Questions about the use of cavalry during World War II

[Phillip Hone]

1) Which nations were still using significant amounts cavalry?

2) Am I correct in assuming that all of these divisions would have used horses only for transport, and that they would have dismounted for the actual fighting?

3) To what extent would most cavalry groups be motorized?

[CmdrWilkens]

Answer to the general question EVERYBODY still used animal power in some amount. The ONLY fully mechanized force was the US Army post about 1942/3. That being said the answer to question 1 starts with the Polish Cavalry which actually did disrupt a bit of the German offensive but then ran into some larger tank formations and got chewed up. The add on for question two is that they STILL charged on horeseback straight out of the 19th century and question 3 I can't really answer offhand.

[K. A. Pital]

1) Which nations were still using significant amounts cavalry?

All except the US probably. Also, most nations underestimated the importance of cavalry in super-massive WWII operations, as well as it's use in mountainous terrain. Germany increased it's cavalry stock towards war's end.

2) Am I correct in assuming that all of these divisions would have used horses only for transport, and that they would have dismounted for the actual fighting?

Sometimes they would, sometimes they would attack on horses - the goal was to come into enemy rear, rapidly attack his communication and run away.

3) To what extent would most cavalry groups be motorized?

Usually they had AT guns or some self-propelled artillery, but not much beyond that.

[Sarevok]

Regarding the much repeated story of Polish cavalry that attacked German tanks - were they on horse back or did they dismount and fight like infantry ?

[K. A. Pital]

Regarding the much repeated story of Polish cavalry that attacked German tanks

That is false, just like the stories of Cossacks charging tanks.

The cavalry units attacked infantry and supply lines, not charged at tanks, and they were armed with rifles and AT guns, like most cavalry units were.

The story is bullshit and people who constantly bring it up as proof of "retarded" cavalry are idiots who don't understand what cavalry was doing in WWII at all.

[thejester]

1) Which nations were still using significant amounts cavalry?

Poland, Germany, the USSR, Japan and China all spring to mind. AFAIK for the Western Allies cavalry were either considered firmly

2) Am I correct in assuming that all of these divisions would have used horses only for transport, and that they would have dismounted for the actual fighting?

Generally this had been true for most cavalry arms since the ACW.

[PeZook]

Regarding the much repeated story of Polish cavalry that attacked German tanks - were they on horse back or did they dismount and fight like infantry ?

Polih cavalry only attacked German tanks from ambush, with AT rifles and guns. If they were forced to fight armored units, they did so like infantry, digging trenches and using artillery.

Look up the Battle Of Mokra (1.IX.1939) which is the battle the Germans don't like to talk about when you mention Polish cavalry

As for Polish cavalrymen CHARGING German tanks, this is pure propaganda bullshit thought up by the Germans. In fact, the Battle of Krojanty (or Skirmish of Krojanty) on which this lie is based was quite an embarassing episode for the Germans.

The skirmish went as such: The 18th Ulan regiment was ordered during the first days of combat in September 1939 to outflank a german battle group moving on the road between Chojnice and Rytel.

During the maneuver, the regiment surprised a German infantry batallion in a forest clearing near Krojanty. They performed a rather succesful charge with complete surprise, which was only broken up by machine gun and grenade launcher fire laid by nearby camouflaged armored cars.

The regiment withdrew, losing 25 men and stopping the German advance for a full day with the charge.

Later, Germans brought journalists to the site of the battle, showing them dead cavalrymen and tanks which arrived there after the battle, and claiming how desperate Polish cavalry charged at tanks. Nobody bothered to explain why the armored units were still there the day after the skirmish