During the opening weeks of the war on the western front, when cavalry forces did encounter each other, they often dismounted and exchanged gunfire from a significant distance before withdrawing to report their findings. On both sides, cavalry soldiers would jest that while they were keen for close combat, the enemy always seemed to keep their distance.
Christian Mallet of the French 22nd Dragoons wrote: “Everywhere the enemy’s cavalry gave ground, vanished in smoke, became a myth for our regiment.” On august 22nd Uhlans from Ulanen-Regiment nr.20 reported: “Patrols were deployed three times to attack enemy Dragoons and Chasseurs à cheval, who according to French tactics did not accept mounted combat.”
Nevertheless, there were rare occasions when opposing cavalry units found themselves in such close proximity that officers would forgo restraint and encourage their men to engage at close quarters. One such instance occurred at Zorées on August 26th, 1914, when German cavalry from the 5th Cavalry Division unexpectedly encountered their French counterparts along a roadway.
“A deeply incised road meandered amidst dense hedgerows. The Leib-Cuirassier regiment, led by Major von Giese, with the 5th Squadron at the forefront, served as the vanguard of the Division. ‘A devil of a country’, murmured the leader of the squadron, hunched over his map. Suddenly, an eruption of loud cries and a flurry of galloping horses from around the corner. Through the cloud of dust, red and blue uniforms and gleaming sabres became visible. A squadron of the 10th French Hussars, with the captain leading well ahead of his men, charged on at full tilt. ‘Charge!’ bellowed Captain von Ploetz, and the two squadrons collided with a resounding crash.
It was an uneven confrontation, with the big Cuirassiers mounted on their large horses facing off against the nimble southern Frenchmen on their agile Arab mounts. The clash resulted in Captain von Ploetz’s robust Irish charger overpowering the smaller, sleek thoroughbred ridden by the French captain. Even in his fall, the Frenchman managed to deliver a sabre strike to his opponent’s face. Subsequently, a close-quarters melee ensued in the narrow roadway, pitting the long German lances against the sharp sabres of the French soldiers.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the fields and hedges flanking the road teemed with the red and blue uniforms of the French Hussars. Carbines blazed as the French opened fire at the Germans. The main body of the regiment dismounted to engage in ground combat. Struck in the mouth by a bullet, Lieutenant von Raczeck was forced from his saddle. However, the dismounted troops of the 1st and 4th Squadrons swiftly spread out on both sides of the road. Meanwhile, the 5th Squadron, unable to wield their sabres due to the narrowness of the road, drew their carbines instead. Additional artillery, machine guns, and fresh squadrons steadily arrived to bolster the line, swiftly tipping the balance of the struggle.
The remnants of the enemy cavalry, those not strewn across the battlefield either dead or wounded, sought refuge in flight, taking advantage of the rugged terrain surrounding them. More than 60 fallen and injured French soldiers littered the battleground. Among the spoils claimed by the Cuirassiers were twenty prisoners, thirty horses, and the guidon of one of the squadrons. On their part, the Cuirassiers suffered eight fatalities and seventeen wounded.”
Sources:
- M. von Poseck: “The German Cavalry 1914 in Belgium and France”.
- Christian Mallet: “Impressions and Experiences of A French Trooper, 1914-1915”.
- Hiller von Gaertringen, Freiherr: Ulanen-Regiment König Wilhelm I. Im Weltkrieg.
- Illustration: A German Uhlan and French Cuirassier in melee. Artist: B.A. Strasser. From my private collection.