port. So wn the
teelbodied Hf7/1 1 with rubber-
tyred wheels, which was "sued
In quantity to horMd unl" ahortly
before the war; wlth .... empty
of 1,040"'0 (2,292Ibt - Jutt
over a Ion), It had lo.-cI c:apllc:1ty
01 1,72011; 13,7t121bs _ another
1.7 tont). (Paul L.Johnton
Colleclion)
alone. However, U1CI'e were problems, and the
main one was 'exclusivity' - the division's
specialised requirements. The Wehrmachl was
morc divcrsc in composition than its adversaries in
the West. Exccssive diversit), is often a weakness in
a military organis.ltion: divcrse units require
supplies and serviccs or all kinds. This in
turn requires a larger and more complicated
suppl)' and scn;cc infmstnlClUre. The Wehrmacht
began the with all o\'er-colllplicated supply
system, which only worsened as U1C war continued.
Any aHempt to streamline the S)'Slem Lo
be welcomed. TIle spt."Cialiscd nec.:ds of a di\;sion-
lc.:vel moumed fonnalion were many: fodder, grain. medical specialists,
bl;Icksmiths, etc.. only added to the complcxil)' of an already sLrained
!>1'Stem. The higher command questioned thc continuing need for a
mounted di\ision.
TIle good sen;ce of the 1st Ca\' Di\' in Poland, France and the Low
Counuies ensured its continued exi..tence. however. despite these
sclious doubts. [t was due to the fOl"lnalion's continued and pro\'en
succc.'\S Ihat it was included in the planning for Opemlion 'B.;trbarossa .
the ill\dSion of the USSR, scheduled forJune 19-11.
Russia, June-December 1941
Initially. Opemlion B..rb.lfossa W,L" a stunning Sllccess. Some horse-
dmwn elements experienced dinicuh}' ill keeping p;lce with the mpidly
advancing annour as the Gcnmm arm1t.'S thrust deepl)' into the Soviet
rear areas. TIIC 1st Cav Div, scn'ing wilh XXIV Motori"t.'d Corps of
Cen.Guderian's 2nd Panzer Grollp of Anuy GrollI' Centre. pcrfonned
successfully. TIley acted offensi\'c1y, pll!'Suing lhe fleeing $m;et forces to
the Berezilla River, and defensively, in comhat along the Oniepr Ri\"er and
around Gamel; they also took part in the desperate slmggle 10 close the
Bryansk Pocket at the end of September. They
showed their value particularly, howe\"('r, in rooting
OUt by-passed $ovielllrlits from the Pripct Marshes.
As stated in Muciler-llillclm.llld's I-Iorses in the
Germflll 111'111)' /91/-/945: 'The m:lin :ldv:lntage or
Gwalry is its ability to conduct mobile operaLions
in areas where there arc no rands. [t is true that its
ability to cover great disInllces quickly is much less
than that of 1ll0LOri:fcd forces. Still, thickly
wooded or marshy lerrain hinders the less
than it docs mOtorized forces and al the same
time provides protectiou against armored attack.
The faCI that artillery ami heavy wc;tpons, which
may be decisive in pressing an cannOI
accompany the c:wal ..y is, of course, a
serious dr.twhack.
The eXlreme right flank of Army Group
Celllre's advance easl\\"lI'ds JUSl touched the
northern fringe of thc Pripct hlarshes. an
enonnOIlS :Irea of wetlands, bogs and woods, 11
12
few if any decent ro.'tds, "hich lies bet'\'cen Pinsk. and Come!. The hi
Cav Oi\' was .Ju:: onl) 1I01l-1I10LOIised fonnation in 2nd P;ulI.cr Group.
Screening the Panzer G."OUP'S extreme right flank, the troopers were
able 10 pcncU<lIc the lIonhcm pari of the marshes, \\'hich had a dual
effect: the \\'ctlands formed a barrier to German annour<:d but also
aided lSI Cav Oi\' by pWlccLinl{ it from pOlcllI..iallr dangerous auacks by
Smict armour.
The Pripel Marshes are approximately 350km in length and 150km in
width (220 miles by 95 miles). Sep'II<1I,ing Army Grollp Cemre from Army
Group South, they lhns created an exploitable g"dp - a deep and
menacing pocket from which by-p;1.SSfti Soviet UniL'i could strike at the
c\'cr-exlcnding supply lines of bOll1 arlllY groups. The composition of tIle
Wehrm:lcht force.. - rapidlr moving armour followed br slow-mo\'ing
infantry - also crcated a g<lp between the leading and follow-up
formations which presellted a tempting target for exploitation.
The 1st Cav Div provided a critical1ink. shielding the spearhead divisions
/i'om enemy <ltlacks frOlllllle flanks and rear. An example of the eflicacy
of c;:w,llry in this regard was on 18--19 October 1941:
' ...The lSI Owalry Division mopped tip the
extensive forests soulh and soulil-east of the town
of Navlya amI the rivcr of the same name. This
forest Mea about BOkm and about 15km
wide, rcl it only a slllall sector of the area
within which the Russian forccs south of Bryansk
had been cncircled ... on a broad
front. lhe mounted elemcllls of thc 1st C'1va1ry
Division combed thi.. entire are;:l for two days and
captured 9,322 pri..oners, 39 guns (19 of which
wcrc 180mlll gUllS), 8 :Inti-tank guns, 7 mort.lrs,
37 machine guns, II prime mo\'crs, 80 trucks, 250
horse-dmwn vehicles, I complete ammunition
u-ain, and I field hospiml.'
eMt: 0per;II1ion
'S.r1Mnn........../ ..uly 1941. /Ii
caY.l.., column 1ft the
",-.t 01 Rupia, wh.... the du.t
kicked up by caY.l.., cotumn.
added to the Infantrymen's
grvmtMlng. Hote the rel.lled
.ppearance of the riden; the
parade ground. of Germany were
f., behind th.....
t011/2&8/56115)
The' ..... In the aR:hed
$h;Ift$ of this waggon la
the draught -..1....1
of Poland and RIlUia: small,
sturdy, able to Mlbalst on .......,
little and endure harOshlp, and
_It !J'li.....tised to edreme
eold. The snd ... w8liJ9Oft
or sled were otten preMed Into
servlce by German troops.,
despite orde... to the eonll1lry.
The PlNIie ItorH w.. able to live
on spa....r and __IlItlons
than the Gennan breeds. whk:h
__ fink:'" about !heir focidel'.
Note the size dlfferem:e between
these animals. (Paul l.Johnson
Collec:tlonl
OPPOSITE The M034 7.g2mm
maehlne gun wa' the wor..ho....
of the Wehrmaeht. A1thoU1lh later
partially replaeed by the M042,
the MG34 - seen here In Its
heavy vellllon, on a sustained
fire mount - was a fine weepon
with an e.eellent reputation for
reliability, and It, optional optleal
sight was a teehnlestlnnoyatlon
of the tlllIt order. From 11136
thl. weepon replaeed the old
water-c:ooled Mexlm .MOOa
throughout the eavalry. Not only
did the MG34 have greatly
Improved firepower, It was also
dramatleall, les. demanding of
manpower and draught .nl....I._
In ... light versHw'l, wtth a blpocl
m_t, It eould be carried In a
saddle boot by one of ... two-
man elllW, while the sMG08 had
neflIed ,1.horM team. ICARl,
Ft Leavenworth, KS)
The successes of 151 Cay Diy in the Pripef
Marshes were nOI enough tu save it, howe"er. The
division withdrawn 10 Fr:.mce before winter
fell, handing I i.OOO high qualily horses o"er
for use by infanl'" and i.... colours were
formally relired in Febrtl:lry 1942. TIlis apparently
brought lO an end the cmplOpllcllt of di'isional-
size mouilled unitS. The lSI C.---l\'alr)' Di,--i.sion was
officially convcrted inlO IJ1C 241h Panzcr Division
on 28 Novcmber 1941 - though the ncw for-
mation kcptl.he old 'Ieaping horseman' di\isional
insignia, and Lhe cavalry's lradiLional goldcn-
}'c1low piping ....'as ....om on l.he new black Panzer
unifonlls. (TIle 2-1lh 1'7. Di\' rCl.Hrned l.0 Russia for
l.he summer 1942 ofTensi\'C \\ilh 61h Anny, only 10 be \\iped OUl al.
Stalingrad I.he follo....ing ....imer.)
Meanwhile, the mounted squadrons of l.he di,isional reconnaissance
baualions cominued LO pel-fonn \-aluabl}. 1)picall}. I.he daily
rcquiremem during ;uh-anccs cctlled for thrce patrols of two seclions
(minimum) .....il.h each section including a radio l.eam. The three pal.Tols
screened l.he di,isional line of a<h,lIlce, with onc 1)''lLrOI on cach nank
:.md one along the cemral :'Lxis of a<h'l1lcc. all three mO"ing aboul IOkm
(6 milcs) ahead of the main I)()(I)'. The additional sections and the hea"y
squadron remained in reserve ifpossiblc.
Somelimcs the patrols encollllfered Red Ann)' c""lhy. Herr Heinrich
Decken. then an NCO from Ihe 17th Ca" Rcgt sening in sllch a
mOlllHed unil, described during an illlC....icw with lhe author an
encounter with a unil. of Red Army Cossacks ..... hilc participating in the
drive on Moscow with Army Croup Ccnlre ill 1911 __ Ilc reGlllcd thm the
Cossacks refused to engage. always '\Ccming to glide away from the
advancing German horsemen al a rale of speed on their
lough little steppe horses. Herr Decken's patrol pursued, but the
lroopers on their big German failed to makc contacl with
the neeing Cossacks.
The lessons of winter
Despite lhe decision 10 disband the Army Cavalry, Ihe "aluc of mounled
troops per se was not in question. The Wall'tm-SS was planning thc
formaiion of new mounted forccs; and the Illally mountcd recon-
naissance squadrons and mounted infalllry conlinued to
perform invaluable services for their parent units. Approximately 85
recolln:lissance ball.alions were serving with lhe Wehrmaeht in Russia at
lhis poinl. They wcre dilJicuh to organise effeeli\"cly for specific missions;
ncvcrtheless, thc), pcdonned well - at lhe COSI of being ground down by
coutinual combat as Lhe mobile 'fire brig:ldes' of the non-mechanised
inf<llll.ry divisions. In die c,'cm. l.hc cxpcricnce of the lerrible winter
of 19-11-42 would prompt mc high command 10 ael\lally form new
of moulll(.-d U'oops. This was due ill large part to lhe
unexpeCled problems experienced b}' dlc Gennan armoured forccs.
As is nOLOrious, the Russian wimer of December
1941 caught the Wehmlaclu unprep.lI'ed. Paral}'Sed by itS lack of suitable
cquipment, dothing and lublicanlS in thc cxl.remes of cold. the German 13
,.
Ii. short t\alt on the grassland, 01
_tern Runia for. trooper and
(right) an OIJefT/8freit., ICGrporal
wlth less lhan .1.. years' ......Ice).
Hote the typical heircuts, .nd the
open coli .... and rolled up
,leeYes In conc...lon to the
blistering he.1 01 the Russi.n
summer - cf Plat. B1. Both
soldiers carry lIMo Mau$er K.r98k
7.92mm rttte p,ng, butt to the
lett; this was the standard
_apon of the uv.lrym.n.
together with - until 1941 - the
sabre. Offlcen .nd mcochine
gunnen _fried holstered P08
'Luger' flat.... Walther P38) 9mm
.eml-automatic pl.tol.
(Bundesarc:hlv 10111266/56/27)

