Lances at San Pascual

kronckew · 19th February 2017, 08:45 AM

you are welcome. i've updated my last post to fix an oops & add some pics. the context that our weapons were used in makes their design even more interesting. the polish lances i mentioned were counterbalanced at the rear end, and had hollow shafts to permit the long length. they broke on initial impact and were dropped, and the hussar reverted to his sabre. the poles retained lances far longer than other europeans tho they switched to a shorter all metal lance more in line with other nations. they were, like the canadian mounties retained for parade use even now. they did NOT attack german panzers with them in ww2, that was german propaganda. a polish cavalry unit DID charge a overconfident german encampment lacking sentries, routing it with rifles, pistols and sabres, but the lances were not used. they were back at their stores. they ran into some armoured vehicles on the other side of the germans , and then retreated in good order, victorious for once. they mostly rode to battle, dismounted, set up with rifles and machine guns to engage the advancing germans before being overwhelmed by the blitzkrieg. brave but hopeless.

19th February 2017, 08:45 AM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,249	you are welcome. i've updated my last post to fix an oops & add some pics. the context that our weapons were used in makes their design even more interesting. the polish lances i mentioned were counterbalanced at the rear end, and had hollow shafts to permit the long length. they broke on initial impact and were dropped, and the hussar reverted to his sabre. the poles retained lances far longer than other europeans tho they switched to a shorter all metal lance more in line with other nations. they were, like the canadian mounties retained for parade use even now. they did NOT attack german panzers with them in ww2, that was german propaganda. a polish cavalry unit DID charge a overconfident german encampment lacking sentries, routing it with rifles, pistols and sabres, but the lances were not used. they were back at their stores. they ran into some armoured vehicles on the other side of the germans , and then retreated in good order, victorious for once. they mostly rode to battle, dismounted, set up with rifles and machine guns to engage the advancing germans before being overwhelmed by the blitzkrieg. brave but hopeless.