British cavalry riding through Arras, 11 April 1917

Lantern slide, World War One, Western Front (1914-1918), 1917.

The cavalry played only a small role in the Arras offensive of April-May 1917. They were kept in reserve in the hope that should any breakthrough be secured they could be deployed to exploit the gap. Although British and Canadian forces made significant gains, the elusive breakthrough that would release the cavalry never came.

From a box of 73 lantern slides.