I.
<
,?,,\ '
..
-, "
Anny was forced to give ground at considerable loss. TIle limit.nioHS of
..he narrow-lrJ.cked Gcl1nan AFVs in both extrcmcl}' low temperatures,
and in the deep mud of the aUllllun and spring 'Rnsputllsa' seasons,
rendered them almost useless.
By COlllrast, horse-moullted units used throughollt lhe winter of
1941-42, from one crisis POi11l10 <lllother. Their losses were made
good with whatever horses and men were available. Even though their
overuse created scvcre problems within these units, their performance
dramatically demonstrated the nccd for their cOlllinued existence, and
even expansion. TIle use of hoTSt."S increased in dir<."CI proportion to the
increasing losses of motor trallSport, \\'hich rcstlhed in an increased
demand for draught animals for pulling both wheeled and sled vehicles.
Interesting expedients during this period includc..-<Ithe use of sleds pulled
by pmlje horses for mming machine guns and mortars.
One account of the typical usc of mounted reconnaissance troops in
p:linlS a vivid picture:
'The aHack of the 446th the most. vigorous in which I ever
participated. COlllmanders and company leaders either fought with gun
in hand in the foremost line. or dirtcd the action from horseb.,ck close
behind, along .....ith the horse-dr<l\\'Il bauerics. The C3\'all)' squadron,
which had rccei\"cd ne.....' moune.... since the episode of late November, was
drawn up read}' to be tllro....'11 in as a final trump against the Russian
C3Ydhy. E\'c'1,thing ....'3.5 staked 011 this linal effort; to fail to break the
encirclement would mean capture and Siberia.
'In the first onslaught the ridge dominating the area was carried by an
attack across the frozen L}'abovska Rh'cr. With the exception of three
badly damaged anillcr}' pieces. the division got all its heavy weapons
across, and all of its wounded - ovcr 400 of them, sto.....ed on Rus.."ian
slcds and carts - but onl}' a very small number of motor vehicles.'
Mud was as great a problcm as snow and ice. The tllen-Oberst
Harteneck. chief-of-stllff of 2nd Ann}' in November 1941, reC3l1ed:
Thfs ac*ller's ....kollt, pllmMk
canl.ter, breadbag .nd cant....
.re cINrIy wisltHe. Hfa meQ tin Is
stnlpped ouWde the front
saddht pack, .nd hr. camounaee
tent ....Uon .round Its edge - cf
Ptat" A- & B.
The task 01 mounted cour1en
was vital, dangerous., and
physkally exhau.tlng.. 1'1'-.M
rugged horsemen covered ....1
distance. In .11 e.treme. of
weather, often alone .nd
SUR'OUnded by potenlial enemies.
One ..eteran Interviewed the
author rec:.UlKIlhat ., a fann
he hadn't .uffered too mu<:h,
but that city-bred troope...
enough to be picked
despatch ride... often suffered
agonies of sorene.. due to
countless hou... In the
unforgl.. lng M192i5 saddle.
Note the bridle, 0' typlc.l
European design as used In
dressage competltlons
with double rein' allowing
maximum controL The gener.1
Iue bit had unu,ual 5'hapad
b....; .tralght bart _re ,Iso
used but were .... common. A-
sing" reln .nd .lmp" snaffle bit
.re .Iso occasionalI)' Hen In
wartime photograph.; such .n
arrangement I, Nmpler to 11M,
but the rider Iotes a certain
degree of control. All IealtMtrwont
was b_wIttl ,te.! fIttingt..
(Bundeurchlv 146Jg()/4&/12A,J
'At first I was onI)' ablc to visit the divisions
assigned to the 2nd Ann)' in a small observation
plane. On these occasions I repeatedI)' flew over
the once proud Pam.ergruppe Gudel;an, stuck in
the mud befween Ore! and KOllOfOp. Even
tracked vehicles la}' mOlionk:ss with burnl-oul
engines, half sunk in the swamp and easy pn.,' for
panisans or for Russian soldiers breaking out of
the Bryansk pOC!:CL
'In Bryans!:. al the samc time, I wimessed a
parade of Di,ision SICllllllermann [296fh Inf Div].
which had follo\\'ed the same route as Guderian's
forces. It had come through all right and was
battle-worth)"
'In spite of the originally pa\'ed road, the
cOlll;ers of the 2nd Al'll)' could reach Smolensk
from Bl)'<l.nsk only in tracked \ehicles. On the
same road I S<1.W 5-ton supply u1.lcks break through
the p..1.\'cmClll up to their axles.'
The deep mud CYCII slowcd down horses. Obviousl}', this was
JXlI1.icularl)' truc of the drdught animals uscd to pull artillery and healy
w'lggons. II Ies.<; lIue of lhe saddlc hol"SC5. which moved across
country in cxtreme conditions far morc than wheeled or
(.'vcn tracked \'ehiclcs.
Shortly before this instl1lcth'e willler had closed in, Ihe Wchrmachl
had chosen to gi\'e up its valuable and efficient mounted di\ision, based
on a cost--benefit anal}':'iis of the oUlla)' in resources and
lalxmr demanded by a horsed formation. The reve.lled inability of
motolised and armoured forces to opcr..tlC effccti\"ely in mud and
cxtreme wilHer condilions had created a nced for sto!>-gap mobile
resen'es: and the mounted squadron<; or Ihe divisional reconnaissance
units, augmented by ad lux: rorces, had 10 some cxtent answercd that
need. Another ranor was the enormous altrition of Illolor "ehides in
Russia. and German industry's inability to replacc them quickly Gi"en
this dilemma. horses could go some wa)' to fill the mobility gap; the
sollition was not perfen, but il \\".1S avail:lblc.
The resurgent imerest in the use of mountcd units to continue
growing througholll the remainder of the war. Mounted units multiplied
in size and complexity, eventuallr resulting in the crcation of complete
mounted corps.
THE CONTINUING ROLE OF CAVALRY,
1942-45
Anti-partisan operations
Apan from their mobility ad\"dntage in mud and Sllo\\', cava.lry offercd
a counter to a serious operational problem: the increasing vulnerdbility
of ,"cry long supply lines, and a dwindling number of troops ,wdilable
for securiry duties. These facfors, together \\rJth a scarcity of fuel,
resulted in the creation of se\'enll makeshift lIlounted forces of
regimental si7e or smaller. 15
Table 4: Cavalry Command for
Special Operations, July 1942
The huge distances and vast numbers of men
im-olved, the nature of some of the terrain, <Ind
the conduct of the sweeping German advances of
194\ and 1942 made it incvitable that sizeable
groups of Red Army troops should bc
and left behind the German forward The
Sovicts wasted no timc in rc-esrablishing contact
with these units via radio and parachutists, and in
organising partisan groups composed of civiliails
and soldiers alike. Railways, supply dumps, and
rear area communication centres were all prime
targets for ,mack.
An interesting report generated by
on the staff of 3rd Panzer Group,
includes observations on fighting partisans in lUgged tell<lin some 150
miles \\'est of i\'loseow ill the summer of 1942:
'Our 0pcl<ltions against this enemy did nOT. bring the desired results,
since the partisans could quickly our t.roops and escape into the
forests and swamps. By the time we succeeded in combing the area the
partisans had turned into peaceful peasants against whom we could nOI
prove anything. [f peasanls were seized who really had had nothing to do
with tlH: partisans, it would provide an incentive for the remaining
peacditl population to join the partisans. This was all the more true
whcll it was realised that the latter were conswntly applying pressure in
that direction. A constant surveillance of the area by motorised patrols
impossible. The only possibility for patrolling lay in the employment
of cav,th)' units. The higher command finally reached the samc opinion
the following summer.'
The principal reason for the creation of Cossack <Ind Kalmyk caval!)'
units in German service (see below) was their value in security and anti-
partisan activities - roles in which, for oflen sinister historical reasons,
both groups excelled. Lnilially their employment had been expressly
forbidden by Hitlcr himself, but necessity dictatcd action. Commanders
in the field, short 011 troops, began to employ local volunteers from these
groups in increasing numbers despite the oflicial prohibition, and TJley
quickly prO\'cd themselves useful.
The war against the partisans soon took on epic proportions. A viable
and cost-effcctive means had to be fonnd to stem
the increasingly unacceptable drain on scarce
resources and manpower needed at the frOtH.
One solution centred on long-range fighting
patrols. The patrols moved out at dusk or just
after dark, travelling into the forests and swamps
and positioning themsekes along tlle trails. They
carried silenced rines, mdios for communication
with headquarters, and rations for approximately
one week. They would tllen send one element
back before daybreak with all of thc horses, taking
care to remove all tell-tale tracks with tree
branches, elc. The rest of the team would then lie
up, waiting to ambush unsllspecting partisans.
Once in contact, the unit destroyed the Russians
CO, Oberst Holste
1st Army Cav Regt (Maj.l..altJnef)
2r'1(l Army Cav Reg! IMaj.8riegIOO)
3m Nmy Cav Reg! (Obefstleutnant '>QI1 Baatrl)
? Regt
1st Sqn (ex-mounted $fr>, Wth Racca Bn)
2nd Sqn (eJ<-motorcycle sqo, 26th Reece BIl)
3rd Sqn (ex-motoo:yde sqn. 6th Recoe BIl)
4th Sqn (ho,y.) (eJ<-6th & 2tllh REK:ca Bnsj
5t11 Sqn lex-ll"lCUlled S((l, 6th Rao::a Bn)
(Source - p.240)
All winter 1941 paralysed the
Wehrmacht, local sleds were
commandeered for transporting
evelYlhlng possible; this sppears
to be a load of 7.5cm ammunition
for the 'cavalry gun' at left.
Effective in both the direct fire
and high_trajectory roles, with a
claimed m8llimum range of
9,245m (10,110 yards, Or 5.75
miles), the tlG18 was capable of
eight to ten shots per minute In
skilled hands; its split-trail
carriage gave 60 degrees of
traverse without movement.
Weighing 1, 120kg (2,470Ibs), it
could be manhandled wIth
relative ease by Its fou.... man crew
on most types of telTsln. It was
originally pulled, with a limber, by
a sixhorse team, and had spoed
wheels; later these became steel
with I'\Ibber tyres for use with
motorlsed towing vehicles.
(CARL, Ft Leavenworth, KS)
,.
14
(Souroe fl'iekaIoewlc:. pp.240--241)
28ot5ol1r.1,I.O!lOEMs,l,l23hor3es
He>
1st S<Tr (8Ic<f\"OIJI'II8d Q\, 6th R9cce
2nd SlJ'l (D-3rd Scri. 34th Reece a-.)
3Td SlJ'l (eIl-tst. Scri. 35Ih ABcce 6n)
41ttSq1fel(-ISlSq'l. t02nd Brl)
5Ih Sqll8ll-Qw1hI Tnbct1eoJsky - cc.art<sI
6ItI SQn /ell-lTlOlPed lIlT\. 186lh R8a::er'l.1
6.199 aI rtlfils. 5.967 hor9oo: waooor-.
8Il 1l1OUI'8d an, 237x moto' Yehcles:
t88x LMGs. 42x HMGs, 495x SMGs. 36Jl1'l"lOr1l)rS. 3x heavy
AT gulS. t2x 10.5o'n guns, 12x 2cm AA.
He>
S'grols sq;.udron (partmolorised)
I, /I, HI BatraJions (mcvrred)
ooct\ 3x 11'IOO!1led SQI.IIldrons, t x heovy SQfl (mld)
Hoovy (fflOtorisJ):
Mol0rcyd6 plalOClrl

Anti-\ari( platoon - 3x 'heavy' AT QlI18 - 75rrrn?

3Jol be1\llrieS. IllCh 4" lO.5cm 191I
M b(y - 12li 20TI
--
St.JIP'y /llabI PIn fTIl;tUfs&1J
---
...........,,""""-
"'""'-
and returned to base to refit for another such
mission. This tactic proved highly eflecti\"e. (It was
copied and improved upon during South Mrica's
W;.lr \,'ith the SWAPO terrorists in l':amibia in
1976-1991: and remain.. perhaps the mOSl
effective means of dealing \,ith cnelll}' irregu];m
in remote mountain and forest termin ....ith little
or no road infrastfilclure.)
Antj-panisan opcrduons were cspeciall}' cruel.
Often no quaner was asked 01' gi\<cn, and
atrocities were commiued all both sides. The
slllTelings of the unfonunal,C civilian populaljon
among whom this merciless W<l.S lought were
often appalling. Villagers were pressured for food
and shelter by the partisans, who would seldom
Hike 110 for an answer; and security units took
":"lvrtg"e reprisals ag,linsl villages suspected of
supponillg partisans, however ullwillingly.
Mounted military police
Some military police (Frltljiig,.,.) were lIsed as
police during the latter staKes of the war.
Their main mission was to check soldiers for
offellct.."S against regulatiolls for Ihe proper use of
milit.lr)' horses. An extract frOIll :1Il order of
19 December 1942 from the Cin-e 18th Ann}'
ilhmr.ltes this point:
'The NCOs and men of the military police who
receive special tr.uning as horse police at the
Ann)' School for Scnice with in April and
.\by 1943 are to be bJi"en priority in enrolling in
IJ1C milital)' police detachmenLS of the division and c0'1>s headquaners.
and in the Military Police Baltalion of the Ann)' High Command.
'They will be most advantageously employed al impon:lIl1 tranic
poilH.s. dinicult stretches of road, in places where there is apt 10 be trallic
congeslion e.g. in me vicinit)' of 1"=llioll distribution points. and as patrols
011 foot or 011 bicycles. The main duties of IIw horse police rtre to w,uch
over the care and proper t:mploymcnt of army horses. or particular
i111purt<lllCe is Ihe issue of brief and pertinent on-the-spot advice.'
,
,
,
,
,
,
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,.
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Revival of Army regiments and formations, 1942-45
The attrition snffered by the 1lI01l111ed reconnaiss.."1l1ce S<llladrom had
apparently whittled down their strength to the point where only '\()Ille 25
baHaliolls retained effective horsed elements by the time thaI Army High
l..omllland decided to amalg:lIllate them imo a cClltrdliscd mobile
force.
One significant. if short-lived cxperiment was the Army Ca\'ahl'
Command for Spl..'<:ial Operdlions }vmmwlIda WV). cstablished
in spring 1942 on the ordel's of Gen.Modcl. G-in-C 91h Anny. forming
the left wing of Anny Group CclHre. l)ieK.1.lkit......,icz (p.240) states [hal it
....'as fonned frolllthc reconnaissance b..ttalions of VI, XXIII and XXVII
Corps plus horse infanu1' platoons, and he lists three unilS of the
17
. "
(&>u<ce - RIchter, Covalry of th<t Wehrm<Jchr, p, IIrn
"'oln:
c:ltt"s" sb-UWl are isled 8IS 'Mth nfIes. $lJ;HTB;tWIe
and poslol5. Sable h8Ye a listed SCIIllI at 00x nltes.
fix srlper rilles, a-1d 124)( 8BSllUIl rilles. see alIo COIT"m!:ntarY Plate
DO.
"", attached to liftefetlt banalioos
Command under the liLies 'lSI, 2nd & 3rd Annr
Caval!) RCJ.,>imcnls'. I-Iowe\'cr, he g:ocs on to list
only a single (unidentified) regiment b}'
constituent s<luadrons, all taken frOIll the 6th and
26th divisiollal reconnaissance banal ions (sec
Table 4). lie stalt.'S that the Command achic\'ed
some SliCCesS ill lorested areas arollild RLhev (e.g.
Operation '$('}'dlitl.', 2 July 1942) before being
disbanded - for unexplained - from
24 July, the constitm:lll squadrons heing: returned
LO their units. (The mauled renmiH1L of the 5S
Gl\r<tlry Brigade - sec belo", - operated under
cOlllmalld of this group for a lime in "priny; 1942.)
Another lempor:u)' CI\"dlry unit \\'hich oS;.1W service in 1942-43 was
designated the C:wah)' Unit Von \\'innig.
The most si&'nificalll step. howc\cr."'aS the fonnatiOTl in 19-12/'13 of
the Cavalry Unit Von BOselager (sec Table 5). Wilh the 5Uppol1. of
Gener.dfeldmafsch;all \"011 Kluge, C-in-C AnnrGroup Ccnu'e, Riumeisler
(Ialcf M;ajor) mn BOsclager enjo)'t.'d sollle priority in r.li)ing,
and staffing a regiment around the nucleus of his fonncr command. lhe
mounted squadroll of 6th Recollnaiss.ance By the
spring this batlalion-si7ed unit, had c\'olved inl.O a threebaualion
1ll0ullted regiment now designated Krwollni" Rf'gil/lfml ..Hille (Cavalry
Regiment Centre), This example wOllld soon be follOwed in Army
Groups North and Somh. with lhe formation in spring and summer 194:\
of Kav Regl Nord (Prince Karl 7.ll Salm-Honhmar)
and Ka\' Reg! Sud (Prince 711 Sayn-Wiugenstein) -
note thaI the old class of ca\"alry oflicers was
e\idently llOI )'el extinct. It is reported that the
mounts. Njuipmcnt and almament of the three
llllits were of high quality. Photos troopers
cCl.IT)ing the new MP43/Stunngewchr 44 assault
rine (see nOle, 'tlble 6). Suppon wcapons were
tr.llIsponed all local horse-drawll carLS.
Since these regimellts were all based on
arnaljf.Illialiolls of the surviving ekmcllts
from divisional reconnaissance baw,liolls (e.l{. in
November 194;1lhe lsI. f\ltd Sqn oflhe 12th Recce
Bn joined Cav Reg! North ,L" 9th Sfln), the
reconnais...aIICC batcalions now j.{ellcl'ally lost their
remaining cavall)' identilY. The rump of these
units were brought lip LO with infanu")'
and lermed hereafter 'Fnsilier Bamtlions'. while
still retaining biC)c1cs in Ihe 1st Company. (In
some cases, mostly on the \\'c.<;tcnl and Italian
fronts, recce uniLS did keep dleir Iides and ca\-alry
yellow miffffljinw.)
The German Illounted arlll continued to grow
in size evell as the malerial resources and
manpower of llie Reich dwindled. Their success
as mobile reserves eventually resulted in the
creation of a unified cavah)' command structure
j
\.

17 oIlicera. 53 tOJa. 262 EMs; 51 sedcIe horses. 32 00u!'tll:
12:< MG, 3J(75rmlAT; 10 tr:lrse-O'8wn '<IllhcIlls. 20 tnJeks.
3 """""""

28 20 NCOa. 81 EMs; 54 sacldle taJes. 38 drau!jll.
9 pock; 1 MG: 9ll hor'sEHjrawf'l ......., ITlOIClI'C)U3s.
11 moIor Yllhides,
"""'-'
Each:1 officers, 35 NCOs, \86 EMs; 100 hofses, 34
d'aU(1lt: 6lc MG.; l'lor'sfrdrS'Ml vehocles. 1 car, 1x truck.

