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54-737: The East African Mounted Rifles was a regiment of mounted infantry raised in the British Colony of Kenya for service in the East African Campaign of the First World War . Formed at the start of the war from volunteers, it was entirely white and drawn primarily from Boer settlers and members of the Legion of Frontiersmen . With horses in short supply, some men were mounted on polo ponies or mules. The East African Mounted Rifles, around 400 strong, deployed to support

108-520: A boar was killed by Prince Androclos . The ancient Romans left behind many more representations of boar hunting than the Ancient Greeks in both literature and art. Hunting became popular among young Romans starting from the third century BC. Hunting was seen as a way of fortifying character and exercising physical vigour. The boar was known as aper, feri sues or singularis on account of the animals supposedly solitary habits. According to Pliny

162-532: A dramatic reduction of forests for agriculture, thus diminishing some boar populations. Boars were increasingly hunted as crop predators by the rich, who rather than using spears, daggers and arrows, now had firearms allowing them to kill boars far more quickly and efficiently. The reduction in boar numbers resulted in the formation of hunting reserves. The civil unrest following the end of the French Revolution put an end to feudal privileges and hunting

216-454: A hound and hunts a boar. This object, named Carro Votivo de Mérida ("The Votive Cart of Mérida"), seems to represent Greek prince Meleager in an episode of the myth of Calydonian Boar hunt, although there is no consensus on this matter. The Germanic tribes responsible for the sack of Rome were avid hunters, though unlike the Greeks and Romans, they considered the deer and not the boar as

270-602: A number of armoured or ceremonial mounted regiments . With the invention of accurate and quick firing repeating pistols and rifles in the mid-19th century, cavalry started to become increasingly vulnerable. Many armies started to use troops which could either fight on horseback or on foot as circumstances dictated. Fighting on horseback with swords and lances would allow rapid movement without cover from enemy fire , whilst fighting on foot with pistols and rifles allowed them to make use of cover and to form defensive lines. The first mounted infantry units were raised during

324-406: A pageant in 1960. Mounted infantry The origins of mounted infantry go back to at least the beginnings of organised warfare. With the weight of ancient bronze armor , the opposing champions would travel to battle on chariots before dismounting to fight. With the evolution of hoplite warfare, some hoplites would travel to battle on horseback, before dismounting to take their place in

378-651: A single battalion. Consequently, their employment reflected this lack of mass, with the tactics seeking to harness greater mobility and fire to overcome opposition, rather than echeloned mass attacks. Mounted infantry began to disappear with the shift from horses to motor vehicles in the 1920s and 1930s. Germany deployed a few horse-mounted infantry units on the Russian Front during the Second World War, and cyclist units on both fronts as well, and both Germany and Britain (which had used cyclist battalions in

432-598: A specialized boar spear . The boar spear was sometimes fitted with a cross guard to stop the enraged animal driving its pierced body further down the shaft in order to attack its killer before dying. In India, pigsticking was popular among the Jatts , Gujjars , Rajputs , Sikhs , Maharajas , RajGond Rajas and with British officers during Victorian and Edwardian times. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition , it

486-469: A trap for feral hogs. Hogs are usually caught either by the foot or neck and held in place until the hunter arrives. Scholarship recognizes the boar hunting as an example of martial prowess in the Ancient World, but also involves the death of a male hero, sometimes connected to a goddess. In ancient Greek culture, the boar represented death, due to its hunting season beginning on 23 September,

540-707: A unit of signallers. The unit welcomed any white volunteer who could ride a horse and carry a rifle. It was formed primarily from Boer settlers and members of the civilian Legion of Frontiersmen . Some of the men had prior experience with the British forces in India or during the Second Boer War and many were big game hunters . A number of experienced men served in leadership roles, including as commanding officer, second-in-command, adjutant, regimental sergeant major and as quartermasters. A unit of scouts, formed under

