Many modern bayonet designs are not
particularly useful. I have an SA-80 bayonet that is inferior to my kukri in
every respect. It even weighs and costs more. For soldiers who are attempting
to lighten their load the bayonet is often one of the first things to be
discarded.
Bayonet fighting, however, is still an
important skill to become familiar with. Even if you do not have a bayonet or
do not have time to fit it bayonet fighting skills can be utilized. Butt
strikes and thrusts work the same with an unbayonetted rifle. With the bayonet
a thrust from the muzzle can still have a telling effect. The basic principles
also apply to long batons or some improvised weapons. For this reason both
Crash Combat and Attack, Avoid, Survive have sections on bayonet fighting
without a bayonet.
Training in the bayonet was also considered
to be a good way to reduce a recruit’s tendency to hesitate and to increase
their commitment to an advance.
The second paragraph of a British WW2 manual makes the wise observation:
“2.
It is impossible to drill men into becoming good bayonet fighters as it is
undesirable for those of different physique to adopt exactly the same style. Words
of command will, therefore, be reduced to a minimum, and men will be encouraged
to develop a style suitable to their size and build, provided that the methods
laid down are followed.
3.
By his own example the instructor must instil a spirit of energy and
determination in his squad.”
That is good advice, not just for bayonet
instruction.
The illustration below is taken from the
manual above and shows a useful training aid for bayonet skills. The ring is
used as a target to develop accuracy and coordination. The padded end is used
for the practice of counters against attacks.
Many armies used similar devices for
training. Below is a rather nice Soviet-era illustration of a course to teach
soldiers. Rather reminds me of a crazy golf course! In other illustrations
parts of the course seem to be used with knives, entrenching tools or unarmed
techniques. Elsewhere strikes can be seen being made with the muzzle, drum and
stock of the PPSh-41.
The Books