:1 oIIk:ers. 32 NCOs. 152 EMs; 146 S8CkI8 tIorge8. 60 dfaU\tIl;
Ix LMG. 12:< HMO; 21x 11ool&-draWnYElhicles.
3x ClQ. 2x tru;;ks.
MonBr SQUiJCta"I'.
3 oIIioers. 39 tOJa. 189 EMs; 179 -=tie 1lora8s. 76 dr8UgtIt;
......
2x 411. C8JS, 2It ftd:s,
37mm anll-tank gun wfth
Improvised anow c:.wnouftaga-
but the crewman .tands ovt
.tarllly !tPin.t the
The German failure to prolride
ei'ttloet" warm or _ling
clothing In good tIme for the flnt
wintet" In Au remains a
baffling lapse In
(CARL, Ft Leavenworth, KSJ
.8
.'
;
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f
,
,
,
,
,
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,
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e
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-if
'Y
]c
n
on
.w
.d
" ,.
Te
MG34 Oft Wlltalne<I n,. mount,
tran-.ported on local -...cI. Sf.>c:h
improviAUon w fon:-.:I on
Germll" units wtlet'I the RUUlan
winter of 1HlI.2
wheeled and .ven trac:ked
..enlc," to II .nd mounfecl
fire teams drawn from the
reconnalsunee lJqu.cIrons ....0
the dllY in l'I'IlIn1 def,pltralll wint...
batUes. The unllYOldable ,..l"nee
on for transport of both
men .nd _.pons "ught Iong-
lasting ktssons; the continuing
attrition 01 vehle.... and the
failure 10 replace tnem, would
tote. the Wehnnaehl 10 -.:t....Uy
inc....se Its rellanee on tloortes
.s the wlIr _nt on. (CARL, Ft
Leavenworth, I(S)
on the Eastern FrOlll. 111 the Slimmer of 1944
Cavalry Regiments North. CciHfC and South were
brought logelher, reinforced. and formed
between them lhe new 3rd and 4th C.'lvalry
Brig<ldcs. (At some point I:tler lhal rear C<l\' Regl
North was rctiLled 5th c.1.\' Regl.. and Ca" Regl
5om.h, 41st Horse Regimen!.)
InJuly 19+4 the 3rd & 4th Ca\' and the 1st
'-Iung-.U"ian ('.;1\' Oi\' (sec below) togeLher fonned
the SO-<:<llled C:l\'alry Corps Harlencck - later. I
Cavalry Corps - under a gellerdl onicer of
that name. As the huge front of Anny Group
Centre collapsed under the Soviet offensive of
that summer, the Cavalry rcceived the 1I11cII\iabie laSk of
screening the retreating Gennan infantry columns as 111t..1' fell back. The
troopers perfonned well, becoming extrcmcly adept at sudden
ambushes. They acted as moullIcd inf'II11ry. moving fOll'o'ard on
horseback before dismollllling and mo\'ing silently into ambush
positions wearing Glmouflage clothing and using rllbbcr-soled gym
shoes. They often worked in conjunction with armoured vehicles and
self-propelled anillery. Their elTorts contribllled m:ileriall}' 10 the
sllccessful stabilisation of the frOllt along the line of the Bug and Narew
Ri\'ers in the early autlllnn of 1944, and they later fought in East Prussia.
In December 1944 the German unilS of I Cavall)' Corps were
transfelTed to Hungary. where a German/Hungarian lorce was in pelil
from a combination of the Soviet advance and one of Hitler's ins.."1.ne 'no
retreat' orders. The corps auempw<! to relic\'e the units encircled in
Uudapesl. "'hich included two Walfen-5S c:walry (see below).
This Operation Awakening' failed. as did <IU attempted break-
out; the HUllgalian capital fell to the Red ArlllY Oil 13 February 1945,
with the loss of 110,000 German prisoners.
In March 1945 lhe two cavalry brigades were oflicially redesignated
3rd & 4th Cavalry Divisions, To what extent this IIl:Ide any lT1eanilll:,'ful
difference other than on p.tpcr is llllcerUlin, Divisional orgallisation was
reportedly as follows:
HQ
2x IIm'Se regimcnLs
JlrtilUry'regimenl
Al/ti-Iank ballalinn
bal/a/inn
FieUl rqJUUPlnPnI bal/alion
Ellginerr squadroll
(plus supply, veterinary, elc.
The e:-wdlry corps now conducted a fighting wit.hdrawal westwards
to Austria, u'ring - like so Illany Germ,lIl troops - to reach captivity at
fhe hands of the Western Allies rather than the more vengeful Red
Army, They succeeded; largely intact, they surrendered to the Bdlish
8th Army on 10 May 1945. At the time of its surrender the corps had a
reported strength of 22,000 men and 16.000 horses. The horses
were mostly turned over to loc:11 l;lrIllers b)' the AJlies; the men were
transported b)' rail to Wllruelllbcrg and 1-It..'Ssc in the US Zone, where
they were disbanded. 19
1
20
l"rvopet'1l of tt>e SS Cavalry
near Byalistok in tiM1;
ct Plate C1 - the camouflaged
neld cap seems to h..... been
Introduced the following yea"
n.. m... tins are strapped to
the M1834 'riders p.K.k', the
right hMKl Nddle bag. The
offi<;ially I>eId the
field cap, laced sI'Ioes. ...
undel"$hir1, sock&, swimming
$hOrts (for use when bathing the
no....), ahavinljl kit, .....ashi"'ll kit,
..willi kit, cleaning brush, lent
cord, and a half iron ration 0'
SOOg of rusks and preserved
meat. The lett saddle bag w..
the 'horse'. pack'
(Pferdegep3ek). This had an
external horseshoe case holding
two horseshoes, nalla, studs and
calk; a tethering ring, and otten
15 ritle cartridges. The main bag
accommodated the II>eH tin,
grooming brush, cuny eomb,
bUlnket amp (for rigging the
unfolded saddle blanket
horse cover! and halter chain.
Initial", specl.allHd leather
accoutrements HCurecl items to
the uddle. These included the
... bre frog behind the right leg,
two typn of rifle boots beftind
the lett leg (see Plata A)., ...cI
c.se 101'" the MG34 machl. gun,
also carried at nNN' left. ISignal}
THE WAFFEN-SS CAVALRY
As p.. '"\n or the ss.ToJrnknJ1 sccurilY forces, the
Reiln-slandartt' (5S Death's-Head
Horse Regt) was raised from Septcmber 1939,
specifically for security duties in Poland and
initially ",iUI four squadrons. 5S-Standartenfiihrer
Ilcnll<lIIn FCbrelein (see Pl:ltc C2) took conunaml
in l\"ovcmocr. By Aplil 1940, designated 1st SS
Death's-Ilead Horse it had eight sabre
s<luadrons, 9th (replacemellt), 10th (hea\y) and
11th (technical) squadrons, and a 12th horsc
bauery with four &111 KUlls. In (by then 1,9OS
strong, in 14 squadrons) it was ordered di\oided
into two with I-IQs at \Varsaw
and Lublin. The I. & 2,SS-T Rdterstandanen
each comprised ISI-41h sabre squadrons, 5th
(heavy sqn) and Gth (horse bty), plus signals,
eng-inccl" and motorcycle platoons, OrganisaLional
experiments in winter 1940 included re-amalbra-
Illation of the two illtu a single unit of
IWO 'half:regiments',
On 21 Febmal)' 1941 lhe I.SS-T Reiterslandarl.e was retitled SS
KavatJm" RLgirnLlIl J. 011 21 March the unit was ordercd divided once
more, into SS C..mtlry Regimcnts 1 & 2, each organised as follows:
}-/Q (plus signals, motorcycle & AT platoons)
/jt, 2nd & 3rd Sqns
4th Sqn
5th Sqll (mortar & infantry gun)
6th Sqn (technical)
7th Sqn (bicycle rccce)
8th Sqn (horse artillery bty)
The SS Cavalry Brigade
Immediately after tllc invasion of the USSR ill Junc 1941, Himmler
created a headquaners - 'Komm(j/ulostab Reich.ifiiltrer-SS' - to command
three brig-J.dcs of former on and anti-partisan
duties: the lSI & 55 Bdes (Motorised), soon rctil1ed 5S Jnf Bdes
(Mot); and the 5S ClV Bdt, formally crealed nnder Fe),(clcin's command
in August 1941, and assij:tllcd to the rear areas of Army Group Centre,
Sub-unilS were relllu\,ed from lhe two regiments to fonn brigade-level
ani lieI)', pioneer, and bicycle reconnaissance units; a light AA bailer}' was
added, as well as vaRious support and se....ke lot:.tl strength was
about 3,500 men, 2,900 hO"l>cS and 3i5 "chicles,
In July-Sep1.emher 19'11 the bribrade \'o'aS heavily and successfully
engaged in the I)ripel Marshes. and lhen around Comel. OperaLions
continued around Toropel., Yetkino and Rzhc\'; as witHer closed in
partisan incre"lSCd. The 50\iel coumer-olTcnsi\'e of December
found the brigade under 9th Anny command, facing fresh, well-
equipped and acclimatised Red Anny troops "nhe.. Ihan partisans.
Fighting desperately alongside Anny divisions, lhe brigade was
worn down by lhe cnd of March 1942 to a 7()().man battlegroup, hut
1
1
,
,
,
,

,
l
earned a good reputation :lmong Army commanders. !\IOST lIllits were
wilbdrawn 10 Poland inJ:llluary-April 1942, and the lasT (I{;lmpfgruppc
7.chender) in Augusl.
8th SS Cavalry Division 'Florian Geyer'
The sUf\ivors lonned a l1udeus for a new SS Kooo/!J!Iie Divisiou from
21 June 19-12, and a lhird horse regiment was added. The division
relurned to the frOllt ill AUb"-ISI. During lhe rest of 1942 elements lought
under both 9th and 2nd Il;mzer Armies. In reserve in April/May 1943, it
then returned to ami-partisan dutjes between the Dniepr and the Plipct
III /\ubrtISI a fOllnh horse regiment added, of ethnic
Gcnnans recruited ill Russi;l; the di\ision's evemua1 strengt.h would
about 15,000 lllen. FrolllJul), 19-13 lIIHii early 1944 the di\ision \\r,J. .. tnms-
felTed to Anll)' Group 5o1llh, fighting defensive battlcs under 81h and I.. t
Panzcr Annics, II designated B.SS KavalJerie DivisiQ" in October 19-13,
when the horse rcgimentS were rellumbcnxl, from 1-4 1.0 15-18,
Transferred 10 CrO<llia in December. elements fought the Yugoslal' p.ar-
tisans umil March 19-14. though a b.:'1tllL-group sen'ed in lIullgarl' under
XXII Corps. On 12 !\larch 1.he 8th SS Ow Oil' was granted the honour litle
'Florian Geyer' (afler a 16th century hero of1.he Peasallls' War).
The di\ision's mO\'ements dUlillg 1944 are confused: elements fOllght
under botll Arm)' Croup Centre and Ann)' Crollp Somh-Easl. Together
"ith the 2'2nd SS VOlunteer Gel\' Di\', the 'Florian Cerer' \,'as sent to
Budapest in December as p;lrl of IX SS Corps. There it ','as encircled,
and wiped OUl in February. Of the two SS ca\<llry dhisions, only about
170 men escaped to the German lines.
MoulHed unit.; were Ile\"er imended for usc in urban their
primary missions required a freewheeling style of manoeU\TC o\"cr opcn
tc.'ITaill. COllllllilting them to street lighting negated any ad\";lIItagc they
had ovcr infalltry: ilud the sacrilice of the cavalry ill Budal-X'st denied
the Wehnnacht thcir real pOTclltial for actions dllling The laler
retreats. The comlllents of Cen.Haneneck. cOlllmander of the Ann}'
Camlry COIVS ordered to break through to Budapest, arc telling:
'While thc Corps was still in the process of being transferrcd. I,'e
\n;re again ordered to take up stalionary positions, to our grcat
disappointnletlt. Thc c:mllry divisions of the Watlcll-5S were lighting in
the mCTropolis of Budapest. Evel)' cavalryman kllt'w lhat nothing good
could come.' of thaI, and, as illumed out, nothing did. The SS divisions
were encircled ... , My Cavalt), Corps launched a nighT :llIack in an
aHempt to relie\'e them, but it W;IS too late, ami the Russian lorces werc
too powerful. Although we managed to light our way to lhe city limits,
onIy 100 or so cavalrymen, ulltler tlle cOlllllland of the famous rider Stall'
Colonel \'on were able 10 break through to us. The subseqllcllt
baules, in lhe course of which my Corps was under the command of 6th
S5 Panler Ann)', Illight have turned OUI quite differently had the twO S5
divisions becll deployed 10 filII ad\<IIHage as cal'ah)' fOlluations,
instcad of ordered to hold UudapesL'
22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division 'Maria Theresla'
Ibised in Ilullg<lry in spring/summer 1944, from ethnic German
l'olJiSlW/llsrJU' around the nucleus of 55 ('..av Regl 17 from the
Rth SS C:w Di\', and cOlllmanded by tlle 'FlQlian G<-yer' \'eter-Ill
Table 7: 8.$$
Kavallerie Division
'Florian Geyer',
1943-44
HQ
55 KavRsgt 15 (eIll)
55 Ks'I Fleg/16 (eI<.2)
55 Kav Rsgt 1l\8X-3}
55 Kav Regt 18 (ex--4)
55 Ablalung 8
55 Sllnngesdvlz Abl8blg 8"
SS N*ie Reg( (motJ 8
55 Rsk N:Aebtg 8
SS NIIctn::Ilfen IIbteiU1g ProIJ B
SS
SS Fet:1fln /lbt9b>g 8
SSf'it:JrJeI BaIai*In tnoQ 8'"
fpla -..::e urits etc.)
NoI..;
, a dlllact18d 15 ApJ 1943 as
caehl2:2J:_ SS K8v ("
.. idliid lIl.JUm 194-4:
2 cos. passed to Pz.JligI'Ib.
.., a dMached 15Api 1943,
later 10 37.SS I<aY ()v
21
-
,

22
A general officer of the
Veterinary Service, which
was Identlfled by carmine
Wa"enrlJ'be; the gold
dlstinc:Uon. on servk:. e.p
and tuok: are the -... ttoose
01 line ofr_. He
lone ribbon bar of Workl War I
and Interwar _ants, and _an
the Iron Cross 1.t C..... (P....l
L.Johnson Collection)
S5-BrigafAugust Zehender. Ihis di\ision W;L<; originally 10 be titled
Lnb-am'. Only 55 Ca\' Regt5 17 and 52 were complete before going into
action at Oebrcczcn: Cav Regl 53 joined in OCLObcr 1944. Sent into
Budapest in November 1944, it was wiped 0111 in Febru.u)' 1945.
37th S5 Volunteer Cavalry Division 'LOtzow'
This ordered raised ill February 1945 at Prcssburg under command
()rSS-Staf.Karl Cesclc, incorporating survivors and depot personnel fron!
the 8th and 22ml SS C.w Dil's but mostly Ilungarians. Romanians and
other SLJ<tgg]crs, ill 55 Gw Regts 92 & 93, and SS Any, Engr and Field
Replacement Bns numbered 3i. Thc divisional HQ clements wcre scm
inlO action alongside Arm)' and HlIllg<nian units in March/Aplil 1945
nonh of Vienna, whcre the $cwiel threatcned a gap betwcen 61h
Pancr and 8th Anlli<.'S. The remainder of the forming division mm'ed
west, surrendering- to the t.:S Anny in Allstria on 5 \hy.

