1870: 1e Escadrille De Cyclistes Lead Charge At Sedan

The French army's embracing of new technologies saw a number of units equipped with experimental weaponry and equipment during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Pierre Michaux's development of the pedal powered velocipede in 1868 led to a craze that swept France and the military found the idea of the vélocipède à pédales as a low cost, low maintenace replacement for the horse quite attractive (velocipedes not needing feeding for a start!). The 2eme Regiment de Lanciers provided a squadron for evaluation trials and this unit was still equipped with velocipedes when war broke out with Prussia in July 1870.


Attached to the Army of Châlons, the 1e Escadrille de Cyclistes undertook scouting work for the high command before seeing action at the Battle of Sedan, when, attached to General Margueritte's cavalry, they took part in the three failed charges on the Prussian XI Corps at the village of Floing.

Whilst the French defeat at Sedan and the surrender of the Emperor marked the end of the Second Empire, the vélocipède à pédales were regarded as having proven successful and the new Third Republic raised both cavalry and mounted infantry units equipped with velocipedes, a move replicated by other powers in the last decades of the nineteenth century.

1885: Beiyang Air Fleet Defeated At Jiuliancheng

China's Beiyang Air Fleet was formed by the Qing dynasty near the end of the 19th century along western lines to help ensure China had the necessary modern forces to resist the Western powers and Japan.

The Sino-French War of 1884-5 had demonstrated to the Chinese the need for air power and they embarked on a rapid programme of raising air fleets following the war, relying on aeronef and aerostat of British and Russian construction to equip their fleets. Unfortunately many of the vessels were not maintained properly and indiscipline was rife in the fleet due to poor leadership, low pay and opium usage.

The Beiyang Air Fleet saw much action in the Sino-Japanese War 1894-5, supporting the Chinese army at the Battles of Seongwhan and Pyongyang and the navy at the Battle of the Yalu River, however it was badly mauled losing over half the fleet in a major air battle above the Yalu River at Jiuliancheng as the Japanese seized control of the skies to launch their invasion of Manchuria.

The remnants of the air fleet continued to provide as much support as was practical for the army notably at Lüshunkou but the fate of the fleet was sealed when they attempted to prevent the Japanese bombing of Tianzhuangtai but were overwhelmed by the superior numbers and vessels of Japanese aerial fleet.