6 Sept 1914-High water mark of German invasion of France.
"One of our men was killed, and Private Potter who was with him was wounded.
The enemy treated him well and left him in our hands later in the day !"
7 Sept - Battle of Moncel (Now known as Le Montcel)
"2 Cavalry to guard the right flank of the division and to move forward."
*Comment in The Old Contemptibles
The pre-war believers in shock action, especially those who had welcomed
the reintroduction of the lance in 1909 might have claimed their case vindicated,
albeit briefly and on a much smaller scale than they had anticipated, by the
action al Moncel on 7 September during the Battle of the Marne. The 9th Lancers,
leading 2 Cavalry Brigade, had cleared the village of German cavalry patrols.
Lt. Col. Campbell, accompanied by part of B Squadron, had halted on the outskirts
when a German squadron of the 1st Guard
Dragoons, also armed with lances, charged his party at a canter in a single
line. Campbell immediately led his 30 odd lancers into a gallop at the left
half of the enemy line, and crashed into them. A melee followed, lance against
lance, then the 9th broke through and wheeled back to Moncel to join another
troop, having lost three killed and eight wounded, including Campbell himself,
slightly, and his adjutant. The German squadron bore away but shortly afterwards
charged a dismounted squadron of the 18th Hussars whose rapid rifle fire cost
the dragoons two-thirds of their strength.
Earlier, on 24 August at Elouges, the 9th had used their rifles to good effect
against German infantry, but later the same day an order to charge the flank
of another infantry column with supporting artillery, undertaken against Campbell's
tactical judgment, proved the fallacy of shock action. Galloping forward in
columns of squadrons, the 9th only succeeded in spearing some scouts before
being checked with heavy loss by the fire of six batteries.
By mid-October, when the Cavalry Corps was holding ground near Messines, rifles
had entirely supplanted lances, as Capt. Grenfell, who had won the VC at Elouges,
wrote: 'We have had five of the hardest days of the war in trenches repelling
German attacks. I am afraid all the cavalry traditions are for ever ended, and
we have become mounted infantry pure and simple, with very little mounted about
it'.
Mounted infantry indeed they were on 28 October when they galloped forward by
squadrons in open order under shell fire to dismount and hold a road with rifle
fire, thereby providing a line behind which the remnants of a broken Indian
battalion could reform. The combination of mobility and firepower had blocked
a sudden gap through which the Germans would otherwise have poured.
Three days later they were infantry pure and simple, temporarily under command
of 1 Cavalry Brigade and holding an exposed salient position in front of Messines
with only some 150 rifles against 12 German battalions attacking on both flanks,
supported by a heavy bombardment. Against such overwhelming odds the 9ths three
squadrons were forced back unti1 their original line formed three sides of a
square. At one point, being attacked from both sides, Grenfell ordered the even
numbers of his squadron to face one way, the odd numbers the other. Having evacuated
one trench as no longer tenable, he heard firing still coming from one end of
it. He ran back and found Cpl. Seaton and one man with a machine-gun still engaging
the Germans, only 30 yards away. Despite the enemy's proximity they managed
to rejoin the squadron, Grenfell covering the machine-gunners with his revolver.
By the time the regiment had driven back to Messines three-quarters of the officers
and a third of the men were casualties. The German pressure was unrelenting,
and the 9th must have been overrun had they not been ordered to retire through
the 11th Hussars, who had just formed a support line behind them .
21 Sept - First whole non-fighting day since Mons.
18 Hussars thereafter fought northeast including the battle of The Marne and
The Aisne, and eventually in mid October probing at Armentiers, Ploegsteert,
Messines and Wytschaete.
11 Nov - Left horses at Hooge (near Ypres) on Zonnebeke Road and fought in trenches
at Zillebeke
18 Nov - Marched to Berthen and billeted in allocated farms till 23 Feb 1915.
On Christmas day there was no fighting.
1915
23 Feb - At Zillebecke digging and building trenches
23 Apr - Relieved French following the first gas attack at Elverdinghe
9 May - On foot Halte (near Ypres) on Menin Road
10 May - At Hill 60
13 May - Battle at Wielotje 21 dead, 109 wounded and 24 unaccounted.
23/24 May - In early hours gassed at Hooge. Down to 100 men; reinforced to 280.
Now on dismounted duties 'digging parties' and 'pioneer companies'.
15 July - At Rubrouck in allocated farms for the summer. Generally a very quiet
time.
23 Sept - At St Omer
3 Oct - At Ligny Les Aire and Wavrans-sur-l'Aa
1916
Operating in Vermelle, Noyelles, La Bourse, Querrieu digging and pioneering
6 Sept - Carnoy Valley in reserve. Very severe wet and frosty winter with snow
and fog.
Assisted 1st Army and Canadians in Vimy Ridge attack while at Athies and Fressin.
Thereafter rehabilitating horses after Vimy Ridge excursions.
1917
10 April -Vimy Ridge attack
17 Nov -At Cambrai - Bourlon Woods
1918
Jan - At Le Verquier & Doingt
21 Mar - German offensive began - retreated to Presle to dig in.
24 Mar - At Cappy
27 Mar- At Mericourt - Germans attacked across Somme valley. Repulsed attacks
in area until 9 April near Amiens.
30 April - 31 officers, 512 troops and 557 horses for training.
Aug - preparation for counter offensive
20 Aug - Fillievres
7 Oct - Hesbecourt and Nauroy
9 Oct - Maretz
10 Oct - Premy
11/12 Oct - Maretz
13 Oct - Tertry
6 Nov - Crevecoeur
7 Nov- Ferin
8 Nov - Mons en Pevele
10 Nov - Fontenoy (25 miles southwest of Liege)
11 Nov -At Bascelles - news of Armistice - "Unsaddled for night"
1 Dec - Entered Germany; 37 officers and 591 men at Konzen
1919
29 Mar 1919-Antwerp to Southampton 13 officers, 298 men and 169 horses
18 Nov - On SS Kildonan from Devonport to India
