Rolling Blockhead

Also excellent.

Lawnmowerman

Who was it who said.

"There goes the infantry, poor bastards." and what war were they talking about???

Fotno

Was it Patton?
First world war?

Charlie Bravo

Not sure but it sounds familiar. I'd bet that or something similar has been said for thousands of years. I can imagine one of Sargon's chariot drivers saying the same thing.

kimi

The Song of the Infantry

For the fight you also need cannons,
and cavalry, a few squadrons,
you need the tanks, aircrafts, AAA,
and also a staff and train with all kinds of things.
You also need military engineers,
but the main thing, thats done by us!

Infantry, Infantry, without us it never works!
Infantry,Infantry, assaults are done by the Infantry!
Looking the enemy in the face,
yeah, no-one will help you then,
there you'll have to prove that you're a man,
hurray, on them and over them!
Infantry, Infantry, without us it never works!
Infantry,Infantry, assaults are done by the Infantry!

Cannons, Mortars and Howitzers,
there it thunders frightfully when the grenades are flashing
und when the Stukas are storming over
dust is blown highly into the heavens
then the engineers are blowing up stuff,
and then, then we are coming!

Infantry, Infantry, without us it never works!
Infantry,Infantry, taking is done by the Infantry!
From there, its sitting in there,
toss in a handgranade!
Yea, then (bavarian words) he out, oh god,
and (more bavarian)
Infantry, Infantry, without us it never works!
Infantry,Infantry, taking is done by the Infantry!

When we've then victoriously gone through,
and the emplacement is taken by us,
then the order is holding it until its save.
The enemy wants to get it back,
then granades are falling,
who stands in the front all alone?

Infantry, Infantry, in the baptism of fire (german: drumming fire) they stand!
Infantry, Infantry, holding can only be done by the infantry!
all around the dirt is spraying,
everybody stays on his spot!
Our flag can only fly,
as long as we stand!
Infantry, Infantry, holding can only be done by the infantry!

Lawnmowerman

I think it is thousands of years old, found it a small misquote on my part.

"Ah, yes, mere infantry - poor beggars" is the correct quote. From a Roman playwright. He was probally refering to the second Punic war when he made that quote. (218-201 BC)

Rolling Blockhead

"Mere infantry". $20 he couldn't find a grunt in the last 100 years that wouldn't have turned his lights out for a crack like that.

Charlie Bravo

It's quite likely a fellow making such a crack could get his lights turned out by an infantryman 10,000 years ago, too, depending on the time and place such a crack was made. Especially if the fellow making the crack weren't sitting on his horse or standing in his chariot. And even doubly so if the scenario involved a tavern or just drinking by all parties in general. (I of course exclude nobility from the equation.)

I often think that maybe the first inter-service brawls in human armies must have occured between the infantry and cavalry services, but that's just conjecture and speculation on my part.

Lawnmowerman

Cavalry Troopers are generally considered to be socially a cut above other soldiers. This distinction stems from the days when cavalry needed to supply their own mounts, tack etc. In order to supply the mounts and tack the Trooper would need to be reasonably wealthy so the average Trooper was a gentleman of sorts. In addition cavalry regiments were seen to be relatively fashionable and dashing, often having colourful or even garish uniforms.

This historically superior social position is humorously referenced today in the Australian Army, where cavalry Troopers jokingly define their role as: "The role of the Cavalry is to add colour, dash and daring, to what would otherwise be a mindless shitfight amongst grunts". In the British Army the equivalent phrase is "adding tone to what would otherwise be just a vulgar brawl".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trooper_(rank)

Charlie Bravo

Indeed, the "Equites" of ancient Rome come to mind.

I rather like the Australian version of that description of the cavalry's role.