2007/01/01 by Jean Bou · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Engineering · #Military History and Strategy #World Wars: History, Literature, and Impact #Firepower #SWORD #Infantry #Battlefield #Palestine #History #Ancient history #Shock (circulatory) #Military tactics #Law #Engineering #Political science #Archaeology #Mechanical engineering
paper · doi:10.1353/jmh.2007.0009
openalex publication_date 2007/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
Despite their frequent description as mounted infantry, more than half of the Australian Light Horse finished the First World War as full sword-carrying cavalry, making use of both fire and modern shock tactics. This change ran counter to the traditions of the Australian mounted service, which had long emphasised rifle-based firepower for modern mounted troops. This article will examine the reasons why such a force adopted the sword in 1918, the nature of the change, and the experiences behind it. Even in the last year of the First World War, cavalry shock tactics still had a place on the battlefield.