594-437: Is also a well-used technique for hunting and controlling feral hogs. Numerous types of traps exist and include designs such as the "Figure 6" or "heart" trap which are pen traps usually constructed with hog panels and T-Posts . Box traps, which are usually metal box frames with hog panel sides, top, and bottom along with a trap door that is activated once the pig is inside the box and feeding. Snares are also used successfully as

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648-525: Is held in the Australian town of Jambin, Queensland which is considered to be the country's largest such event. The three-day competition attracts hundreds of competitors who compete for prizes while attempting to cull the wild boar population in an effort to protect local farming land. The event is also a fundraiser for local schools. In the United States there are mobs established across

702-700: The Australian Light Horse and the Canadian Mounted Rifles ) were MI (mounted infantry), as well as locally raised irregulars like the Imperial Light Horse and South African Light Horse . As artillery was of limited use against scattered Boer guerrilla bands later in the war, the mounted personnel of Royal Artillery units were formed into Royal Artillery Mounted Rifles . As part of the lessons learned from that war, British regular cavalry regiments were armed with

756-789: The Cavalry of the Empire Memorial in Hyde Park, London. Annual regimental reunions were held jointly with the Kenyan Ex-War Service Federation after the war. These were started, at least partly, to provide a nucleus for any future defence force. The East African Reconnaissance Squadron , formed in the Second World War, is regarded as a successor to the regiment. Surviving veterans of the East African Mounted Rifles were honoured with

810-669: The Ceylon Mounted Rifles , Cape Mounted Rifles , Natal Carbineers , and Marshall's Horse fought as mounted infantry. In the Second Boer War , the British copied the Boers and raised large forces of their own mounted infantry. Among various ad hoc formations, the Imperial Yeomanry was raised from volunteers in Britain between 1900 and 1901. Many of the contingents from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand (e.g.

864-465: The Mara River . The unit also participated in the attack on Gararagua , Tanganyika, later that month. The East African Mounted Rifles proved effective in the campaign. Treating the war "as if it were another safari", their use of civilian camp followers and practice of providing their own supplies led to notably lower rates of dysentery than other units. While their initial service on the frontier

918-679: The Mexican–American War (as the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen , but redesignated Third Cavalry Regiment in 1861), and others followed, for example in Australia in the 1880s. Terms such as "mounted rifles" or "Light Horse" were often used. The French Foreign Legion used mule -mounted companies from the 1880s. Each mule was shared by two legionnaires, who took turns in riding it. This arrangement allowed faster and more prolonged marches that could cover 60 mi (97 km) in one day. In

972-743: The Philippine Scouts assisted in the defense of the Philippines at the onset of World War II. The 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army also maintained a mounted reconnaissance troop throughout World War Two, which saw service in Italy and Austria during the war. Countries with entrenched military traditions, such as Switzerland, retained horse-mounted troops well into the Cold War , while Sweden kept much of its infantry on bicycles during

1026-512: The domestic pig . It is native across much of Central Europe , the Mediterranean Region (including North Africa's Atlas Mountains ) and much of Asia as far south as Indonesia , and has been widely introduced elsewhere. Wild boar are hunted both for their meat, and to mitigate foraging damage to crops and forests. Pigsticking is a form of boar hunting done by individuals, or groups of spearmen on foot or on horseback using

1080-444: The phalanx . The early pre- Marian Roman military had units consisting of infantrymen clinging to the saddles of the cavalry to take them to battle and then dismounting to fight. Gallic and Germanic warbands were reported to use double-riders, with a second warrior joining a horseman only for a short distance before dismounting to fight on foot. The Han dynasty also extensively used mounted infantry in their campaigns against

1134-567: The 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel. Dragoon regiments were established in most European armies during the late 17th century and early 18th century. The name is possibly derived from a type of firearm (called a dragon ) carried by dragoons of the French Army . There is no distinction between the words dragon and dragoon in French. The title has been retained in modern times by