AJ1hough cOl11ll1iued 10 broadly the same range of missions as their
ArllLY counterparts, lhe Wallcn-55 cavalry in Russia and the Balkans
experimented wilh a varicl)' of erJlliplllclll mixes, adding: armour and
hen)' weapons to their LIlli! inventories as diclated b), cxpclicnce. Thc}
were isslled basically identical c(luipmcnt and weapons to the Army, but
app'lrclllly benefited from I-limmler's influcnce in c1no)ing priority of
i"Sllc and resupply. It ma>' havc becn this privilcged to matelicl
lhal allowcd SS IInils to cxpcrimcnt; and lhey did creatc whal can only
bc termed a 'Ilea\)" cavalry division (scc Table 7), wilh generous
ITwchanised and armoured support to offset lhe weakncsses revcaled in
llll' Army's 1st Cay Div in 1941. This may hi"'\:: bcen a mixed blessing,
however, by encouraging: their misusc ill positional tighting.
One cannol leavc this subjeci wilhout nOling. however bricny, thal the
record of atrocities committed by the 'anti-partis.."1n WaO'en-5S unilS of
the Kommandostab Rf-55 was unspeakable. We do not C\'en have 10 look
as f"r as the record of burnt ,illages and mass."1cred ci,ili;lIls. Man}' of the
genuine comb.."1l$ ,,'ere hard-foughl. againsl panisans in up to b.."1llalion
slJ'cnglh: but it musl be signiric.mt that the \'''11' diaries of thc SS
regiments oftcn rccord opcrations in which se"eral hundreds of
'partisans and criminals' arc reported killed and taken prisoncl;
hut wC,lpons captured arc numbered ill only dozens, and lOt'll
German casual tics barely in double fig:ures.
MOUNTING AND SUPPORTING
THE GERMAN CAVALRY
horses required an extensh'e system of supply
and maintenance to ensure combal readiness.
Services included tarriers, veterinarians, training
bascs for ncw troopers. and an extensivc procurement
and relllount systenl. Approximately 1;-1,000 mell
served in the cavalry slipporl serviccs, including 5,650
\'eterinarians: iOO medical otlicers; 250 line officers: 400 officers
on special assignment; 8,100 NCOs aud enlisted personneL
and 3,iOO farriers.
----
Farrie,... were eu.entlal to the
_Jl-being of any mounted unit,
and _re pnwided on a Kale of
_ ptIf" 2.50 animal.. There were
also mobile sh<Hlng teams; their
standard ....ans of tl'1lnsportation
was the Hf1 waggoon. Most
farriers _re tnllned by the
Army. IEJlperlence with fonner
memba,... of the civilian I,..de
indicated that their unfamiliarity
with the shoeing standards 01
the armed forces in fact made
them less valuable than men
trained 'from Kl'1ltch'. (Paul
L.Johnaon Collection)
Veterinarians
A single donor was responsible for Ixtween 300 and 400 horses and
mules. Efforts to provide \cterinarians with mOlor ti.lllspon paid
dividends; supply columns stretching over many miles proved a challengc
[0 vets using horse-<tr3\\1l w;:lggons, and their area of control incrcased
markedly if mOLOr transport a\"<liiable. Se.....ice in mountain uniL..
such as those deployed in the Caucasus rc<luired a special breed of
veterinarian, young and ph}'Sically fit.
Soldiers assigned to mounted units during the early war rears were
generally well trained. As the \,,<Ir prob'Tessed and fonnerl}' mOlOri.sed
units began lIsing horse transpon. the incidence of death. disease and
lameness due to poor horse care became endemic: 'In unilS that were
supplied with horses as an emergency Illeasure, this applying particularly
to fonner mmorised units, the incidence of sickness and among
the horst:s was frightfully high. TIlis was duc 10 thc laek of experienced
personnel.'
The medical system for sick and animals parallcll..-d that for
the soldiers. Mobile hospitals near the front condIlCtL'<\ a son of triage,
and thoo;e judged n:<:ovcrable wefe scm to larger facilitit.'S further
to the rear. Photogr.tphs show n:lerinaf} officers ad,<t.nccd
lools and the lalest treauncllt methods.
Farriers
The old ad..ge. no hoof, no hof.'>C is lilerally lrue. Wehrmacht i:md
Waffcn.s5 farriers served as ilHcgml mcmlxrs of their units, on the scale
of one pcr 250 horses. The farricrs served under the auspices of the
vel.erinary service, which was responsible for kceping them supplied with
lools. nails, shoes. and associal.ed eqllipmcilt and supplies,
The farriers t....\'elled in a self<onlained workshop contained in an
Hn \\"<tggon gcne....lly pulled by twO horses; this
acconunodal.cd all llecessary tools and supplies. as
well as the vClcrinarian c!lesl,Uld a reserve supply
of medical ilems. A lllobile smithy capable of
loading on two pack horses was also available,
consisting of a forge, coal, and a lool chese This
unil 1\';15 provided Otl a scale of one per 50 horses.
This was supplell1ell red by the individual lrooper's
kit; each man carried a prc-fitted fnllll and rear
shoe for emergencies.
Front and rear shoes differed in type. Shoes
came inl sizes and \"<lriOIlS Iypes, on
the unit and the terrain ovcr which it was
operating. For instancc. monntain willI
llumerous pack animals uscd shoes with thread-in
calks. blunt fo.. summe.. and sharp for winter.
Shoes were relined or ..eplaced, 011 a\'el"';tgc, e\'el}'
fOllr to six weels. A\'CIOlge shoe life was 600km
(370 mile..), Ihough they could somelimes be
repaired 10 last for another 300 kilometres. Shoes
were nOI needed in areas of soli. ground as long as
the hOO\'c5 of lhe animals were heahhy and
trimmed freqtlenlly. 23
-
1
2.
A field stable, pr(lbably in Russia.
The log construction gave good
pr(ltectlon against the cold and
rain, but the risk of fire was high
- note the thatch on the front
gable. (Paul L.John50n
Collection)
Procurement and remounts
An Inspectorate of Riding & Dliving administered
the remount system from j938. This organisation
came direcliy under control of OKJ-I (Army
High Command). and managed planning,
procurement, training. and maimetlam:e for all
types of units using" horses. Horses were dassified
by quality and tn)e; a list dating from 1936 ranges
from category RI (saddle horses f,x oflicers),
KR (saddle horses for camlry and inEtnu")' horse
platoons) and R (saddle horses for other
thrOllgh \"lriOlIS dl<lllghl categories.
The lnspeclOrate also undertook
in seleclive breeding; qU<llity horses of lhe types
needed were not available in sunicient numbers
for lhe Army's w<lrtime requirements. Another department of the
directorate \\'<IS responsible for all aspects of horse-drawn vehicles. This
included training schools and course requirements for drivers and
handlers.
The remount office produced an annual plan which forecast the total
numbers and types of horses required. The purchasing boards used this
document as a guide during: the procurement process. The requirement
for procurement just before the war was approximately 15,000 per
annum, purchased in Germany; the numbers required during: the war
were much larger. PUlchase of horses was the responsibility of
registration oflicers Wilhill lhe Inspectorate of Conscription &
Recruiting. They oversaw the quotas for each community, ami provided
liaisoll between rcl(YJ.nt uniformed and civilian ofli(:ials at local level.
Procurement in occupied areas
Generally, procurement sl'llldards remained the same those in
Germany and Austria. Ilorses requisitioned for milil'u")' use were usually
taken without much consideration for the plight of the owner. An
interesting exceplion 10 this policy was the practice of hiring a fanner
along with his horse and C<ln, releasing them for planling and
harvesting. It was <lppreciated that a farmer left potentially starving by
the loss of his team became a willing recruit for the partisans. Letting
him continue to farm resulted in fewer partisans, and more food for
both the local populace and for Army consumption. Such sensible and
hUlll<lne pl'<lctices were not the norm on the Russi<ln Front, however.
The use of native RllSSi<l1l horses W<lS not officially recommended. The
Russian IJUuje or draught horse \\'as of small size and indeterminate
breeding, often ill-fed <lnd oven\'orked. However, the Imuje horse was a
survivor, and for l<lck of <lnything beller German units in the field soon
employed them in considerable numbers.
Training remounts
FourleeTl remount depors were established. Horses procured for
government Lise stayed at the depOls for a year, and warrnblood horses
reached maturity at tllese facilities.
Each lnounted regiment mainwined a cadre of specialist personnel at
home depot. responsible for training new riders as casualt),
GERMANY, 1937-39
t: Oberreit..., 3.Relter Regiment; fi4l1d manoeuvres, cte31
2: Wachtmeist.... to.Relter Regi ......t; .,Iking-out ..... 1$3i
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COSSACKS & KALMYKS, SOUTHERN RUSSIA, 1942
1: ZUgfiih,...-, KoNken Reiter Regi....... ' ~ i Ann, Gro&Jt) Centre, eutumn 1(1.42
2, Reiter, tUllmijlten-.chwaclron 58, HI.(mot) Inlanterie Drri$ion; Kelm)'lt Steppe, November 1"2
E
F
ITALIAN 8th ARMY, RUSSIA, AUGUST 1942
1, Tenente, 3a Re9glmento 'Savoia Cavallerla'
2: Caporale, 5a Reggimento 'Lanclerl dl Novara'
(Both 'rom 33 Dlvlzlone Calera 'Principe
Amadeo Duca d'Aosta')
2
"
..
ROMANIAN & HUNGARIAN CAVAlIf(, RUSSIA, OCTOBER 1941
t: Fruntas, RCHNInlan 3m Calami Aegt, 8ttI c.ndry Dir, Nogal Steppe
2: SuIzMIos, HUnsJillriBn ht Cn;llky !!1M, ~ Corps:; Donetz River
G
H
GERMAN CAVALRY, 1944-45
1: Oberleutnanl, I Btl, Kav flagt Mitt,; Army Group Centre, Ru..la, winter 1 9 4 ~
2: SS-Stunnbannfilhntr, 22.SS Frefw Kay Di'" 'Maria Theresla'; Budspeat, winter 1'-4/45
3: otHIrsUI",I....nl. 5.Kav Aegt 'Feldmarscnall "on Mackenn"', 4. Kilv DiY; Austria, May 1"5
E.1ch regimel1t also maint.1ined a
remount lacility where new mount" were broken
in lx:lore transfer 10 the frollt. Procuring adequate
Illnnlx:rs of r(,'1II0tlllIS ami draught was a
constant challenge; it has lx:en c.."Stimated that an
average of about 700 horses wcre lost each day
dming the four-ycar Russian campaign.'
\-'lhile the ca\'alry maintained integral remount
unitS, the training task for riders and horses in the
mOUnled elements of infanu1' and artillery units,
and for drol1lght animals. fell to a rather unusual
group. Due to a lack of qualilied officel"1!i a.nd
NCOs in these units. German ladies who were ...."ell
\'crsed in riding and bre'lking horses, and ra.nging
from teenagers to middle-aged, were employed
for these tasks. These \\'omen often broke as many
as ten horses each da)'. as well as riding a school
horse or two daily into the bargain. (Frdu Ingilt
Guendel, the author's dress..1ge instructor. ser..ed
in such a GII>'1City during the war, and still has her
certification document.) TIle hOl-st:women wore
the standard uniform tunic of their he-ddquarters
(\\'ithollt rank). riding breeches and boolS.
Shelter and feeding
Ade(!uatc sheller and rations wcre critical for both dr<lUght and s;uldle
horses. Horses were houscd in an)' available stables. barns and sheds; and
some photos show underground stable facilities being used on tile
Russian Fronl (an advantage 10 underground shelters was their b'l'eater
resistance to shelling).
The fodder used by the Cerman military varied. One popular type
supplied in cake I'onn: a cake weighing about 5kg (Illbs) colllO\ined
2,OOOg of oats. J\OOg of yeast, 1.300g of potato parts, 7S0g of hay, and
6;,)Og of straw. The arca of opcr;llion dict.'\ted the availability of varions
fodder types. Pasturage such as oalS and native grasses were llsed if
obtainable, as these wcrc the most natural foods for horses.
Casualties
Sirangely, statistics sho\\' Ihat a horse's colour played a ddinire but as yet
lillie understood pan in its chances of maintaining good healTh on the
Eastern Front. Brown horses sLlsL1incd the JTlost casuahics. and while
(,grey') the fewest. Baltle casualties for approximalely 75 per
cent of the total losses.
Of all tJ1C breeds uscd in Russia as saddle horses the best
among Cerman nati\'(' brc..-eds was achie\'cd by mixed bloods, which sus-
tained a loss rate of 32.39 per cellt. Thoroughbreds sustained the Iargcst
rate of casualties at 52 per cellI. The lowest casualty rate among drauglH
horses, commonly known as 'coldbloods', were the French breeds, at 30.1
per cent, with 54.2 per cent los...es alllong German coldbloods.
, n.. 01 !tie _ tIqO.- -.gill 01 !he 17111 Amrt. CIIUgI'( on !tie enn-. _ t>v!he"'" Sov\IIl
-...c.. _ crua To _ '*'II no.....,. "-'dIt..,.,. 17.000 _
b<>di.- _ no It>e -.
Horae care and sbble ftIutine
entailed an enormou. amount of
wort< on a dally ba.l.. Staib had
to be' mucked out, teatherwort<
and mebl fitting.. oiled and
polbtMld. Horse. required
uen:lae, long hou... of grooming,
and cleaning out hoove.. with a
hoof pick. Feedlni and watering
..chedul were of ireat
Impor1ance; and ..Ick ho...e..
required even more aUention.
Here, trooper. ready a horse for
a trip to the watering trough; the
man on the len weal'll the
Off-white linen Jacket 0' Itable
undre..... Farm boy.. were pre-
farred Inductee.. Into the cavalry,
It took Ie.... time to train a rec:ruit
who wa. already Intimately
familiar with horae. than ;I
city-bred soldier. In tl\e field the
dally ca.. of the horae might
m..n that a trooper got two
hou... Ie.... Ileep __n than a
front-line Infantryman.
(Bunde....n::hhr
14812001131120171
33
--
34
A beautlM d"'UliJht anlm.1
PMlng fo, the camenl In
the ring. The .. lhe
unit's 'Spieu' or ..nlot" non-
commissioned offlcar, identified
by the two braid rlngll around his
cuff, and the 'reportlnfl book'
tucked Into the front of hi. tunic;
unde, magnifICation, tNt _rna to
wea, the 'Swedl. tnldition
blldwe on hi. c&p - ...
commentiwy to ""'te Ht.
IPIlUI LJohnson COllKtionj
In dosing this chapteT, some lhoughts on
European caval'1' and mounted infantry sl<lIldards
of horse care and maintenance are appropriate:
!.hey are quoted from "l7wllght5 oj .4 Soldia
Cell.von Sc..>ekl. chicf-of-staff of lhc Reidls\\'chr in
the 1920s:
'It is possible to mount hastily trained riders on
half-lrained horses. and a certain military lise call
be made of them; but they are nOl C<iV.llry Cavall,
is not subject to i111provis<llion, and the demands
we place upon a mounted force call nC\'cr be met
by a cavalry militia.'
It is nOI for the ,werage person loday 10
undersland !he cnonllOliS effon involved in !hc
prol>cr care. feeding, uaining, and mailHenance of
milil::u)' horses, bolh draught and saddle lypes.
l11c impro\;sations demanded b)' the CXlreme
conditions of !he Russian camp<lign t'lXed lhe
Gennau forces' equine procuremelll, lraining and maintemlllce spilem to
Ihe maximum. It is 10 thc credit of the many dedicated men and women
involvcd Ihat Ihe system continued 1,0 function and. indced, grcw in
capacity cyen as the fortunes and resources of Ihe Third Reich dcclined.
NON-GERMAN CAVALRY FORCES
$everal Olher Axis nations prm;ded conlingents 10 assisl Ihe Gcnnan
forces on the E.."lSlcm From, including cavalry units. These, and locall)'
raised units, arc bricn)' described bclm\'.
Romania
Romania prmided Ihc largest contingcnt of horsed cl\"'llry. Six pre-w'u
Gl\'llll)' brigades wcre convened into di\isions in March 19'12. rising from
three 10 four regimclUs each in 1944. Rcgiments werc divided berween
twO traditional lypt:S, R05iOli and fAl(jmsi: by 1941 the dincrence
purely one of litles. A Imyor modernisation programme begun in 1939
was 1101 yet completed, though each cav<lll)' division had one lT1OlOrised
c<lva1ry regimenl and some other mcchanised elements by Ihe start of
Operation 'Barharossa,'. The cavalry brigadt.>s/divisions werc designaled
1st, 5th, 6th, 71h, 8th, and 91h; in 19" 1 cach had an t.'Slablishmelll. of
<lhOIll 6,800 men, rising to 7,600 in 1942 and 8,780 in 1944. The 1st
Cmmlry Brigade/Division struclure is Iypical:
I!lh C.'llarasi Regt, mOlorised (1941; horsed. 1944)
(rcplaced by Guard c..'llarasi Regt, 1942-43)
lSI Rosiori Regl, horst."<i
2nd Rosiori Regt. horsed
(Slh RosiOli Regl, horsed. added 1944)
ISII-Iorsc Artillel)' Regt - 75mlll guns, lOOmm howiLZcrs
Rcconnaissance squadron, mcchanised (hatlalion, 1944)
Anti-tank company, motorised - 47mm (2 cos.,751l1m, 1944)
Signals/enginecr comp'llly, horsed.
The main units of !he olher formations in 1941-42 \\'erc:
51h GOli IMe - 6th Ros
(mot), 7th Ros, 81Jl Ros;
2nd HArty
6,11 Ow - 10th Ros
(mal). 9th Ros, 5th CLI; 4th
HAn)'
7111 Gav IMi' - Illh Ros
(mot), 12lh Ros, 9lh Cal;
5th HAn)'
8th Cav IMe - 3rd Cal
(mal). 4th Ros, 2nd GIl;
3rd HAn)'
9th Cav Btle - 5th Ros
(mot), 3rd Ros. 13th Cal;
6th HArt)
A typical mounted
regimelll of eithcr Rasiol;
or Calarasi con..<i.ist(:d of: 1st
Sqn HQ. signals platoon, cngineer pOl (inc. fl3me-throwers); 4x saJm
Jl{lmdrrms (c,lCh 178 all ranks in 4x !)Iatoons; 13 UIGs); Ix hmuy squadroll
(16x 601IIIn 1Il0l1ars, 12x J-U.-IGs. "Ix 75mm guns).
Apart from thcse formations, reconnaissance units for the infantry
COl-pS and dh'isiolls \'I'cre provided by tJ1C 1st, 4th. 6th. 7th. 8th, 10th and
12th ('''llarasi Rcgimcllls. Each divisional unit comprised a singlc
squadron with a hea\')' machine gun section.
Operations InJunc/July 1941lorcL'S including 7th Cav Bde and a C'wah)'
Coll)S (5th, 6th & 8lh Cav Ikk'S) swiftly e<tpUlred pans of Bessarabia and
Nonhern Bucovilla which were claimed as Romanian territory. The
government then responded to requests to suppol1 Germany's Army
Croup South in the southclll Ukraine; in August. 1st C,lV Bde ....'as among
units which rcached lhe Black Sea coasl. Hard lighting around Odcssa in
Seplelllber/Oclobcr COSI 92,000 Romanian casuallies: c..'\'all)' bl;gades
involved were the 1st, 7th, and to a lesser extent the 9th,
The Cavalry Corps was among units subordinated to Ccn.von
ManSlcin's Ilih Army atlacking the Crimea, The Romanians were
heavily COulltcNlltacked 011 the Nogai Steppe, but held well. The 8th Cav
Bde was sent into tilC Crimea in Novcmber 1941, and fought agaillst the
Red Army's Kerch 1,lIIdillgS in May 1942.
The C,v,lll")' Corps (5th, 6tll & 9th Divs) formed the right wing of the
July 1942 adv<lllce 10 the ClUcasus, dearing the coasts of the Black Sca
and Sea of Azov, In November 1942, 1st and 7th Cav Divs were in the
frolll line Ilonh of Stalingnld, and 5th and 8th south of the city, when
thc SoviCI coulllel"-olTellsive struck; all fought courageously. 1st Cav Oiv
was surroundcd in the Sl.alingrdd pocket with German 6tJl Army; 7tJI was
forccd back to the Chir; 5th and 8th fought well in December, but all
Romanian units were wilhdrawn at the end of lhe momh.
Romanian troops 51,Ired mainI)' on the defensive thcreafter. The 6th
Ow Div fought well on tJle Kerch Pcninsula in December 1943, but
another disastcr in tJ1C Crimea in spring 1944 destroyed whal was left of
Romanian morale. The So\;et il1\'asion of Romania in August 1944 led
the country's rulers 10 change sidL'S to tlle Allies. (See also commenL.'l)'
to Plate C I.)
Roman.., in 8esNI'8N,
July 1M1, P"$$ing a o;:mlitln bus
to ...ppIemefrt
the R_nitln Anny" minilTIlIl
motoriHd tnnsport. Most of
theM tnIopera _ar the light-
_ight M1930 ...mmer tunic with
wootl... and the Dutch
Mt ln3J27 helnMl .clopted by
Roman'- In 1lil3tt; nole the
M 181M) ch'lllry sabres carried Ilt
the uddle - cf Plale G1.
le_rtfty NIgel Thomas!
35
36
A Hungarian cavalry column on
the march - cf Plate 02, The
Hungarian Mobile Corps,
including the 1st Cavalry
Brigade, served with the
Wehnnacht's 17th Army as part
of Anny Group South, These
well-mounted heirs to the
Imperial Hussar tradition
distinguished themselves In
the first deep advance of
summer/autumn 1941, but were
wom out by the time winter fell.
(Paul L.Johnson Collection)
Hungary
The prc-1939 ca\-dlry consisted of two brigades, each of two
their titles recalling I-Iungal"y's historic light GWdlry traditions. Each
regimem had 12 squadrons of 100 troopers each - or 300 in wartime.
(This unwieldy size due 10 tllC requirement that a cavah)' squadron
provide the same firepower as an infamry company, despite having to
send every third or fourth man to the reO'll' as
Mobilismion, as pan of the elite Mobile Corps, produced the following
brigade struC\llre:
Isl Cavalry Brigade
3rd Hussar Regt 'Count Nadasdy Ferenc'
4th Hussar Regt 'Count Hadik Andras'
1Sl Cavah-y Artillery Group (pan-motorised)
13th & 14th Hicycle Battalions
21ld Cavall)1 Brigade
lstJasig-Kuman Regt 'Franz:Josef
2nd Hussar Regt 'Prince Arpad'
2nd Cav Arty Gp (pan-motorised)
15th & 16th Bicycle Bns
Slow reorganisation in 1942-43 saw an expansion in the artillery,
engineer, signals, and reconnaissance elements and added anti-L."lnk and
anti-aircrafi units. However, Hunf,rary was always chronically short of
modcrn equipmcnt and vehicles, and the grudging nature of her
alliance with Germany did not help.
Operations Hungal),'s war aim was to increasc her territory, and in
1939-41 she occupied, with German support, parts of formcr
Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia. The need to guard hcr
frontiers against hostile Romania allowed only a relatively small
contingent for the invasion of the USSR. This included the Corps,
with two lllotorised brigades but only the 1st ('-"avah)' Brigade. In summer
1941 the mobile units spearheaded a remarkable fiOo-mile across
Galicia and the Ukraine as part of Army Group Somh's 17th Army,
reaching the Donctz River in October; but the autumn mud cost the
motorised units most of their vehicles, and the Mobile Corps
withdrawn and disbanded in November.
Reorganis<ltion in October 1942 created a new
'Mobile Troops' branch which grouped
armoured, motorised, cyclist and CaV<lII)' units.
This included a 1st Cav Div, comprising 2nd, 3rd
& 4th Cay Regts, and 1st Armd, lst, 3rd and 55th
Arty, 1st Reece and 4th Engineer Haualions. III
spring 1944, 1st Cav Div was part or Hungari<lll
2nd Reserve Corps in the Pripet region, later
making a fighting retreat to positions south-east of
\Varsaw (earning the honour title '1st HUSS<lr
Division') .
In August 1944 Romania's defection left
Hungary's southern frolHier exposed. The 3rd
Army, including a wcak, scratched-together
'Cavah)' Depot Division', was sent into western
Transylvania to rcsist the Romanian and Soviet
After October HitJer installed a puppet
go\'ernment, and some units continucd to fight
under German cOlllroJ. Budapest fcll in February
1945, and after a failed GClTlmn counter-attack at
L,ke Ualaton in March the 3rd Army fell back
.....estwards. The 1st Hussar Di\' wilhdrcw \ia Theiss,
and \\';IS lost ncar nudapcst.
Italy
The Italian caY-til)' had a proud historical
u<ulition but, like the rest of their army in
19-10, they were badly handicapped by a shon-
age of modern vehicles, heavy weapons, and
cOllllllllnicatiOI1S. In the field most fonnations
had strengths well below their establishments,
especiall)' in motorised transport.
. .
111e GI\'alry branch of the Conunelllal ann)'
beg"dn their w.tr ....ith the follO\\ing regiments, whose
different dcsignations were purely traditional:
Gav lVgts: 1st 'Ni71.a', 2nd 'Piemonte Reale', 3rd '5;l\'oia', 4th
'Geno\'a', Lnncu lVgts: 5th' o\'ara', 6th 'Aosta" 7th 'Milano', 9tJI
'Firenzc', 10th 'Viuorio Emanuele II'. Light Cav &gts: 12th '5;lluO'o',
13th 'Monfer.lUo', 14th 'Alessandro', 19th 'Guide', and 30th 'Palermo',
Each regiment was illlo t.....o 'groups of squadrons' of twO
squadrons each: a squadron had three troops, and each trool), four
sections. The regimelllaiso had a fifth, machine gun squadron, A typical
regimenL,1 establishment was: 37 officers, 37 NCOs, 798 other ranks; 818
horses: 39x biC)'des, 6x motorC)'des, 16x tnlcks, Ix car: 12x 26x
SMGs. The troopers were allned with sabres and carbines.
The higher formation for cavalry units was the Diviziom: (1(er,or 'Fast
Division', oflvhich there .....ere three:
fa Divizione Cekre' Ellgetlio eli Savoia':
12lh '$.illlZlO' Ll C.w, 14th 'Alessandro' Lt Cav,
9lh 'Firenzc' Lanccrs (Ix mot gp)
2a Diviz,iOlu: Olere 'f:;llIanllele Ie Pi/iberlo Titsfo eli Ferro':
10th 'Vittorio Emanuele [I' Lancers (Ix mot gp)
3a Divizione Okre' r"rindllf' Amt1t{eo {)uca d/\osfa':
3rd 'Savoia' Cav, 5th Lancers
A Fast Division's ollkhtl establishment cotllfJriscd 7,750 all ranks,
2,012 110t'SCS; 2,565x bicycles, 431x motorcyclcs, 641x othcr mOLor
vehicles, 61x liA"ht tanks; 165x LMG, 78x HMG, 8x 201111T1 AA, 8x 47111m
AT, and 24x field guns. main units werc:
2x Gl\"<llry regts (horsed)
(each, 4x sabre squadrons + Ix MG sqn)
Bersaglim regt (light inf, mot & bicycle)
(3x bns)
Artillery regt
Light L,nk group
Anti-tank company
BnJa/"T/ini motorcycle company
Engineer company
Thl. 1'rP<' 23 pack saddle was
dealtnecl '9'1flca11y fof' .....nee
with the mountain
tToops, who made g,...t UN of
pack ho,... to ca"y a wide
..... 01 their equipment and
-..ppl..... n..... wa. 011$0 a light
mountain c.rt with (:over, " i
asl... for to CtI"y heavy
toad. on lheir bac.... than to pull
a toad behind; lhe mulmum load
for a pack Itorse was 80kg
(178Ib.j, See .lso Plate 02,
(Paul l,Johnaon CoIle<:tionl
37
lteli.n c.rt.lry tnIoper 01 the
's....cK. Orqoon.' _ <:I Pl,te F.
The tMKk <:rQft of thl' unit <:.n
just be __ on the helmet Iront,
and the M 1940 tunl<: hn wid&-
<:ut .:a....lry ....l.u. Note the bIa<:k
fur (';Oller, .pp..-ently onl, .t the
I"ltar of the aaddle, .nd aJlt for
the .ttac:nment of the ..bl"lt.
(Friedrkh Henm.nn Memorl,l
Colle<:tionl
Operations For lhc june 1940 invasion of southern France, the 1st
'Ni7.7..a' Cav Rcgt was in 4th Army Reserve. Durillg the first disastrous
Greek campaign of winter 1940/41 lhe 6th 'Aosta' and 7th 'Milano'
Lanccr Regts sen'ed with the Coast.,1 Croup of the Epinls Sector. For the
second offensive in April 1941 a single cavalry regimcnt was part of thc
mixed Celllauro Group in Ann)' Rc..'Sel'\'c. lllC simultancous invasion
of Yugoslavia saw Lhe 1SL, 2nd & 3rd FasL Divisions grouped in lhc
FasL Co'1Js.
The Italian ExpediLionary Corps in Russia (CSIR) which servcd
under Army Group SouLh from Jul), 1941 initially comprised om
nominally motorised infalllry divisiotls and the 3(1 DiuiziOlll! Obm-
'Principe AmMh1 Dum d"Aosta: The componenl of this formation
was the Ja &ggimndo 'Savoia Cavallma 'and the 5(1 IVggimmto 'Landen di
Nauara'. [n March 19-t2the CSIR \\,".\5 reinforced as the Italian 8th Army,
but no further ca\<tlry were sellt to Russia, The Italian cOlllingent
advanced LO lhe Don River thal summer as part of Ann) Group B, and
pedonned well. \\itllin the of lheir equipment. ,11e 3rd
s.1\0)' made a famous charge on 24 August 1942 (see
commentary to Plate Fl). The 8th Army was effecth'ely destroyed on tile
Don north of Stalinf,rrdd by Lhe So\iet coullter-offenshe that November,
and \\itllllrcw from Russia soon "ftcn\';.lr<!s.
Otllcr dcployments recorded include: 1st Fast Div - 2nd AIm)'
Rescrve. Croatia/Slovenia, 1943; 13Lh Lt Ow Regt - lst
AJllly; 2nd 'Picmollle Reale' & 4th 'Genova' Ow, 19u1 'Guide' Lt G'w
Regts - 2nd Army; 6th 'Aosta' & 7th 'Milano' Lancers - Supreme
f'..ommand Albania: Lighl Cav Croup - Sardinia.
IL is reponed that during the Allied landings in Sicily in .July 1943.
h.alian cavalry offered stiff opposition lO somc of tllC sc.tuered Amcrican
