Evening star., 1935-06-16


of training maneuvers at tn
Army Cavalry School at Fort Riley
Kans. Every horseman rides his steec
as eff to the manor born," while eacl
animal achieves the slightest eques
trian move with a grace and gustt
which is rare delight to watch.
But now a strange sight is seen
riding along with the rest of tht
mounted troops-too many to b
counted by the casual observer-ar(
number of horsemen carrying queer.
looking equipment of sort hitherto
unknown. Each rider bears in hi!
hand long pole resembling a lance
each wears headphones, and attached
to his saddle is some sort of mechan-
ical equipment.
1ancers wheels about, comes to a COM
plete stop, removes O section of the
equipment from his horse, places it
On the ground and within three min
utes' time is able to communicate by
radio with headquarters so miles away!
Were you on hand to view this
novel sight you'd naturally inquire
as to the why of it all. And you
would be told by the commanding
officer that here is something en-
tirely new in up-to-date Army tactics,
q "radio-ized Cavalry" in a real sense.
I TNCLE SANS revolutionary system
Of radio horsemen," developed
only within the past few months,
marks the first time in history that
our Cavalry can get minute by minute
instructions from commanding off,
GERS while actually on the march.
The importance of all this scarcely
can be overestimated. In wartime,
let us say, a Cavalry unit is march,
ing along in enemy territory and sud-
denly learns some valuable informa-
tfon concerning the location of bridges,
armaments or supplies that will be of
paramount importance to our main
forces In planning a new objective.
In twinkling the information can
be forwarded to headquarters, involv-
ing the consumption of only a few
minutes time. Yes, headquarters.
based on the new knowledge, can now
issue direct orders to the Cavalry that
Will further our Army's objective in a
speedy and efficient way.
Long years of painstaking research
and experimentation are behind the
new system. The one-horse radio set
Is the final chronological stage in the
horse-carrying radio system, begun
several years ago, which started with
the bulky three-horse radio set; next
involved the two-horse set, and now
requires the use of only one animal
with extremely light equipment. The
exact weight is state secret Uncle
Sam steadfastly refuses to divulge.
But q rough estimate Is around IS
pounds.
The exact procedure to be followed
Is still in a pioneer stage of Develop
ment. However, one important fact is
pretty well agreed upon, and that is
that q group Of radio horSemen will
with every major Cavalry unit,
prepared at all times to send or re- |
ceive. important messages from su-
perior officers for distances up to 100 |
miles away.
Just how many radio riders" will |
be used In this connection is another |
Army secret. But it's generally un-
ierstood in official circles that at least
\ couple Of dozen will be on hand.
# there are approximately 1000 men
n regular Cavalry unit they will
1eed that many wireless wizards"
long their fianks.
Probably third of them will ride,
lnder ordinary conditions of training
reconnaissance, at the rear Of the
Javalry proper, another third at either
ide Of the central sector; while the
lnal portion will maintain q regular
'osition along the forward fanks.
TNDER actual wartime conditions
= while in enemy territory it Is ex-
ected that most of the "headphone
orsemen" would ride well to the fore
I their assigned Cavalry unit in order
, gain the quickest possible knowl-
dge Of enemy ornaments, supplies,
timber of men, fortifcations and
Tier strategic matters. However, to