Indian Cavalry await the order to advance, Western Front

Photograph: Indian Cavalry await the order to advance, Western Front, 1916 (c).In August 1914 an Indian Corps, including cavalry units, arrived in France. While the infantry were withdrawn to Mesopotamia in December 1915, most of the cavalry remained on the Western Front until 1918. It was hoped that once the enemy's front-line had been broken the cavalry would exploit the breach using their superior speed to reach the enemy's rear positions and destroy supply and communications lines. The static nature of much of the fighting on the Western Front meant that this did not occur and many cavalry soldiers ended up serving as infantrymen.Collection of 98 official war photographs illustrating the British advance in the Western Front Campaign, World War One (1914-1918).From the collection of the former Buffs Regimental Museum

Await Breach Buffs Destroy Ended Exploit Hoped Illustrating Infantrymen Lancer Meant Occur Positions Reach Regimental Remained Static Superior

Features In These Collections

> Contributors > NAM