paratroopers; but the hal ian order of banlc in Sicily docs not rc\'eal
any ca\'alr)' regiments, and these troopers prc..'Slllllably belonged to some
dispersed unit.
Cossacks
The Cossack COlllUlllllities or 'host'!', which had
historically provided 10)".11 light cavalry for the
armies of lite Tsars, had been persecuted b}' the
COlTlmunists, ;Ind many welcomed lhe Cennans as
German units beg;:lll recruiting them as
auxiliaries early in lhc Russian campaign - initiall}'
in small groups and on an ad lux local basis, but
soon in significant llwnbers, which grew cvcr
larger as the war progressed. German cavalry units
operating against partjsans wcrc quick LO add a
sot/lja of Cossacks to thcir slrcngth. Their
potential became clear as C'lrly as AUb'llSl 1941,
when a complete Red Anny unit of C..ossacks
tinder deserted to the Wehrmacht
in B)e1onLssia. This was .11 first designated
KOSl/rMlI Abft,j[ulIg 102, then Ost Kosackl1l Abl 6tXJ,
and finally as the 5th Don f'.os.'iack Regiment.
At first suspicious, I tiller officially authorised
Cossack recnlitmelll in April 1942, The most
imponalll groups raised that year were the
'Lehmann' and 'Von Jungschulz' Regiments
under Ann}' Croup Somh, and the '!'lal.O\ and
'Von "'olIT Regiments under Anny Group
Celll.re. An example of a smaller and more
obM:ure unit is prmided by XL Palller Corp"_ In
summer 1942 this c0'l)S found itself 3\\dSh \\ith
prisoners, who required 3 substantial armed
(,,<;COil to take them to the rear, and German
"Oldiers could not be sp..red. Someone "U led
thaI the Cossacks among the prisoners be
provided with horses and set to guarding the
prisoner column; and a certain CapL Zagonxlni\'
placed ill command. Zagorodni)' returned in
the autulIlll, and asked for another assignmenL
That. the CO!i.<;:tcks had returned at all was a shock...
Ilowcver, they received formal training and
olTicial designation as 1/82 Cossack Sqn, sening
faithfully uIHilthcy were eventually desu'o)'ed - at
St LO. Normandy, in 19441
In Septcmber 1942 Obersuelilnant Helmuth
\011 Panm\itz. a German ca\'3.111' officer who had
led a Cossack unit with some success alongside the
Romanian cavalry, and who had a good rela
tionship with the afanum of the Terek host.,
promoted the idea of fonning a complete Cossack
This was apprm'ed; he ....'3.5 appointed
C.ommander of Cossack Units (with e\'e11lual
promotion to Iieutenant-geneml), and organised
the evacuation from endangered areas of
complete Cossack communities, to Poland and,
e\'elllt1<l1l)', to northern Italy.
The 1st Cossack Diflision formall)' created on 4 August 1943 under
Von ll;ulIlWil.t'S command, incorpor.uing the Plalo\" Von Jungschultz,
Lt.:lnll<llI, Kononow and Von Wolll regiments. Many smaller units soon
aggregated around these - though Ill00ny olhers remained independent,
still providing reconnaissance, security and escort services for the
German which had raised thelll.
The division \Vas trained at Mlawa ill Poland, organised in two
brilf<ldcs:
J.d u,sswk JJde:
Don, 41h Kuban, 2nd Siberian Regis; C'..aucasus Mm Any nn
2nd (4ssark &Je:
3rd Kuban. 5111 Don. 6th Tcrck Regts: C.ucasus \1m An)' Bn
EoICh horse regiment had six squadrons. each divided into 12-man
Each brigade also had a 'hea\1' squadron with 4;.: 81mm
fllort:.lfS and 4J( machine bFUllS. 111e di\ision boasled an anti-tank
squadron wilh 5x 5.Ocm b"lllls. German weapons and unifonns were
issued as well as captured Russian maleriel; some C.ossacks wore their trd-
ditional cOSIUllles dating back 10 Impelial days.
Mlawa was a large fonner Polish Anny facility providing ample room
for the 10,000-15,000 men and hofS(.'S who passed throug:h it. Di\isional
The German. rft'Rllted CosHC:'"
in large numblH'l. at fl,.t in small
independent "C!ulK!rons
attac:hed a. au.IlI.rl.., but later
in regiments, brigades, and
finally in two division. They
were largely employed on antl-
partlaan dutie. In Russia lind
the Balkans, though some
reached II. far afield a. Franc:e.
Thi. c:lo..-up lhowl the
tntdifional sIla'''a ..b.... of
CaUC:lIsllln origin. and a slung
AUfSlan Mo,in-Haeant rifle.
Under magnlfk:aflon he c:an be
seen to wear a death's-heed
.....,. palc:h. The unltorm.,
insignia altd equIpment of
eos-c:k units In Q4l....."
servic:e were otten moue, in
the ertreme. although ..-ral
systems of nlnk and 'host'
Insignia twv. been publlshed_
(BundeNrc:hhl 146/H195f1817
& 146n8l4tf6j 39
40
A Cosudr. officer and troopen In
MfVlo;. with Arm., Group Sovth.
TbeM ...... Hem to wear Gennan
In$igni-., lind the offi<:er at len
I\as b8ShI)'ll slung behind the
01 his Gennan senrk:e
tunic - ef Plate E1,ISipho)
suppon unilS \\'ere created;
a Vohmteer Training and
Replacement Regt with
IIQ at .. lochovo ran a
school fOl' Cossack OO}'S
and an officer training
course; there was L....'Cn a
newspaper. The di"ision
was predominantly Russian,
and lIsed Ihat language,
though lechnicians such as
farriers and
wcrc Illustl)' German. Each
regirnem of ahollt 2,000
men had 160 German
staff.
In September 1943 the
division transferred to
Croatia to fight Tito's
partiS;:lIls; it was now
Gcrman policy to employ
all frollts far
frOIll their homelands. '111e Cossacks wcrc app.arently elTect.i\'c, and at the
end of 19-13 the 2nd Iklc wa.s tl"anslClTcd as the nucleus for a 2nd eoss......ck
Di,;sioll. Together with additional corps troops, the tWO thcn fOnllL-d XIV
eoss......ck r..orps. DUI;ng 19.J4 :>C\'cnil infalHf)' units were r;liscd \\;thin the
corps. The Cossacks finallv got their chance to fight tile Red Anny when
SO\;ct and Bulgadan forces a<h;lllced into Yugasla\;a,
At the end of 19+4, \\;th a 3rd Division in the process of fanning, the
corps was redesignalcd XV SS Cossack Cavalry Corps; but the
re-assignment from Ann}' to \\'aITen-SS control was adminislr.lli\'c only-
the units kepI their old and unilorms.
NOloriously, tJle falc of lhe Cossacks lighting with the Cennan forces
was 10 be grim. Thc lsI ('.ossack Division surrcndcred 10 the Uritish
Arm)' on 9 May 1945 ncar LiCHt:, Austria. However, the Allies had
agreed to hand over Soviel citil.crls caplllrcd in Gcrman uniform to the
L:SSR; and the thousands of British POWs libt:ratcd from Cerman
C;lmps but. slill held by the Red ArlllY were a powerful bargaining chip.
The British handed the Cossacks ovcr LO lhe vengeful Soviets; most
wcrc scrHcnced to hard labour in Siberia, and their leaders wcrc
execuled - as was Gen.\'ol1 Panllwilz, who freely chose to share his
men's Enc.
Kalmyks
The Kalm)'ks are a nomadic people of Asiatic descent, practising a kind
of Buddhism, :mccslnll homeland 011 Ihc open steppes was
bordered by the Vollfd River and lhe Caspian Sea. Like the Cossacks, they
had good reason to n:.-scm their Communist O\'crlords (though like the
Cossacks again, some fought 011 either sidc). Whcn the Wehnnacht
rearhed tJleir capital of [Iista in 1912 tJlCY rccruited Kalm)'ks as SCOlIts
and partis.,m raiders; perhaps surprisingl)', thcy did not treal the nomads
as a slIbjL"Ct people, bill as irregular allies.
Portrait of a pre-war cavalry
trooper In hi. walklng_o t d......
The vllIOred .ervlce d c.p
co... ld be wom by ell enll.te-d
rank. with this ...nlform, b...t
.ro...nd the barracks only Hnlor
NCO. were permItted It. The
Waffenroelr _ or 'K.I.M Wilhelm
Memorial Tunic', a. It wa.
nicknamed -I. ea.tty identifiable
by 1M laek of brea.t ef
Plate A2.. TM film used here "".
darttened the e.valry"
yel60w collar patch backing and
the piping on cap and tunic.
(P....l LJonnll()on Collection)
The first official Kalmyk unit was AbllJ(!llrIruPl'" 103, formed in autumn
1942 to perform patrolling and securily functions under 6th Army
headquarters_ In September the commander of 16th Motorised Inf Div
authorised the raising of two K.,lm}'k squadrons to operale along the
division's exlended rear lines. By the following summer seven K,almyk
units were in senice. Collectively tJle force was known \'aliously as
Kalmlu:un lm..and Dr Doll (aflcr the German intelligence oflicial \\.ho
raised it), the Kalm}k Legion, and finally lhe K..,lmyk C.,valry Corps
(KKK). The force ",ithdrew wCSlwards with lhe Gennan Anny in 1943,
slill emplo\ed on rear-area security dutics. E\'clllually it had a
he:adquaners and 24 squadrons orgollli.scd in lour Ablcilungen; cadI of
lhese ooualions had one elite jOgdsrhTlJ{ldrrm rhunting squadron'). In
August 1943, I.-\bui/unggrouped 1st, 4th, 7lh, 8th & 18th Sqns; /I Abt,
5th,6th. 12th. 20th & 23rd; ITl Ahl. 3rd, 14th, litJl. 21st & 25th; and N
AlII,2nd. 13th. 19th, 22nd & 24th Squadrons. (The 9th. 10th. 11m. 15th
& 16th Sqns remained behind to carry om partisan warfare against the
Rcd Anny on the I\alm...t. SlCppe.) Most KKK ofliccrs and 'COS .....ere
ex-Red Army men. and there was only a minimal German liaison staff,
Retrealing into Poland, in 1945 the K.,lmyks wcre the only
non-Russians tojoin Gen. V1asov' KO 'R. They paid a high price; after the
war Slalin transponed their entire ethnic community illlo exile far from
their ancestral lands.
FURTHER READING
English language works on A.xis arc limitcd; grc.:ater scope for
research exislS if Gemlan lat1b'l.lagc publications arc included, and the
author SUggeslS the following:
Ax.....onhy. Mark, & Horia ScrbaneSCll, nil' IWllUlIlian Anny of World
II, [\fcn-at-Arms 246 (Osprey, London, (991)
Barer, Hans, Kavallrie.Divisiolll!11 dPr 'Waffl!1l-SS im J3ikl, (Osnabrllck, 1982)
Iknder, Roger James, & Hugh Page Taylor, Uniforms, Organization and
J-JiSI01)' uftlut H'affen-SS, Vol.3, (Mountain Vicw, CA, 1972)
C.,ballcro.J urado, Carlos, F"'I'eigll \lolUlllf/''I'S of Ihe Welmll(uM, Men-at-Anns
147, (Osprcy, London. 1983)
Emilicn, l.V, Del' PhanlrLI,tiw:/1P Rilt, (Prcllssich Oldcndorf, 1977)
Susan & Helcn Douglas.coopcr, Ilol'Sf' Facts, (Ne..... York, 1991)
Mucllcr-Hillebr,md, B" in Ihe Gf'T'mall Ami}' (1941-1945), (HQ US
Army Europe, Historical Di\ision, Foreign Military5tudics Ilranch, US
Army Military History Institule, MS# P.Q90, undated)
l>iekalkiewicz,Janusz, Th, uwall" of World Will' II, (London, 1979)
Richter, Klaus, Vii' br rkulsdum K(1v(lI/ni, 19/9-45, (Sulllgan,
1982)
Ridner, Klaus. & E'lllipmmt (jf lite Gennlm uwalr)' 1935-45,
(Alglcn, PA, 1995)
Richter. Klaus, Cavalry oflllL 1941-4j, (Atglen. PA, 1995)
ROllman, Gordon, German Comhot Eqllipmcnts 1939-45, Men-at-Arms 234
(Osprey, London. 1991)
Yerger, Mark c.. Riding lISt: SS ulTHllf)' Brigade in Poland and RlUSio.
1939-42, (Atglen. PA. 1996) 41
,
THE PLATES
Additional material by Martin Windrow
A: GERMANY, 1937-39
A1: Obarreiter, 3.Reiter Regiment; field
manoeullres, c1937
The M1918 helmet was sun in use by most cavalry ooits,
though soon to be replaced with the standard Ml935. The
national and Army decals on tight and left :sides are here
obscured by the band of red cloth budded to the helmet
lor quick identification 01 forces during manoeuvres. His
standard issue M1936 tunic in field grey has a dark green
'badge cloth' collar. Malching riding breeches WIth grey
leather reinforcement 10 the inside legs and seal are worn
with riding boots with buckled-on steel spurs; privately
purchased black gloves are tucked into his belt. Pre-war
collar patches displayed two 'lights' in arm-at-service colour
- here cavalry golden-yellow: the dark green shoulder straps
are piped yellow, and bear a yellow embroidered regimental
number. (The infantry horse platoons wore white
Waffenfarbe. and were nicknamed 'White Riders'.) senior
private's rank is shown by the silver-grey lour-point star on a
dark green disc on the left upper arm, Obscured here is the
national eagle and swastika badge, in white on dali< greeo
baCking, on the right breast.
His belt is supported by V-shaped 'cavalry' braces, tacking
the broad shoulder sectIOnS and the pack attachment
D-rings behind the shoulders found on infantry equivaleols.
Two sets of triple M1911 rille cartndge pouches. and !he
bayonet hidden here on his nght SIde, are standard issue; his
bread bag and watef canteen are also obsctKed behind his
right hip. A canvas strap supports his M1938 gasmask
canistef htgh behind his right arm. The Kar 98k rifle is carried
in a leather 'boot' strapped to the saddle behind hIS Iellleg,
and supported by a strap fastened by loops and studs to !he
rear of hiS belt. The sabre is attached by a buckled frog to !he
saddle behind his right leg (inset); the list strap illustrated IS
in the colours of the 2nd Sqn of a regiment. Officers and
senior NCOs. who did not carry rifles, attached the sabfe
behind the left leg instead.
His mount is a Hanoverian, typically of 15.3-16 hands and
solidly coloured. Over the grey blanket ('Wollach) is strapped
the M1925 saddle, with the early pallern corded girth and -
as seen in pre-war photos - a martingale. Note the double
Front of yellow-piped office"" ..",Ice e:tIp - Olen.tmOtze -
boNnng between the ""tional e'lIle Ind WIlllthed c:oc:luIde
the ~ l Y e r Brun,Yric:k deattl"-head tr1ldlUon bldge. In honour
of the olcl Brun.Yric:k Hu........ It WI' ,wlrded in 11121 to the
4th Sqn of 13.Refler Regiment, .ndln 111311 to the whole of
II AbtellUfl9, 13.Kavlllerie Regiment. In 1M3 It WI' taken
"e, by K.....llerie Regiment Sud; Ind liter by 41.Relter
RegJment In 4.Kavllierie erigadelDMakln.
The PnIssi.1n deilth's-heitd of the o'd Lelb HUNrfHI was
worn from 11121 by the 1st.nd 2nd Sqn. of 5.Reiter
Regiment, i1nd from 11133 by the NtlmenW .tan and the
whole of I Abtellung (except 3rd Sqnl of 5.K.....11erie
Regiment. In 1M3 It w.. taken _ by K.yalletie Regiment
Nord. I.ter retiUed 5.K.vallerie Regiment 'Fefdmarsc:hlll YOn
42 Mackin..,.' _ see Plilte H3. (fWM UNI20-o21
reins and bits of the combination watenng bridle and riding
halter, and the chafacteristic S-shaped bars. The trooper's
camouflaged Zeltbahn tent-quarter is here rolled and
strapped round the ofI-side M1934 saddle bag; it was
offICIally added to the HintetgepkJ<. behind the saddle. where
three straps attad1 his neatly folded greatcoat. over a
blanket, over a large folded forage sack and collapsible
canvas bucket. The stowage of the Packtaschen 34 saddle
bags is listed in the caption on page 20.
A2: Wachtmeister, 10.Reiter Regiment; walking-
out dress, 1939
This Invnaculate senior NCO, of the cayalry rank equivalent
to Feldwebel in other anns of service, wears the service
dress cap and pnvate purchase Waffenrock tuniC available to
all enlisted ranks for walking--out, with the slone grey trousers
and laced black shoes which completed that uniform. The
cap. tunic and trousers are all piped in cavalry yellow, which
also appears as backing to the silver bars of the collar and
cuff lace: note that on the Waffenrock the NCO's silver Tresse
braid follows the upper rather than the lower edge 01 the
collar, and appears on the cuffs. The yellowpiped shoulder
straps also bear Tresse, and the unit number - lor senior
NCOs, in pin-oo white metal form. The satxe is attached to
811 internal belt by a hanger passing under the tunic; lhe fist
strap had a silver flecked dark green 'crown' for all senior
NCO ranks (Unterofflzier mit Portepee) irrespective of unit.
This sergeantma;or also displays lhe marksmanship 18l1yard
on the right shoulder, worn by enlisted ranks in yanous
achievement grades; and the regimental standard bearer's
annshield on the right sleeve - a photo also shows thIS being
worn by a pre-war Wachtmeister on field uniform.
B: FIELD UNIFORMS, 15140-41
81: Aelter, 1.Kavallerie Division; Army Group
Centre, Russia, summer 1941
This trooper mpresents in most respectS the appe8I8I wo;e d I!'le
cavalryman on campaign in Poland. France and F\.IsSIa n
1939-41. He holds his field \11lY-peinted Ml935 ~ HIs
tlSllC is the Ml940. with field \11lY collar n Ln\Il!II'$lI CDIIJ
laDe wrttlouI ann-of-service cistnctJc:w-. Fa' sean;; tt1e
regimental I"UTlber is no longer worn on tt'e :f'IIOW-PIPlId
shoulder straPS. ~ the collar open.-d 1he _1tlIed
in sunner was tolerated in the field; .-d pldU!I'4JI'lS ~
show the eqUipment V-straPS discaded. The rUng tlOcJls.
made 01 thimer leather and with a IT10ftl panted toe than me
infantry m<WChing boots, were nol norrnaIy hot>-n8IIed.
His mount is a Trakehner, typicaIy d abCll.lt 16-162
hands. The equipment differs from Plate 1.1 ~ In the
absence 01 the rifle boot and sabre - the rifte was rw:NI
carried slung. (Sources state that the sabre was WIthdrawn
alter the 1939 Polish campaign: however, a photo showwlg
a mounted reconnaissance troop carrying satwes before
Moscow in winter 1941 has been sent to the author by Herr
Heinrich Deckert. a member of the troop. who wntes that
they shipped their sabres home just alter the photo was
taken.) NOle the additiofl 01 a pair 01 rear saddle bags, the
M1940 Packt8SChen neuer Alt. Uke the Ml934, these came
in a differing pair: the right or 'rider's pack' was smaDer than
the left or 'horse pack'. In the field, photographs often show
the two pairs 01 bags worn together; and kl1 stowage CIWfld
more to practical convenience than reguiations. ~ here, the
mess tin was often strapped outside the saddle bag; the
gasmask canister and its attached cape are stowed
between the saddle bags, the rolled Zeltbahn in front 01
them. The water cante&fl, canvas bucket, and (here)
an entreoching tool am often seen attached at various
points around the saddle. Note that the martingale has now
been discarded.
B2: Ritlmeister, 1.Kavallerie Division; France.
summer 1940
thiS captain convnanding a SQuadron we&r.l the 'old 5t',ie
otflCElf"s field cap', with a small, soft crown, flexible peak, and
no chin cords. Photos of pm- and earty-war cavalry officers
confinn a lillie-known (and often diSlegarded) regulation
fortliddlng the display of the national eagle badge on the
CroW1l; the usual lower badge is in flat-woven BeVo fOlTTl. His
private purchase field grey tunic, with dark green collar and
deep turned-back culls. is worn with leather-reinforced stone
grey beeches and fine quality riding boots. His branch is
shown by the yellow 'lights' on the collar lace and the
unde!1ay to the silver cord shoulder straps, his rank by the two
gold 'pips' on the latter. This otflC8l" wears the usuaJ field bell
with a holstered P08 pistol and one of several variants of the
Ml934 'report' (map) case; his binocular case is pushed
round to the back.
The gill horseman badge of the National Association for the
6feedlng & Testing of German Wannbloods is worn 00 the left
breast pocket. o...ing the 19305 cavalry and horse artiltefy
otliceB of the rank 01 Rittmeister Of HauptmaM were
requued to pass this organisation's theoretical and practical
ex8ITIll"l8tions. Enlisted men of mounted branches seem to
have regatded it as mildly demeaning to d ~ y a civilian
endorsement of the skills wtIich were integral to their military
trallling; it is usually seen worn by l'lOfK:aValrymen.
B3: Obergefrelter, divisional reconnaissance
battalion; Russia, 1941
The ~ Abteik.ogen of infantry dvisions were versatile
mixed battalions, wt*;h WIt a geat deal of corrbat; thei'" mobility
allowed their depIoyrner1t as cp.jck--maction lXlItS, but the troopers
romaIy fought en loot. Tbs jlnor I\KX) wears the M1938 field
cap. wiItl a :soutae:h& of yeIoN WaffMfa'tle 8I'Ol.JIld the natJonaI
ClQCti:ad&; the whole of the reca. 'ssa'1Ce battalion retained the
r;IIoI*'J arm-d-serw:e colcu. His rar* is ma1<ed by the dolbIe
d1IMOf'I on the left s6eeve of his M1936 tl.ric. The bn:lectles. d
....,. watme marufacture. are field r,;,ey, nole ItlaI the leather
lei *:lice, ell was v.n:usIy made d caIf- a goatskin and vOOed
i'l ccIou: For foot cor'It>aI he has rerTlCI'J8CI his sp..n; and wears
his rit;jlt hand Ml934 'ride(s' saddle bag fitted with shOOdef
strapS as a backpack, wi1h the Zeltbahn and mess lin attached.
tis per3OO8I equipment otherWIse differs from that of an
RanIr)m8I'l crit f'l having a hill strap on the bayonet frog.
c: WAFFEN-SS CAVALRY, 15142-43
C1: SSScharfuhrer, SS Kavallerle Brigade;
Russia, 1942
Signalling his patrolling platoon to halt, this sergeant-major
wears Waffen-SS rank insignia on his left collar patch; the
right patch bears SS runes. Sliver Tresse edging the dark
green collar identifIes senior NCO rank. His command status
is also Indicated by his binoculars and map case, and his
MP40 sub-machine gun; this was habitually worn slung on
the chest, and he has a single sel 01 black leather' lriple
magalJO& pouches on the righl side 01 hiS belt. At thiS date
the Waffen-SS were the only German troopS Issued with
camouflage-printed clothing as standard; Interestingly,
photos suggest that in the SS cavalry thIS included a peaked
field cap well belom the general introductlOO of the SImilar
field grey wool M1943 Einheirsfeldmlitze, so it was
PfeSUITI8bty modelled 011 the Army's mountain cap. This, and
the cover for the helmet just visible slung from the saddle
behlild his right hip. are in so--eailed 'plane tree' panern. His
smock is in 'palm tree' pattern, seen in many photos of SS
cavalry; the 'frill' at the cuffs and the lower skir1 are tucked up
inside the e1astication at wrist and waist.
His Hanoverian mount wears a new type of strapped forage
sack round its neck; and only the M1940 saddle bags are
worn here.
C2: SS-BrigadeHihrer & Generalmajor der
WaffenSS Hermann Fagelein, SS Kavallerle
Division; Russia, summar 1943
Fegelein, a keen horseman, was appointed commander of
the SS main riding school and competed in many equestrian
events. He commanded the 1.SS-Totenkopf Reiterstandarte
in Poland during 1940, and the SS Kavallene Brigade from
August 1941. He remained jn command, apart from short
absences, until November 1943. He then relinquished
command 01 8.SS Kavallerie Division to join Hitler's staff as
Himmler's liaison otlicef". He mamed Eva Braun's sister Gmd
in June 1944: but this family connection did not save him
from a filing squad in Berlin on 29 April 1945, alter Hitler
discovered HinYnler's anempted COI1taets with the "IlleS.
General Fegelein wears the IightwetghI white linen summer
tunic popular with some commanoers. This bears no collar
patches. but simply the shoulder straps of his rank on
Waffen-SS general officers' light grey lM'IOeriay. The 0I11y
olher distinction worn is his Knights Cross with Qakleaves 43
(2 March & 21 December 1942). Fegelein wears an offICer's
seMce dress cap - DienstmOtze - with the cords removed, in
the manner of the 'old style offICer's field cap', retaining the
cavalry yellow piping and with a machine-woven Army
national eagle badge on the crown.
D: K...V LLERIE KORPS 'H"'RTENECK',
RUSSi SUMMER 1944
01: Oberwachtmeister, 41.ReUer Regiment,
4.Kavallerie Brigade
This sergeantmater carries typical items for a jIsIior Ieader-
lhe map case; Ihe flasillight, usually fixed to the tunic by a
buttoning lab; and the Ml928 sigl'lal flate pistol. His personal
weapon is lhe innovative MP43/StG44 assault rifle in
7.92mm kurz, issued to at leasl two of the reconstituted
cavalry regiments; lhe 41 sl, exKav Regt Sud, and the 5th,
eJIt<av Regt Nord. A pholO shows men of the 41 sl carrying it
slung muzzledown; and also wearing this Ml943
Etnheftsfeldm(itze lietd cap. His Ml943 economy model tunic
has unpIeated pockets, and flekl gay shouldef straps with
subdued grey Tresse; note that Iate-manufacture breeches
had doth doubling rather than leather remfcxcement. A
typicaJ set of awards ftt this I"8M and period would include
at least the General Assault Badge. a INound Badge. and the
ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class. At some stage in 1944
this regiment adopted the Brunswick death's--head tradition
badge formerly worn by Kav Regt Sud.
02: Pack horse with 1933 pack saddle
In mounted units the heavy weapons, ammunition, radios,
etc. were typICally carried on pack norses, which were much
more mobile across country than the fx>rse.drawn commls,
sariat waggons. Pack horses were assigned down to section
level, two of the three sections of a mounted troop each
haVing ooe ammUOIlion horse and handler. This dlestnut is a
Haflinger, about 14 hands high; they made excellent pack
animals, but in Russia by 1944 the Wetlrmacht took what it
could get. There were two models of pack saddle; that
illustrated is the M1933 general issue type.
03; Reiter, working dress
Interestingly. many photos show men of the reconstituted
cavalry units still wearir'IQ the sidecap rather than the Ml943
visored field cap. right up to the end of the war; in this case
it is the M1942 Fe/dmuue, with a divided, two--button turnup
curtain. Because of this feature the insignia were made as a
one-piece badge on a green backing, and no yellow
soutache could be fitted. His shirt is the standard field grey
'aertex' type With atlached collar. ha"buttoning Iront,
pleated pockets. but no insignia or provision for shoulder
",,,,,,.
E: COSS"'CKS ... ND KALMYKS.
SOUTHERN RUSSIA, 1Q42
E1; Zugfiitlrer, Kosaken Rener Regiment
'Platov'; Army Group Centre, autumn 1942
This platoon commander 01 one of the first sizeable Cossack
units raised lor German S6f\IIC8 wears a German M1936
enlisted man's tunic without natlOtl8l insignia. His rank is
indicated by the system authorised ftt this regment as early
as June 1942 (rt pre-dated the variously coloured armshiekis
lor the 'hosts'). This most J.nor commSSlOOed rank wore red
collar patches edged an round WIth silver Tresse. and the
white officer's shoulder straps had a SI09Ie transverse bar of
Tresse. (Enlisted ranks wore plain red patches and shoulder
straps, with various Tresse edgings and bars for NCOs.) The
white 51 Andrew's Cross on a green oval worn on hiS black
lambswoot papasha cap is also a very early badge; the crown
of the cap would be In red WIth a SIlver cross for a Don
Cossack - the 5cmbroad scarlet slopes on his dar1l blue
RUSSian breeches idenlJly a member of the Don VOIsko or
'host'. His riding boots are of a hl9h pre--war Russian type; as
an offICer he wears spurs - other Cossack ranks did flOt.
since their horsemanship skills allowed them to control their
mounts by grip and shifting their weight, and with the plaited
nagaika quirt. Behind his shoulders, by a cord round the
neck, he wears the Russian cold weather hood or bashJyk,
here a former Red Army example in khaki with red tape
The M192i5 saddle and M1934
front saddle pach. This uni-
versally Issued seddla wea a
modified dressalile/cross-country
design havlnlil a wooden tree
strengthened with met.1 .t stress
point.; met.1 buckles on front
and rear allowed the attachment
of various equipment Items. The
saddle 58at Is deep, providing
s.ecurlty under all condition. _ It
wu even more s.ecure when
uddlebags and equipment were
closely lod9ed I198ln.t thol rider'a
body, as was the <'... In th4l
field. The M1g25 waslasued In
live different .lJ:es, ellowlng It.
use on all au.es of hot-. The
girth Is the later s.econd type,
with thick webbing encta. (P.U11
44 L.Johnaon Collection)
LEFT The Iu_
StirTVp. 11M s&ott.d
iron dirt
.nd .....nedthe
_Ight. (Paul
LJohnson CohetionI
,
"'1..
" ."