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1188-539: The August 1916 advance on the German Tanganyika Railway . By the end of 1916 it mustered only its commander, Major Clifford Hill, a sergeant and two troopers. By May 1917 it was just Hill, the sergeant and a trooper; the unit is described as having then "faded away". The unit left behind few records, but a regimental history was written by its medical officer Dr C. J. Wilson, in 1938. It is listed on

1242-553: The East African Mounted Rifles supported an attack by Indian troops on the Tanganyikan town of Longido , successfully capturing the settlement. In March 1915 a detachment of the regiment was formed into a mobile reserve on the Kenya-Tanganyika frontier. On 9 March the unit was the first to spot and engage a German column under Lieutenant von Haxthausen. The Germans were eventually driven from a ridge and retreated across

1296-487: The East African Mounted Rifles. A small infantry unit, the East African Regiment, was also established but was soon broken up to provide men for other units. The East African Mounted Rifles was envisaged as a regiment-sized mobile unit intended to strike against German forces threatening to invade from Tanganyika . It was intended to be formed of six mounted infantry squadrons , a Maxim gun section and

1350-510: The Elder , Fulvius Lippinus was the first Roman to create a reserve for wild boar, where he would breed them for hunting in his land in Tarquinia . His methods would be imitated by Lucius Lucullus and Quintus Ortenzius. An archeological find from Mérida, Spain , dated to the fifth to third centuries BCE , depicts a male youth upon a horse, carrying a spear or javelin; he is accompanied by

1404-530: The First World War) experimented with motorcycle battalions. Germany also utilized organic horse and bicycle mounted troops within infantry formations throughout World War Two, although bicycle use increased as Germany retreated into its own territory. Japan deployed cyclists to great effect in its 1941 to 1942 campaign in Malaya and drive on Singapore during World War II. A horsed cavalry regiment of

1458-743: The Western Theater of the American Civil War , several infantry regiments were converted to mounted infantry and armed with repeating rifles . The Lightning Brigade at the Battle of Chickamauga was an example of these Union mounted infantry units. In the British Army , infantry units in some parts of the British Empire had a mounted platoon for scouting and skirmishing . In addition, many locally raised units such as

1512-648: The Xiongnu confederation . During many of the Han campaigns, the vast majority of the army rode on horseback; either as mounted cavalry or mounted infantry who fought dismounted. The Arabs, during their campaigns in the deserts of Mesopotamia and Syria against the Byzantines and Sassanids , used camels to enhance their mobility, marking a stark contrast to their enemies, especially in the desert environment. The Carolingians under Charlemagne also used horses as transport for

1566-424: The animals were more aggressive. Records show that wild boar were abundant in medieval Europe. This is corroborated by documents from noble families and the clergy demanding tribute from commoners in the form of boar carcasses or body parts. In 1015 for example, the doge Ottone Orseolo demanded for himself and his successors the head and feet of every boar killed in his area of influence. The Renaissance period saw

1620-543: The bulk of their army, and special care was taken to ensure the health, fodder, and availability of horses on-campaign. Other notable infantry to use horses to enhance their mobility include the Genoese crossbowmen , and Viking raiders who would gather all the horses they could find in the vicinity of their landings. Dragoons originally were mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills . However, usage altered over time and during

1674-659: The catch dogs are released to seize the boar and hold it down. Popular "hog dogs" in the U.S. include the Blackmouth Cur , Mountain Cur , Catahoula Leopard Dog , Blue Lacy , Plott Hound , Treeing Walker Coonhound , American Pit Bull Terrier and purposely-bred crosses. Popular "pig dogs" in Australia include Staghounds, the Bull Arab , Rhodesian Ridgebacks crossed with various mastiff breeds, Greyhound crosses, various terriers , and purposely-bred crosses. Trapping hogs

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1728-498: The cavalry charge in the Battle of Beersheba (1917) during World War I are labelled as mounted infantry brigade in popular media; however, they were in fact mounted rifles as were the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade which also took part in this battle. Mounted rifles regiments lack the mass of a mounted infantry battalions, as a light horse brigade could only muster as many rifles in the line as

