Swiss Army Cavalry

https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/12/22/09/10/202_0010.jpg


https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/12/22/09/10/558_0010.jpg

The 1915 field grey uniform with yellow distinctions. The guy on the right is from the MG component of the Cavalry

I remember there was sad lament when the last Swiss horse-mounted unit was stood down in the 1970s (!)

http://www.kavallerieschwadron.ch/

M Conrad

Yes there was. When horse cavalry was still at its peak (say about 1913) it would have seemed extraordinary that the glittering cuirassiers, hussars, dragoons, uhlans, lancers, chasseurs a' cheval, cossacks, spahis etc etc of the time would be outlived for decades by the drab and scarcely known Swiss cavalry. Of course there are still some ceremonial cavalry squadrons around, just like there are mounted police and a few border patrol units on the wilder Asian frontiers, but Switzerland's Dragonerregiment seem to have been the last horse mounted soldiers seriously expected to fight. India has its 61st Lancers who are claimed to be a combat unit but their only publicised role seems to be to parade in Bengal Lancer style full dress with magnificient horses on appropriate occasions.

This photo of Swiss soldiers in the 1930, some with yellow cavalry distinctions, is on the German-language Wikipedia at ClickHereForSwissCavalry, where it can be blown up to even see the Swiss crosses on the coat buttons.

buistR wrote:Yes there was. When horse cavalry was still at its peak (say about 1913) it would have seemed extraordinary that the glittering cuirassiers, hussars, dragoons, uhlans, lancers, chasseurs a' cheval, cossacks, spahis etc etc of the time would be outlived for decades by the drab and scarcely known Swiss cavalry. Of course there are still some ceremonial cavalry squadrons around, just like there are mounted police and a few border patrol units on the wilder Asian frontiers, but Switzerland's Dragonerregiment seem to have been the last horse mounted soldiers seriously expected to fight. India has its 61st Lancers who are claimed to be a combat unit but their only publicised role seems to be to parade in Bengal Lancer style full dress with magnificient horses on appropriate occasions.

The Portuguese had horseback mounted infantry in Angola and Mozambique right up until the Portuguese withdrawal in 1974. The Rhodesian Army also had the entirely horse mounted Grey's Scouts until the 1980 transition to Black majority rule as Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Army still retains a horse mounted reconnaissance squadron.

Mexico and Chile retained horse mounted cavalry in a mounted infantry role until quite recently.

The Chinese and Russian armies and paramilitary forces also still have several squadron sized mounted infantry units, primarily for reconnaissance and border guard duties.

The US Army Special Forces had ad hoc horseback units during the early part of the Afghan War from 2001 until about 2003. Both the Taliban and Northern Alliance had horse mounted units and I would be quite suprised if the reformed Afghan National Army does not have some form of mounted infantry as well. There were several (successful!) charges on horseback against Taliban positions with horseback mounted Green Berets calling in airstrikes as their Northern Alliance allies charged Taliban positions.

The horse cavalry still has yet to pass on

The United States had a military police unit in West Germany after the end of WWII that was called the United States Constabulary. Supposedly it had some horse-mounted elements. It was quite large while it lasted, as large as a division, although I believe it was widespread in its deployment, but the horse-mounted units were only in certain places. It was considered an occupation and security force rather than a field unit. Since the army had only disbanded its regular cavalry units a few years earlier, there was probably plenty of horse equipment in storage. Various units already in existence were converted (reflagged, we might say today) to form the constabulary. Constabulary patrols usually included a German policeman.

One of my bosses from about 45 years ago was a career army man until he retired, and his first assignment was with the Constabulary.

From what I've read, I believe the mounted troops were around platoon size, although I don't know about how many, or where the were located.
I would assume they were used where motorized access was limited, or for crowd control.
If you have more information, maybe you could do a post on the US Constabulary.