ABOVE 11M M1940 rear saddlebags weN '""" in
asymmetric: psirs .ttached by an additional IutMr pteo;.,
with , ....bll ..tc:h ....ngement. They neef' entirely
repIs(:.cl the .,rlier fTont ssddle psc.ks on sc:tie
Hf'tk:e, sncI photogrsphs quit. often -"Ow the UN of both
styl.. on one horse. (paul LJohnson
edging. His M1932 Red Almy moonted officer's 'Sam
Browne' style belt is worn with both braces, the left hand
brace wlth a whistle pocket. Typically of all Cossack ranks, a
cross belt supports the traditional shashkB sabre - here a
finely decorated example - with the culling edge to the rear.
His horse is a Karabakh, standing only about 14.2 hands.
The Cossacks used a motley mixture of their own tack and
German and Red Army equipment, as preferred and
available. Their own bridles had only a single snaffle. and
their saddles were high, wifh a cushion over the wooden
frame which placed the rider high over the ceotm of gravity
of the hoI'se. Gelman saddle bags - like this Ml940 set
were often issued.
E2: ReUer, KalmOkenschwadron 66,
16.(motllnfanterie Division; Kalmyk Steppe,
November 1942
It was hardly surprising that GeneralJeutnant Hetnricl should
seek to raise local auxiliaries to patrol his division's lines of
supply and communication. From mid-5eptembef 1942 the
16th jMotorised) had 10 cover a of 350 square miles
between 1st and 4th panzElf Armies on the plains south of
StaJlngrao. This irregular cavUyman weS the traditional
wolf fur cap 01 his people. a ragged sheepskin poIoshubok
coat. Red Atmy breeches and boots, and fur insulation strips
ABOVE 11M,. were two 5Iightly differing type_ 01 Issue
girths, both of the 'string' type c:omposed of ........i c:anls
of doth tern.l, sncI this; first type with Ie,thet-
reinlore bI_ 80th .....ed c:anling of , darlt bin to c:ream
Thi. lI..t pattern eumple has eight c:anI, of bin
dottI hoeJd in place by three brown Ie,u-.,
MWn .t key poinbl, with foUf" metal buclt* on brown
IutMr backl"9' at the end (Autttor't collection)
lnSIde the latter. He has been issued with a captured Red
Ivmy PP$h41 sub-machine gun, waist belt and magazine
pouch; and also carries a Red Army M1927 sabre. slung on
a cross bell with the cutting edge to the rear in the Russian
style. As essentially a 'free corps' rather than members of the
Wetwmacht the Kalmyks wore even more motley OtItfits than
the Cossacks, and did not receive German insignia Two
rypes of national annshield have been illustrated, but fhere
seems to be no evidence of their being worn in the field.
F: IT... LI ...N 8TH ... RMY. RUSSi ....... UGUST
1842
F1: Tenenta, 3a Reggimento 'Savoia Cavalleria',
3a Divlxlone Calere 'Principe Amadeo Duca
d'Aosta'
On 24 August 1942 Col.BeIlOf'll's regIment - a unit of Ivmy
Group B - was sent fOfWard with the Nov8la L.anceB to
counter-attack a Soviet bridgehead CNf!J( the Don River. They
engaged a force of some 2,000 infantry WIth n..-nerous
support weapons. holding a village variously reported and
spelled as 'Ischbuchenskiy' or 'TchebarevsklY. The 2nd Sqn
weRt led by Capt.De leone in a courageous mounted charge
with sabres and hand grenades, taking the enemy in the left
flank while the rest 01 the regiment put in a dismounted
allack. The charge was successful, if costly, and De leone
was among the fallen; the squadron was then led in a second
charge back along the enemy line by Maj.Mansuardl. This
may have been the last mounted sabre charge by any formed
Western cavalry unit in history.
The M1933 helmet, painted grey-green, bears the black
painted cross peculiar to this dragoon regiment; another unit
distinctIon was the scenet tie. The tunic collar bears the
regiment's black triple 'flames', and the fIVe-point silver
national star; after this action the 'flames' weRt piped with
scarfet in convnemoration of the charge. On each cuff are the
lirst lieutenant's rank insignia, a 'cui' and two bars of gold
wire on gmy-green backing. All officers' breeches had these
black stripes and piping. He wears privately purchased white
string and brown leathef riding gloves. The 'Sam Browne'
belt supportS a holstered Beretta Ml934 pistol, and map
case and binoculars are slung on his lat SIde. He is armed
with two captured Russi8l"l weapons which Will'll popular in
this IKut: a slung PP$h41 sub-machine gun with its big
lQ-round drum magazine; and on his saddle. a Cossack
shashka. lilled with the black Italian fist strap. 45
CoI_ Carto Pll9llano, commander of the tullan 'Novara
Lancer$' reeiment In Rusala, 1M1; cf Plate F. He wears the
MUI33 helmet, a coa......lIsted m..... quality M1MO tunic,
and the regiment" triple white 'flam..' collar Inalinla, and
on his lett brent the e-slle be<lge of War Acedemy
iraduat... (Friedrieh Herrmann Memorial Collection)
His horse is a German Hanovel'ian; Italian officers' mounts,
unlike those of their men, did not have the manes shaved and
tails docked. All ranks might use a black fur saddle cover, that
of officers being of shorter and neater appearance.
F2: Caporale, 5a Regglmento 'Lancieri di
Novara', 3a Divlzione Celere 'Principe Amadeo
Duca d'Aosta'
The division's two mounted regiments were grouped together
in the Raggruppamento a Cavallo for these actions, during
which the Novara lancers successfully penetrated some
kiiometres into the Soviet positions on 23 August. By far the
majority of fighting was done on foot, and this trooper is
advancing to the attack having passed his mount to a horse-
holder. His Ml933 helmet has the badge of the lancer units
stencilled in black silhouette. The Ml940 tunic, and breeches
with doubled reinforcemenl to the legs and seal, are of a
darker, C08fSeI" grey-green material than the officer's uniform.
The regimental collat 'names' are white. His rank is indicated
by one wide above one narrow red chevrons on grey-greeo
backing on both upper sleeves. Tucked into the integral cloth
belt of hIS tunic is hiS field cap. the bustina, which has a black
embrotderecll.ancef badge on lhe front flap. Instead of riding
46 boots, enlisted ranks wore laced ankle boots with spurs, iVld
these long slrapped gaiters. His sllff grey-green leathef
two-pouch bandoIief was standard issue to cavalry and
artillery units: his weapon is the careano M189l138 carbine
with folding bayonet. and he also holds a red-painted hand
grenade. The issue sabre was lhe M1871.
Enlisted ranks' tack differed from the German models.
Oddly, troopers were nol issued with saddle bags, strapping
all \heir gear 10 the front and rear of Ihe saddle. The harness
fealured a brown leather neck slrap with metal attachments;
this aUowed lhe middle trooper in a column of threes 10
secure hiS two flankers' horses to his own when they
dismounted to fight on foot, and 10 lake them to the rear.
their stirrup irons also had a unique extra down-fokling 'foot'
to facilitate rTlOlSlllng by a heavily laden sokIler.
G: ROMANIAN AND HUNGARIAN CAVALRY,
RUSSIA, OCTOBER 1841
G1: Fruntas, Romanian 3rd Calarasi Regiment,
8th Cavalry Brigade; Nogai Steppe
In late 5eptemberfearfy October the cavalry Corps of the
Romanian 3rd Army saw tIard but successful fighting on the
Nogal Steppe north of the ennea, while eoving the rear of
Von Manstein's 11th Army as it advanced into the peninsula.
ThIs senior pnvate's rank is marked by the yellow-on-khaki
braid loop on the shoulder snaps 01 the light khaki summer
verston of the Ml939 lUnic. The M 1 t ~ weight khaki wool
breeches were worn with this - lighter breeches would have
been too flimsy to stand the hard wear of riding. Conscripl
soldiers below the rank of sergeant-major did not wear the
bastion-shaped collar patches (crimson lor cavalry). The
Dutch helmel was adopted by the Romanian Army in 1939;
pre-war ellamples had the embossed crowned double-C
monogram of King carol on an oval front plate. His riding
boots have the traditiooal clip-on brass rosettes, though
these were usually removed in the field. An otive canvas
satchel for the M1932 or Ml939 gasmask is slung over his
right shoulder. and his ZB24 rifle - essentially a licence-built
7.92mm Mauser - over his left shoulder. Brown leather bell
and V-straps support his ammunition pouches, eotrenching
tool, and bayonet.
The horse is a Furioso, standing about 16 hands. The tack
is conventional; the straight thrusting' sabre is attached to
the saddle behind the left leg. and saddle bags are carried
instead of a pack. Some photos show a iarge, 'doughnut'-
shaped forage net slung behind the right leg.
G2: Szazados, Hungarian 1st Cavalry Brl9ade,
Mobile Corps; Donetz River
care had to be taken to keep Hungarian and Romanian troops
apart, since the two countries were bitterly hostile. The
Hungarian cavalry were heirs to a proud Austro-Hungarian
imperial tradition. This officer's rank of captain is displayed on
the front of his elegant lieId cap and his collar patches by three
gold laces and stars; his branch, by the flashes 01 hussar light
blue - which changed to dark blue for all 'mobile' troopS from
October 1942. A khaki uniform had been adopted in 1922;
over the field version (which lacks the SElfVice uniform's
elaborate gold lacing around the collar patches) this officer
wears a pnvate purchase double-breasted trench coat with a
deep caped hood. On his belt is a holstered 9mm Ml937
semi-automatic pistol. Hidden here by his coal, his rkling
boots would have 'hussar' tops - shaped 10 a notch at the
front, edged with gold braid, an:t WIth brass lrontaI rosettes.
.7
(perhaps) on the left side. Wifh fhe 55 version
01 the winter overjackel, here reversible
from white 10 an aufumo 'oakleaf' pallem,
he wears 55 officer's service dress and
belt. The rrtajOl"'S rank palch is worn on the
left sleeve.
H3: Oberstleutnant, 5.Kavallerie
Regiment 'Feldmarschall 'Ion
Mackensen', 4.Kavallerie Division;
Austria, May 1945
From photographs taken immediately before
the unit'S surrender to Bntish !I'OOPS. This
lieutenant-eolonel wears a conventional
service cap and tunic with an unusual
array of unll distinctions and
decorations. The Prussian
death's-head tradition badge
previously worn by
of 5.Reiter Regt and Kav
Regt Nord was inherited by
the revived 5.Kav Regt,
and is displayed on the
cap and shoulder sfraps.
In 1944 fhe regimenf
was granted the honour
fitle 'Feldmarschall von
Mackensen', and this
sllver-on-black cuff litle.
Its use is confirmed by a phalo of
a field offICeI'", who also wears the
unusual badge adopted in
1944/45 by 4.Kav DIv - a yetlow
annshiekl, with b&ack nm and
double opposed norse-head
motifs, worn on the nght sleeve.
Personal decorattons Include the
Kmght's Cross at the throat;
German Cross in Gok:I on the
right breasl: Close Combat
Clasp, Iron Cross 1st Class,
General Assault Badge and
Wound Badge on the lell breast:
and the ribbon 01 the Iron Cross
with the gold Honour Roll Clasp.
A belieed to be h'om Aunr.Ii......
Abtallung 33., waring tield-grwy unlfonn of
'P..-.:", c:ut; he tnQ belong to aeH-pf'Opelled
gun but this jKaet w_ adopted "t.
In u.. w... by other motoriMd unita.. On hi.
M1838 flekl c:ap he u.. bfonz.
ArMer' badge ortgiIWly _MHcIIn 11121_28 to
u.. ""lmental .taft, 2nd IHld 4th Sqns of
8.RelI,"" o.t,"", 8.KaYallerie) Re9lment. It was
...,-I..-d by divisional rec:onnaissanc:e units
from them, e.g. Kn<lsc:huuen Ba'-lIIon 3
(1837); and probabty AutkUirt.lngtl Abtellung 33 01
33.lnfanterle otorislon, later tran.fonned Inlo
lS,Panl.e, DivisIon,
H: GERMAN CAVALRY, 1844-45
H1: Oberleutnanl, I Batalllon,
KavaUerie Regiment Mltte; Army Group
Centre, Russia, winter 19..3-....
Taken from photographs of a motonsed element of
Ihis unit, thIS lieutenant wears the M1943
padded, hooded wintef 0Yefjacket and trousers.
reversible from while to camouftage - in rt.s case
the softer 'marsh' pattern rather than the ongna.
'splinter'. The regulation rank patches (or ..
garments without shoulder straps Wef8 worn on Ihe
left sleeve in green on b&ack. Issue wookl gkMls,
an officer's field belt with a holstered Walther
P38, and marching boots complete the
OUlrlt, Despite the late date he stin wea'S
hiS M1938 'officer's new style rl8ld cap',
piped silver at the crown seam and the
front 01 the turn-up: and stilt has the
yellow cavalry soutache over the
cockade, Above this is pinned the
bronze 'Swedte eagle' tradition
badge recalling the old 1sl
Brandenburg Dragoon Reg-
iment, and awarded in the
19205 to elements of 6.Reiter
Regiment. It was adopted in
1943 by Kav Regt Mitte (pm-
sumably via the Cavalry Unit Von
B6selager): and was finally worn
by several unItS of 3.KavalIene
BngadeIDivision In 1944/45.
H2: SS-Sturmbanntuhrer,
22,S5 Freiwilligen
Kavallerie Division 'Maria
Theresla'; Budapest,
winter 19"4'''5
CompoSIte, partly from a photo of
SS-Slubaf.Toni Ameiser. This
officer held combal commands at
every level in 55 Kav Regts 1 & 2
in 1941-44: he was awarded the
Knight's Cross for his leadership
of 'Kampfgruppe Ameiser' lormed
from survivors of 55 Kav Regt 17
in the Kovel Pocket. He commanded that regiment when it
was reformed as part of the new 22nd 'Maria Theresia' Div,
and survived the Budapest catastrophe 10 lead 55 Kav Regt
g4 of the 37th 'Uitzow' Div in the last days of the war, His
photo is important evidence for the (somelimes questioned)
eKisleoce of the cornflower collar patch of the 'Maria
Theresia' Division. We have added here an M1943
Elnheitsfeldmiitze with silver officer's crown piping; the metal
skull badge IS worn on the front, and the 55 national eagle
Entl.ted rnan" '-tlkl c:ap with yellow
tIM c:oc:.kada, and the bfonze
'Swedte eagle' rec:e1li"'lJ the old 1st Brandenburg Dragoons.
Thl. wn adopted by Kavallene Regiment Mltteln 11M3,.nd
.pparently by severel unitll of 3nt C.....lry DIvIsion In 1945-
.... Plate H1. Sint::e the cap was eollec:ted In England in the
early 1MOs, it may well have o::ome fTom of that
tonnatlon c:aptured by the British 8th Army In Austria.
,
INDEX
F,g<''''' '" bold ,d", ,,, iUm[r<'.",.'
,,, 7, 'I,.hk), M
'" "i,i....... 111-1.7(,. .... 1,8. 10, In_II, ',1
rom ,-, '" """",
in Ru 11, 1112
I" C....""I [);,i>i,m Y.4O
2".\ (",-.-1. [);,.;,;.",
.1,do..J'l' !\o;\f"I" 19
C"w"'l' I);',.. ", 19
"h C.,.I", RnJl"'l< ,g
..h (:;,, ... ,H"';"n II), 19.'7
f',,,,,,, l);,;.H:>o,

