FIGHTING VICHY FROM HORSEBACK: British Mounted Cavalry in Action, Syria 1941

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Starts with the story of a WWII division that was never intended to fight -- the British I Cavalry Division -- composed almost exclusively of yeomanry horsemen from Britain's Territorial Army. This force had been ignored by Whitehall's military reforms since 1920. One of their only upgrades in the 20th century had been the upgrade from leather saber grips to rubber. Ever since the reorganization of the reserve forces in 1920, the yeomanry had been Theoretically destined for mechanization, its vehicles and training had still not materialized when war began.

Yet in May 1941, an incongruous saga of deception, desperation, and reinvention, saw these British horsemen advancing into Syria on Operation Exporter. The leading patrols were soon under fire, and an entire regiment was swimming the Litani River, with some elements taking on aircraft. They accomplished much when so little was expected.