But the Government’s recognition of his brilliant work was by no means encouraging.  In 1893 Colonel French was actually retired on half-pay!  It is an admirable system which allows the middle-aged officer to make way for youth in the British army; but the spectacle of a French despatched into civil obscurity at the ripe age of forty-one, has its tragic as well as its comic side.  That it acutely depressed him we know.  For a time he was almost in despair as to his career.

Actually, however, these two years “out of action” were probably invaluable to him—­and to the army.  For the first time he had the opportunity for unrestrained study; and much of that time was spent, no doubt, in thinking out the theories of cavalry action which were yet to bring him fame and our arms success.

Much of his most valuable work dates from this period of enforced retirement.  He was present, for instance, during the cavalry manoeuvres of 1894 in Berkshire.  He took part in the manoeuvres as a brigadier.  His chief Staff Officer, by the way, was Major R.S.S. (now Lieut.-General Sir Robert) Baden-Powell, while the aide-de-camp to the Director-General of manoeuvres was Captain (now Lieut.-General Sir) Douglas Haig.  Here French formulated what was to be one of the axioms of his future cavalry tactics.  One of those present at headquarters has recorded his remarks.

[Page Heading:  THE FUNCTION OF CAVALRY]

“There is,” said French, “no subject upon which more misconception exists, even among service men, than as regards the real role of cavalry in warfare.  My conception of the duties and functions of the mounted arm is not to cut and to hack and to thrust at your enemy wherever and however he may be found.  The real business of cavalry is so to manoeuvre your enemy as to bring him within effective range of the corps artillery of your own side for which a position suitable for battle would previously have been selected."[7]

It is difficult to conceive a more clear and concise statement of the function of cavalry.  It differs widely from the rather grim utterance of the late Sir Baker Russell, who stated that the duty of cavalry was to look pretty during time of peace, and get killed in war.

Happily Colonel French’s theorising was not without its effect.  The Berkshire manoeuvres showed a number of flagrant shortcomings in our cavalry.  Several military men, ably seconded by The Morning Post, insisted on the reorganisation of that arm.  After the customary protest, officialdom bowed to the storm.

French’s old chief, Sir George Luck, was brought back from India to institute reforms.  The first thing that the new Inspector-General of Cavalry insisted upon was a revised Cavalry Drill Book.  Who was to write it?  The answer was not easy.  But eventually Colonel French was called in from his retirement and installed in the Horse Guards for that purpose.

The result was a masterpiece of lucid explanation and terse precision.  The book evolved into something much more than a mere manual of drill.  For it is also a treatise on cavalry tactics, a guide to modern strategy, and a complete code of regulations for the organisation of mounted troops.