..IY",,"'lI<' 9,10. II. 11, 15
"'"1""u",,, 1r.17, t<J, I. :I'l. "u
.,"'<>""'<1,...... 10
'A""r' em!')' 7. 1.1. 18(<>'01<)
Army C"Y.I'J Co"""",,,,1 S""d.1 01"""""'" 16(..bk).
l7_lx
Mm,r.mupf"nt.... ",19,j9
Ann. G<o"p So",n 1\l
Arm i""..", m n.."J>"""" 6
.,.til"'')' i.8. 16, 18
""",i"", 2'2
1';"'<"1. ,,'-""\'> i,1-1i, 10, 10, IS
R;''',,,,'''''C''"'''8 "'" 10,18
"""II.. IS
,h.-
"""'1"''' Ht, 'Yo 21, 2'2, 'l, 1;
c'l" 82. D', 111, n, H 7. f7
t.>.''''ry wpo H.rt.,,. [I, lY, H
c.'''''y (K....JIm.-) t'<\;im",u. i.o;
R<j(U''''''' Ill, 17("-1>1<), 18, 17
C"""''l' Uni, V"n 110.01.1<'" 17(,.1>1<),18
C..-.ok> RI, 16, j,M(), 39, 10, 4'i4,\
ll,.dA.my
",uri<" "
C"",.. 4!J
".,
dc..'ShL 1..... "" 6, 7, II, H, ti, 3< "" ""'"
1""",,, p""l hUrl<>
"Iuil"'"'''' A!. Ill, 8. IS, 18, ft, 2\1,
lI"nF!"n.." ,'16
It.li., r",,", "
",.bH.hmc.". p"'....,
""Y
1>";",, 1', n
r...d.i", S5-8riK,,<kfUh"'o' H......."" C2, 20, i.l-H
10,

