[WarInEur] German Cavalry

[Don Lazov]

This is from

GERMAN ARMY CAVALRY 1939-41
The German Army (Reichsheer) permitted by the Treaty of Versailles 
following World War I totaled 100,000 men in ten regiment represented 
16.4 per cent of total manpower; it has been suggested that the Entente 
powers assumed that cavalry posed little threat and, being expensive to 
maintain, would restrict expenditure on other military priorities. In 
about 1928 the composition of a mounted regiment was as follows:

Regimental HQ (with trumpet corps)
Signals platoon
4x saber squadrons - each 4 officers + 170 men, 200 horses
Replacement & training squadron - 4 officers + 110 men, 170 horses
Machine gun platoon - 4s MG0

Seven of the 18 mounted regiments had an additional fifth squadron (4 
officers, 150 men, 180 horses), which in time of war was to be detracted 
to the command of an infantry division to provide a reconnaissance element.

In 1933 the advent of the Nazi government brought rejection of the 
Versailles limitations and a rapid expansion and re-equipment of the new 
Wehrmacht. In 1934-35 the 4th, 7th, 11th, 12th & 16th Mounted Regts were 
transformed into the 1st & 3rd Rifle Regts, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Motorcycle 
Bns, and2nd, 3rd & 6th Pander Regiments. Other regiments were stripped 
of individual squadrons to provide the nucleus for anti-tank and armored 
reconnaissance units. (In 1936 and 1938 the 4th &^ 11th Regts returned 
to the cavalry role, the latter with Austrian personnel).

Thee is more here on Axis Cav, trying to find something on Soviet Cav 
and Polish Cav on the web.

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=ZaC2ZXKD-oUC&dq=cavalry+in+world+war+II&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=0jKFbrzDjr&sig=UnKxX8yz2XKedF1f74o8aeYhUhA&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPP1,M1