Bayonets in Basra - A Case Study on the Effects of Irregular Warfare

[Dozer523]

I remember a Mech Battalion Commander in Germany in my early days. He was very proud of his time with the 82nd, a tour with the British Paras, and his time as a Company Commander in Vietnam (and rightly so). At his Change of Command we fixed bayonets just before the Pass in Review. Here is The Manual of Arms.

Fix Bayonets
a. The command to fix or unfix bayonets is given from order arms only. The movement is executed in a military manner but not in cadence
b. To fix bayonets, the command is Fix, BAYONETS. On the command of execution BAYONETS, grasp the rifle barrel with the right hand, raise the rifle slightly, and place the butt of the rifle between the feet, with the magazine well to the front. Grasp the rifle barrel with the left hand and move the muzzle to the left front. With the right hand, unsnap the scabbard securing strap and withdraw the bayonet. Keeping the eyes on the bayonet point, turn the point skyward and attach the bayonet to the rifle. To engage the bayonet stud on the rifle with the base of the bayonet, grasp the handle, apply downward pressure until a click is heard, and then apply limited upward pressure to ensure that the bayonet is seated securely. Re snap the scabbard securing strap with the right hand and then come to order arms.

We did it a tiny bit different, we practiced it over and over and over and over . . . until we did it in unison as a six count movement , with “, apply downward pressure until a click is heard,” as one. Hearing the command "FIX . . . BAYONETS" is awesome (or a little silly from a mech point of view) BUT, when you hear 500 + bayonets snapping into action as one, your blood runs cold.

On 523 our Team Sergeant loved ambushes and the Final Assault across the Objective. We always fixed bayonets. At that point (even in training) I knew this was no longer about good sight pictures, controlled fire, proper magazine changes etc, etc. As I came up it was only about killing the enemy. And I think that throughout history, anyone hearing that command, hearing that click, or seeing steel on end of a weapon knows it can only end with him or me. And the guy with the bayonet has already decided who its going to be.