The mechanization of British and Household Cavalry regiments took place
between the two World Wars and on into 1942. This book describes the
process by which many horsed cavalrymen were re-trained to operate and
fight in armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) and the experiences of some of
the men and regiments involved. Extensive use has been made of
regimental and War Office archives, and particularly from the Imperial
War Museum's sound archives - the oral testimonies of soldiers who had
experienced this huge change. A small number of veterans are, or were,
still living and were interviewed by the author for this work.
The reason given for the delay in cavalry mechanization - cited in some
military histories and much influenced by the writings of Sir Basil
Liddell Hart - was the reluctance by the cavalrymen to part with their
horses and their technophobic attitude. This book tests the accuracy of
this assertion, together with what was the availability of suitable and
sufficient armored fighting vehicles to replace the cavalry's horses. Of
special interest is the examination of the historical papers of the tank
manufacturers Vickers, held at the Cambridge University Library,
regarding tank development and production. This story of mechanizing the
cavalry has been set against the backdrop of the social, economic and
political climate of the 1920s and 1930s, and the pressure on
politicians of the wider franchise and public opinion. In researching
this aspect, the Britain by Mass Observation archives - held at the
University of Sussex - have been most illuminating. The interwar impact
on cavalry mechanization; the role of the British Army in general;
disarmament; and rearmament are described - again with illustrations
from oral testimonies.
