Yesterday's Weapons Forums

Was under the impression "dragoons" were the heavy cavalry..."Cavalry" were light troops.

Dunno where I got that, though.

Here you go....




From Wiki.

But, I guess, the name has evolved.

BTW, I have seen the Australian Light Horse of WW1 referred to as "cavalry".
In fact, they were regarded as "mounted infantry". Dragoons, I suppose.
Horse was transport. Troops, usually, fought dismounted.

That said, the win against the Turks at Beersheeba in Palestine was done as a classic cavalry charge.
But that was opportunistic.
They had to take the town ASAP....they had no water and the nearest was in the town.

They used the long, SMLE knife bayonet sabre-style.
They were not equipped for conventional cavalry tactics.
Just lucky the Turks were caught flat-footed and panicked....forgot to change the ranging on heavy MGs and fired over the attackers.

AND the horses were thirsty and smelled water.