French soldiers on horseback in street, with an airship flying in air behind them during World War I. Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. A soldier in the cavalry is known by a number of designations such as cavalryman, horseman or trooper. In August 1914 all combatant armies still retained substantial numbers of cavalry and the mobile nature of the opening battles on both Eastern and Western Fronts provided a number of instances of traditional cavalry actions, though on a smaller and more scattered scale than those of previous wars. Once the front lines stabilized on the Western Front, a combination of barbed wire, machine guns and rapid fire rifles proved deadly to horse mounted troops. The Germans, French and Italians all used airships for scouting and tactical bombing roles early in the war, and all learned that the airship was too vulnerable for operations over the front. Bain News Service circa 1914/15.
