The 3rd (Brandenburg) Jäger Battalion was converted into a Sturmbataillon. I don't know of any cavalry units that were converted as complete assault units. I have, however, run into lots of anecdotes about individual cavalrymen who ended up in Sturmbataillone.
Semi-relatedly, you sometimes see Douglas Haig vilified, inter alia, for keeping cavalry formations intact, thereby "wasting" human and material assets that could have been more fruitfully fed into the infantry meatgrinder. But it always seemed to me that Haig always hoped to break through and restore a war of movement, and the ONLY asset he had that could do that would be his cavalry formations. Perhaps that was never possible. But if the Allies ever did manage to shear open a passage through the German front, cavalry ranging into their rear area could have outsized effect. Query whether prior to March 1918 there was any thought given on the German side to using cavalry to penetrate into the British rear area in the event that a breakthrough was achieved. I don't believe anything of the sort was tried.
My great grandfather was in the Guard Cuirassiers during WW1!
That is a splendid legacy!
Question; weren’t some of these jager/ cavalry formations converted/ retrained to become the “sturm battalions”?
The 3rd (Brandenburg) Jäger Battalion was converted into a Sturmbataillon. I don't know of any cavalry units that were converted as complete assault units. I have, however, run into lots of anecdotes about individual cavalrymen who ended up in Sturmbataillone.
Semi-relatedly, you sometimes see Douglas Haig vilified, inter alia, for keeping cavalry formations intact, thereby "wasting" human and material assets that could have been more fruitfully fed into the infantry meatgrinder. But it always seemed to me that Haig always hoped to break through and restore a war of movement, and the ONLY asset he had that could do that would be his cavalry formations. Perhaps that was never possible. But if the Allies ever did manage to shear open a passage through the German front, cavalry ranging into their rear area could have outsized effect. Query whether prior to March 1918 there was any thought given on the German side to using cavalry to penetrate into the British rear area in the event that a breakthrough was achieved. I don't believe anything of the sort was tried.
In the months to come, the Tactical Notebook will be paying a lot of attention to issues related to cavalry during the First World War.
Good. It is a topic that is subject to a lot of dogma, which could benefit from greater scrutiny.