Home > Army Organisation > The Cavalry Regiments
 
Known to the other branches of the army as the 'Donkey wallopers', the cavalry is the subject of one of the Great War myths - that they were the first love of High Command but did nothing to help the poor Tommies. The reality is that on the Western Front they rarely had a chance to act as a mobile force, but often fought dismounted. When they were sent into action on horeseback, they suffered appalling losses. Without them, the First Battle of Ypres - and the war - would probably have been lost. In Egypt and Palestine, they were the mainstay and battle-winner. In all of the following sections, the Regiments are listed according to traditional Army Precedence.
Household Cavalry
These were elite Regiments that had a traditional role of being the mounted guards of the Monarch.
Life Guards
Royal Horse Guards
Composite Regiment
Household Battalion
Line Cavalry
The mainstay of the mounted units, the Regiments of the Cavalry of the Line fought most of their war on foot.
Dragoon Guards
Dragoons
Hussars
Lancers
Special Reserve Cavalry
The Regiments of the Special Reserve were irregular units that were among the first to join the regular army in France.
North Irish Horse
South Irish Horse
King Edward's Horse
Reserve Cavalry
Yeomanry
The Yeomanry was the horsed Territorial Force.
Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadrons
Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadrons were formed from February 1916. Details appear in the Divisional and Brigade orders of battle. Each squadron consisted of 8 officers and 203 men, with 299 horses, operating 12 Vickers machine guns.
Royal Horse Artillery
The Royal Horse Artillery was responsible for light, mobile guns that provided firepower in support of the cavalry.
Cavalry and Mounted formations - orders of battle