1782-569: The command of Frank O'Brien Wilson as the Magadi Defence Force, was integrated into the unit. Bertram Gurdon, 2nd Baron Cranworth , with prior service in the Norfolk Artillery , served as a lieutenant. There were initially no uniforms available so volunteers wore their own shirts, onto the shoulders of which local women sewed the initials "EAMR" and, sometimes, the initials of the preceding units. A standardised uniform

1836-448: The country. In the US, some states such as California, require hunters to purchase a hunting tag, but there is no limit on the numbers of animals that may be taken, unlike the limits on other game species such as deer and bear. China banned the hunting of wild boars in 2000 as part of an effort to protect local biodiversity . As hog attacks have become a serious problem for communities across

1890-533: The end of August 1914 the unit reached 400 men in size but many of its men were taken to provide officers and non-commissioned officers to the King's African Rifles and other units. The East African Mounted Rifles were first deployed in an attack on German forces that had occupied the Kenyan village of Kisii . The principal attack came from the 4th battalion of the King's African Rifles and the East African Mounted Rifles

1944-406: The fine old fellow I fought against." Michael Rosenthal quotes him as saying "Not only is pig-sticking the most exciting and enjoyable sport for both the man and horse as well, but I really believe that the boar enjoys it too." In ancient Persia , aristocratic hunters used elephants to panic boar into marshland shallows, where they were then shot at from boats. Elephants ferried the carcasses to

1998-481: The hunting camp. Reliefs of these scenes have remained largely intact in Taq-e Bostan . Hunting dogs have been used to hunt boar since ancient times. Boar hunting dogs are loosely divided into two categories, bay dogs , and catch dogs . It is not unusual for hunters to hunt with bay and catch dogs together. The bay dogs are used to find the boar and corner it. Once the boar is cornered or turns to fight,

2052-479: The leg during a boar hunt as a boy. The scar on his leg is what leads Eurycleia to recognise him on his return to Ithaca . In the legend of Prince Adonis , the titular character goes on a boar hunt, only to be killed by his quarry. The third labour of Heracles involved the live capture of the Erymanthian Boar . According to the legend of the founding of Ephesus , the city was built upon the ground where

2106-537: The most noble quarry. Unlike the Romans for whom hunting boar was considered a simple pastime, the hunting of boars in Medieval Europe was mostly done by nobles for the purpose of honing martial skill. It was traditional for the noble to dismount his horse once the boar was cornered and to finish it with a dagger. To increase the challenge, some hunters would commence their sport at the boars mating season, when

2160-633: The near end of the year. The boar was also seen as a representation of darkness battling against light, due to its dark colouration and nocturnal habits. Boar hunts appear frequently in Ancient Greek mythology and literature. The first recorded mention of a boar hunt in Europe occurs in 700 BC in Homer's rendition of the hunt for the Calydonian boar . In Homer 's Odyssey , Odysseus was injured on

2214-700: The recapture of Kisii, Kenya , in September 1914. They also served in an attack on Longido in German Tanganyika in November. Further action on the frontier followed until April 1915, when the unit was posted on guard duty on the Uganda Railway . The East African Mounted Rifles was a good source of leaders for other units, such as the King's African Rifles . Detachments of men for this purpose and

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2268-761: The relatively small British garrison, primarily consisting of elements of the King's African Rifles . Britain declared war on Germany on the night of 4/5 August 1914, following the German invasion of neutral Belgium. The following morning a recruitment office opened for self-defence forces in Nairobi , the capital of the Colony of Kenya. Several small units were formed, including the Plateau South Africans , Arnoldi's Scouts , Wessel's Scouts and William Bowker 's Bowker's Horse . These were amalgamated to form

2322-623: The return of volunteers to their farms depleted the force. It served on a small scale in actions in 1915 and 1916 but mustered just four men by the end of 1916. It was still extant, with three men, in May 1917, but is afterwards described as having "faded away". Veterans' reunions were held post-war, and the East African Reconnaissance Squadron in the Second World War is regarded as a successor unit. Kenya

