THE BRITISH CAVALRY by Warner, Philip

London 1984, Dent, UK First edition, hard bound in dust jacket, 7x10, Fine/Fine condition, ( dj price clipped) 236 pages, Illustrated with 20 colour paintings, 83 black and white prints and 6 maps., bibliog, index. ----------------------------------------------------- For three hundred years British cavalry regiments have been the admiration of the world, formidable in action, impressive in appearance and colourful in character. Philip Warner's new book is a unique, superbly illustrated history of these regiments in the field. He tells the fascinating story of the origin and development of the cavalry, of the officers and men of the regiments, and of the battles and engagements in which the cavalry has played a key part.-----------------------------------------------------From the spirited actions of the English Civil War, through the Napoleonic Wars and the years in India, up to the twentieth century when cavalry regiments successfully adapted to their new mount, the tank, the British cavalry has been characterised by its chivalry, dash and nonchalance. And in these pages are splendid accounts of successful cavalry actions as well as inglorious disasters; of courageous exploits as well as reckless enterprises; of tactical geniuses, such as the Duke of Marlborough in the eighteenth century and General Allenby in the twentieth, as well as of generals of less repute.--------------------------------------------------------Always in the forefront of battle - the eyes of the army as it probes ahead, harrying and pursuing the enemy - the cavalry has occupied a very special place in British military annals. In this fine study, full of vivid eye-witness accounts and written with a verve and understanding of a form of warfare which was often more ingenious and complex than outward appearances suggested, the British cavalry comes vigorously to life, reminding us of the courage, skills, customs, and astonishing endurance of our forebears.