t',.",., ",lv"K" ,,"u 10
I,al;'" t""",,, h, :l8
.S
G<<<" :s:;
ILon.""d, C"',"' .... 21
hoi,,,,,,, AI, 12
111,1<-" (IAA'l-I"'.\) 16, 'II<
10
h",mc o:I<po<,
'11"",,' (/Wttl !!i"",'n" A. i. 5, 5(,,1>1<).
1>00<'0 AI, 111,6-;, 10, 11, lY. '12. U '" 0/,.
dc"u8hL 1."""" p.d I""",
,.. "e 2,\, 33,

C.""""l.
I,al",,, t""" Fl,'"
P"'"Y 2-'
I"""""m<,,, 11,"
N"'m.";,,, (o'w, GI. i6
,hoe'
21,31
IlU!\wori.., roo<", GZ, 19.:IIi,
lIu"1I-',), 19,21,3&-.'7
IC.>v.J')'C,,'l'" 19
i'Klo"",1 ['"><loc,,;,,,, fi
i"r,no')' h,,.... pi""''''' 6
1",1""'''''''' '" i- ,.
I<,li," t"p"d";o.-.,')'Co'l" I" "".... (CS'"l -'/j
1",lio" (0"''' f, )1-3t1, 38, 46
""-1",,1.> F.l!, 16, i<).jl, if;
Koo""..,odo>I>b Rf--5S 2\1
"W><.... II
......-h,n'...t"'n .,6
m;II ..", f>OI":< 17
"""""'1'''' <, 10
ulf....<> 8Z, 11, 4, .7, 47
11.12
''"''."....
I"C 7{",1>k)
A"fU;'no"!<,, Aht<lhmK"" ;
(,-,,'l9
on,i......,.. 'Y
Hong.. ;." I""", 5Ii
ltoJi .., f,"""
I>ol"'rl.> 41
,<Ogiu",,,toJ SIcd>k), 181",1>1<)
R,,,,,,n;',, (",..,,,, '4--.1\
W"'I"'h'i5c
m
l')' '""'
t-'l. 10.-0....., liZ, .'1, H, "'" ..... ho<>c,
""",,,"tt. 0\>(>""0""'"-''' "'" 3Y, ""
PoIi>II C"'"""'8"' 7.8-9
PriI"'LM."h"",t1'" 1112.20

''''''-Julin",,,''
..,...,,,,, 11.11,
"".<1..1,,,,, ,....,
""...h,,,,,h, 6
.,HI 1),;,i"K&1.",], 6
9
"W g. 9, 10-11. 12, I., 1.\, 1'1, ZI
Rom"",,, '16
Rom""",, G I, '1+3.\ n . ...,
R""", 111, 11, 11-1$. I:\- I 5. H. 1&-17, 19 'IMl.

11,,,*,,;,,,, h,t",,", ",
Iw." f....' .. ;" F,:l!I. 1!'-16, 46
R",n.,,"'" loom '"
"""-11<"";;> iJ
""ltl"" i1
SOoity, AU;,-u im""',,, ,,( :l8
... 4
'1m.J'",,1 "'1'''''''''''''0; II
".1.." ., Z1,"
"i",,1"
""''''' '"
.uPl"'" ...,,"".. ""
.",,.tH:l<,'"
e.:-.::b ""
....,..., ., 12, 1t>-17

eo....c... :l!HlJ
"""'" 2i,"
'T,,,,,,,,' c.'''''j' 5,7
"";I"",,,,,
eo..:.c. EI,H-i5
I;,-Id d,.... II,
1-"_'" AI,', i, 4l, 12
n
Wolf.",,;,; Cl, '.1
",.Jkl"lt'"" ,I",.. .u,1t
d",,, DJ,'"
\,,,,>011<>, 1'<o..,.of. J
""<1'i""b,,,, n,
"."'",55 2'2
"th "" 1>I,i""" '>10,;.,,, t;'-"d 2',"' t t.t>l<l
n,,,,;.,,, ,.,,,ri.1 I.,,,,,.
';,h SS Vol,""...., (:;"'.cl,y Oi,;';""\ Lio"" .... 1',
Co_k> 10
SSc.,""y 8""",k CI, ZO,
SSIl<.. Reg>"""" 20
"'..wwo! i, 11,
_"1"."
"I,urim,,-, ,
,--"-,,
8"'" II, 19
'001'-''' i
tolk> AI, Ii, 18, it,-H
..1><"" AI, 81, 39, 12, n
",,,",,,,,,'hi"'go,", CI,
W<hnn h1. ti", II
COMPANION SERIES FROM OSPREY
48
ESSENTIAL HISTORIES
Con.i"" "udin uf Ih" moti,n, melhod, and "'I"""u"ion; of hun..n
conAie" sp...ning hi,,,,,), from ...e",nl times 10 th. prosenl E.oh
""I"mo ""d", one "'-')0'- ""r or ."''''' of ,,'.r, pro;iding ... indi'p"nSlIble
guide 10 ,he fighting i,.df. ,he poople in.-nkod.nd its l.sting imp.e" on
lh. ,,'nrId .",und i,.
CAMPAIGN
of hi'1<>ry'. greatest mnthels. d<l1iling the comm.nd ""'ogies.
tae1ies. ""Wemen" ...d .<ti"n. of th. f",OC'! tho <[[lei.1
'lOll"" of ..,...n campaign, Full-,,,Iouf b'ltl. r,co<nes. J-dim.",ioruoJ 'binl',,",,)'.
,'i..,,,,', phol"ll"phs 'nd b<llllt m_I" guid.., th,' ",.1 IhroLLgh oKh
"ngagcttJ<nl from its otipn, 10 i" rondu;iofl,
ORDER OF BATTLE
The l(reO'<s1 1111 in fenufing unil-by-unil eumin.1ions of Inc
'wop> .nd ,heir mO,'emon" " "ell ...".I1',i< of lit<- oommond...' OTiginal
,>hje<,iv<o .nd ","u.1 ",hinemen", "ulou' nul" includi"g la<) fold-onl
h..e m.p, ",goni,..i"".1 di>g...m, .nd ph<""llnoph, hdp ,he "".d '" ' ......e
'he ,,"' .... nf ,ho figh,ing in unpn:crdentod dotail.
ELITE
Thi, ..,-.-"", fom<e. 00 "nifo""". eq"ipmen'. imigni....d uni, hi,,,,rin in
'he ..me ""y Men""_I\"'" bu' in mOTe <Xtend<J 'n:"monts of l..-ger
,ubjects. 01"" i"d"ding pc""",.li,i"" ...d ,,,,,hniqo,", nf ,,'..-f....
NEWVANGUARD
1'h< d<"Sign, de.-<Iopnlenl, ol'"""ion .,.d of Ih< nuchin"'I"J' of ".rf.rr
Ihrough lit<- .gn. PholOgnphs, foll--o:Jlour ."d CUlOW')' d",w,nl/S
,upporl del.iled enmin"i"", of th. mosl ,ignific.n, moch."ioIl inno",liol\,
in the hi"o,}' of h"m... mnlli"l,
WARRIOR
j",ight> into the doil)' li,'n of hi"o.-)", figh,ing men ...d "omen, 1''''
.00 pn:sen'. deloiling thei.- t...ining, ,.<tie" ""'pon,)' .n,1
<X1"',i eco. ,\\<ti<uloiJdj' ",,,,,,,,hoJ "",,.,i,'e .nd fullwlour .""ork,
photog ph.nd .occnes of 1,,1e .nd d:lily lif. 1'''-'' id. de,.iled .eco"n"
of lit<- e"""icn= of romb",n" 'hrough ,he .ges,
AIRCRAFT OFTHE ACES
1'(II"",i" of lhe eli,< pilOl' of ,It<- 20th cenlmy'. m.j(ll" .i, C>n1p.igns.
un;qu,' inle"ie", "ilh ,u",;,'ing a<cs, Unit li"i"iI'.,:.Ie phn,
.nd fulJ_roIour .nwOTk ",mbine ilh Ihe be" .",hi,.1 ph01ognophj' ....il.hl<
to pro, ide. d<l>,kJ in",sht "'''' ,It<- "'p",ien,,, of .- '" tho ..r.
COMBAT AIRCRAFT
Th< ,,'orld', grUlc<1 ",ililar)' oircrafl .nd comNI unilS ."d their c"',...
eumincd in Mlail. E.ch .xplorAli"" of th" leading I<ch"oIOj(), me" .nd
machinn of .,'i'lion hi"o,)' is ,uppo<led b)' unit listin!", .nd ",he.- d...,
.nwo.-k, ",-".Ie pion" ",d .",hi,'''] ph"'''ll'''phy.
The uniforms, equipment, history and organisation
of the world's military forces, past and present.
Axis Cavalry
in World War II
Unrivalled detail Photographs
It is often forgotten that the
German Wehrmacht of 1939-45
relied heavily upon horses. Not
only was the majority of Anny
transport and much of the
artillery dependent on draught
horse teams; the Germans also
kept a horse-mounted cavalry
division in the field until the
cnd of 1941. After withdrawing
it, they discovered a need to
revive and greatJy expand their
cavalry units in 1943-45. The
Army and WaffenSS cavalry
proved their worth on the
Russian Front, supported
by other Axis cavalry contingents
- Romanian, Hungarian, Italian,
and locally recruited. In this
IJ<x)k an experienced horseman
describes that last generation of
horse-soldiers In a text supported
by tables, photographs, and
meticulous colour plates.
OSPREY
PUBLISHING
www.ospreypublishiug.com
ISBN 1-84176-3Z3-3
J J t t L U ~
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