Page 42 - Last Chargers example

we can ght them; but these lancers, donner wetter! We were four to one of them but in a ash, paff, they were on us and through us and there were not more than fty! Every one of them speared a man – I got this in the shoulder and some of our horses went over. Before we could re-form or get ready they came dashing back, yelling like furies, and they were through us again. Ach! It was awful, horrible and then, by Gott, they turn about136’.
After the rally Private Jacob rode back across the eld and picked up Lieutenant D Richardson’s cap which he had lost during the charge137.
Lieutenant Leche estimated that sixty eight Germans were killed outright in the charge and thirteen wounded of whom eleven died in the ambulance, and one of cer and three men captured, all wounded except two138. About twenty slipped away into a hollow road and were caught by the Greys. Private Lawrence stated that the enemy casualties were heavy, fty eight bodies having lance wounds and many were dead from bullets and shells. Dr Vogel, who was the Chaplain to the German Guards Cavalry Division, reported ‘some men with six to seven lance wounds and several bullet wounds were taken prisoner by the enemy139.’
There is a discrepancy in these accounts with the German record from the 1st Garde Dragoner which show 2nd Squadron hav- ing twenty one casualties and only a ‘small handful’ of men returning. The 4th Squadron is stated to have twenty three casualties140. The Regimental history for the 2nd Garde Dragoner indicates they withdrew without casualties and ‘retired calmly without the loss of any lives’ except Lieutenant Heinrich Graf von Finckenstein141. This would indicate that in the mounted action of the 12th Lancers there were
136 Penny War p110 137 Jacob
138 Letch p13
139 Edmonds p261 140 Gayling p28 141 Gessler p24
was a total (from both German Squadrons) of forty four casualties: eleven killed, died of wounds or missing, six captured and twenty six wounded but returned to the Regiment, one injured. There is no reason to doubt the accuracy of these gures.
After the Charge
The whole action perfectly exempli ed the successful combination of repower and shock action, and of the value of the pre-war training both with ri e and lance. The steadiness of a squadron that, in the heat of action, could quickly rally not once but twice and then carry out a fresh mission can hardly be sur- passed. Similarly the co-operation of the other two squadrons and machine guns as well as that of the Battery and the other two regiments of the Brigade, could not have been bettered. The actual charge took place in the vicinity of Cérizy, but to all ranks in the 12th Lancers, it will always be known as that of Moÿ de l’Aisne142.
At the end of the day, the three regiments formed three long columns and trotted across stubble elds behind the Brigade staff who were cantering ahead with their escort, dis- tinguished by a red pennant uttering from a lance. The shining bamboo of lances and the bright coats of the horses encircled the Battery, whose wheels noiselessly crushed the straw. A dog that had suddenly appeared from nowhere moved in rhythm with the cavalcade, delighted with his new attachment143.
A feeling of satisfaction ran through the ranks, and the horses stepped out proudly. There was every reason for this elation. The journey was mostly in the dark, and it is no exagger- ation to say that the majority slept soundly in their saddles as they rode along. During the
142 Charrington – 1 (Part 3, p18) 143 Maze p48
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