2376-442: The same rifle as the infantry and became well-trained in dismounted tactics. A version of the standard infantry rifle, the shorter-barreled LEC or "Lee-Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mark I" had been introduced in 1896. Many European armies also used bicycle infantry in a similar way that mounted infantry used horses. However they were handicapped by the need for proper roads. The Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade which took part in

2430-404: The snow-free months. Pigsticking Boar hunting is the practice of hunting wild boar , feral pigs , warthogs , and peccaries . Boar hunting was historically a dangerous exercise due to the tusked animal's ambush tactics as well as its thick hide and dense bones rendering them difficult to kill with premodern weapons . The wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) is the ancestral species of

2484-442: The usual leave to the hills in hot weather because I could not tear myself away from the sport." To those who condemned it, he said "Try it before you judge. See how the horse enjoys it, see how the boar himself, mad with rage, rushes wholeheartedly into the scrap, see how you, with your temper thoroughly roused, enjoy the opportunity of wreaking it to the full. Yes, hog-hunting is a brutal sport—and yet I loved it, as I loved also

2538-469: Was a British East African colony bordering German East Africa to the south. Tensions in Europe had been rising following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the July Crisis . Lieutenant Colonel Launcelot Ward , recently retired and headed for England, was recalled to the colony to assume command of British East African forces. He oversaw the creation of self-defence forces to supplement

2592-506: Was also issued with pigsticking spears, but these were soon withdrawn after several near-fatal accidents. Horses were commandeered from local farms, but insufficient were available, and some of the men were mounted on polo ponies or mules . The East African Mounted Rifles trained in Nairobi. Their drills were often watched by the daughter of the governor Henry Conway Belfield , and the unit came to be known after her as "Monica's Own". By

2646-510: Was encouraged by military authorities as good training because "a startled or angry wild boar is ... a desperate fighter [and therefore] the pig-sticker must possess a good eye, a steady hand, a firm seat, a cool head and a courageous heart." Robert Baden-Powell , founder of the Scouting movement wrote a book on the subject. In Lessons from the Varsity of Life he says that, "I never took

2700-484: Was eventually made available in July 1915, though even then many members preferred not to wear it. Sometimes the horses of the regiment were camouflaged as zebras, with stripes being painted on in iodine. The East African Mounted Rifles were initially armed with breech-loading rifles supplied by the colonial government. An intervention by Boer War veteran Davies Evans led to issuing of more modern magazine-fed rifles. The unit

2754-403: Was liberalised, leading to a decrease in boar populations. In the modern era, boar hunting is also referred to as hog hunting or pig hunting. Adult hogs have very few predators and thrive once established in an area. Wild boar hunts are still popular in countries such as India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Italy, Germany, Poland, Argentina, Russia and Australia. An annual boar hunting competition

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2808-412: Was part of a force sent to recapture Longido in September 1915. The squadron formed a firing line on a ridge overlooking the German position. The unit suffered losses of two killed, one wounded and four missing and were given permission to withdraw. The attack was unsuccessful, but the missing men were recovered by a party of the King's African Rifles. A dozen men of the East African Mounted Rifles served in

2862-457: Was to support on the flank. The unit travelled by rail from Nairobi to Kisumu and embarked on boats on Lake Victoria . The men landed at Karungu but came under attack and withdrew into reeds. They reached Kisii on 12 September, by which time the King's African Rifles had already taken the village following the German retreat after an inconclusive engagement. The East African Mounted Rifles then returned to Nairobi. On 3 November 1914, 360 men of

2916-429: Was valuable, it was decided that the unit was more useful as a source of leaders for the King's African Rifles. It was afterwards used to guard the Uganda Railway . Between 12 April 1915 and 10 May 1916 German forces made 57 attempts to mine the railway but many were thwarted by the unit's patrols. By early 1915 volunteers began to drift away from the unit back to their farms. A squadron of the East African Mounted Rifles

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