While the exact inventor of the bayonet may not be known, history of the bayonet reveals its origins to Bayonne, France, in the early 17th century.
Bayonet is derived from the French town of Bayonne where the matchlock musket was the standard issue weapon in the French military in the early 1700 hundreds.
This primitive fixed plug bayonet below provided the combined capabilities of firing and being a long edged weapon for close quarters combat.
The bayonet became popular among European armies and has stood the test of time with rises and falls in military popularity.
While fixed bayonets employments date back around 4 centuries, the use of long penetrating weapons date back to prehistoric man.
Primitive Sharpened sticks and poles as weapons must have been made and used out of necessity for hunting self-protection and in combat over the centuries. Situation and need would have driven developments in the making of primitive penetrative tools and weapons.
From sharpened poles to poles with sharpened stones attached to make spears through to the multitudes of different designs of bayonets, the evolution of long or fitted extension penetrative weapons has a history that has spanned the centuries.
Front rows of Greek Hoplites in phalanx battle formations with shields and spears they would thrust and stab the enemy immediately in front of them.
Long penetrative weapons were not only used for thrusting but there were Javelin like spears varieties that were also thrown in ancient warfare.
When one combatant had a short to medium spear the other out of necessity would make sure they had a longer spear.
A long spear could then be combated from a greater range with a thrown spear or with a bow and arrows and so on.
A common analogy describing developments in capability in military weapons, equipment and means of getting to the enemy and targeting them that I often use to describe superior fire power and capability in military weapons and equipment is the Tiger moth to the Stealth Bomber.
To stay at the forefront of enemies capabilities design considerations would have to have included in primitive times the length, penetrative front point and sharpness of the edges as well as the weapon strength and robustness for the task duty and required usage and the balance especially for throwing.
In more modern times as far as bayonets go considerations would also concern the type of rifle the bayonet would be fixed to as well as the fitting and other requirements such as scabbards.
Important materials and design considerations must be maximum penetrative destruction reach and capability to increase the likelihood of dispatching the enemy at close quarters without being killed or wounded.
While some bayonets are permanently fitted to the rifle others need to be fixed when required and must have sturdy fittings for the role usage and secure retention.
The brutal reality is having a longer weapon than the enemy better skills and a controlled aggressive mentality increases the odds of victory over defeat at extreme close quarters.
Ancient warfare sharp pointed edged weapons included wide ranging thrusting type weapons including swords pikes and many types and variations of thrusting slashing throwing and non-ballistic launched sharp point edged weapons.
In ancient warfare some sharp pointed weapons were primary weapons capabilities whereas the bayonet was more an additional capability added to the primary weapon being the rifle that had specific uses.
The modern bayonet can be traced back to seventeen century Basque Musketeers when they forced their knife handles down the barrels of their muskets when they run out of ammunition, like in situations where they were surrounded by their enemy.
The plug bayonet had a rounded tapered hand grip and was not only used by the French military but also by French and Spanish hunters when hunting wild boars.
These hunting knives come plug bayonets become known by hunting folk as Les bayonettes Bayonne.
The musket plug attached knife was an improvised version of the military pike.
This began the birth of the capability for the musketeer to engage the enemy with both a musket and a thrusting penetrative blade.
The biggest problem with this innovation would have been that the musket could not be fired with the hand grip of the knife forced down the musket bore.
The plug bayonet over time to a major degree replaced the pike and was later replaced by the ring attached bayonet.
The ring bayonet had two hand grip rings that would slip over the musket barrel and fix in position enabling the musket to be able to be fired with the bayonet attached.
There were issues with the ring mounted bayonets sliding off or in close quarters actions on being pulled off by the enemy.
During the 1800s the ring attached bayonet was replaced by the socket attached bayonet that was much more securely attached. The design of these early socket bayonets were like a blade with a tube like hand grip that fitted over the barrel and was locked securely in place. Over history clip attached bayonets as well as fold out hinged locking bayonets were invented and refined.
The bayonet blade or spike came in many forms including sword bayonets.
With the advent of superior firepower and accuracy in rifles came advances in bayonet attachments that included a single ring and a locking attachment on the bayonet hand grip. The forward ring would fit over the rifle barrel and the locking mechanism would lock onto a locking tab under the rifle barrel.
Over time bayonet designs changed and so did the means of fitting fixing and hinging the bayonets to the changing designs in rifles.
Some changes in bayonet design materials and dimensions were to accommodate the primary usages of the bayonet in combat to ensure it best met needs and requirements like with required employment ranges, spatial confines considerations such as in trench warfare and design and materials to ensure the bayonet and its fittings and fixing were robust and reduced failures and breakage in combat.
Bayonet combat is not only for when ammunition has run out but it also provides a deadly silent capability for specific operational threat neutralisation roles.
The bayonet is often considered a last resort weapon option where it is Kill or die at close to point blank range with the enemy.
The bayonet at close quarters is superior and more guaranteed than the employment of unarmed combat skills, it provides a means of controlled aggressive threat neutralisation at a range that is about as close as the soldier would want to get to their enemy.
Any closer and it’s a dagger improvised weapon or unarmed close quarters combat which is far less guaranteed and requires more hands on physicality not to forget generally takes more time to dispose of a formidable aware willing able ready enemy.
The bayonet can also put the fear of hell in the enemy as it doesn’t get much more primitively terminal dire or closer than in battlefield armed bayonet close quarters combat.
There have been many types and designs of bayonets over the centuries ranging from short to long spike like to sword or dagger like, single edged and double edged as well as triangular spiked and narrow flat screwdriver end type bayonets.
There were Serrated edges for sawing and wire cutters with some bayonets.
The wire cutter capability like with the AK47 AK74 and M9 worked by means of a hinge being made between the scabbard and blade and then being closed on the wire cutting it like wire cutters.
There were even pistols with attached bayonets.
Post the first plug bayonets in Bayonne over the next hundred years the bayonet spread throughout Europe including the British Army introducing the socket fixed bayonet in the early 1700s.
The socket or ring type bayonet fitting was developed in Sweden in the late 1600s.
The early socket or ring attached bayonets were predominantly triangular shaped spikes over dagger or sword like bayonets.
Throughout history bayonets when used wisely in fitting roles situations conditions and environments with battle proven tactics and ruthless primary skills by highly committed combatants ensured the outcomes were decisive and deadly.
History has revealed the opposite outcomes have been the reality when bayonets were employed against undefeatable odds including suicidal charges at heavily armed enemies.
This article is predominantly about the best of primary bayonet skills training and less about battle history where the bayonet was effectively or fatally employed.
Some long sword like bayonets may well have been effective weapons for infantry against cavalry but such long blades in trench warfare were impractical and restrictive in such confines and reduced employment capability.
Bayonet training
Bayonet training develops aggression at close range and as such the training practices enhance unarmed combat skills employment capabilities when they are both based on commonality of skills principles.
WW1 long bayonets were often a hindrance and liability in trench warfare confined spaces.
By WW2 Brits and allies had opted for a shorter bayonet around half the length of the long thin sword bayonets from WW1 and these shorter bayonets included both spike and blade types often referred to as pig sticker type bayonets.
Primary military bayonet training should include the full range of methods means and usage of the bayonet for all the roles and duties that it will be used for operationally.
This requires specific training packages to install the best bayonet tactics and skills and ensure they are squared away with confidence and competency.
Fixing the bayonet ensuring it is properly secured in position for weapon retention is a most important part of bayonet basic training.
The combatant will be drilled in the stabbing slashing and bludgeoning primary practices of their assault rifle and bayonet.
The best positional holding of the weapon to increase self- protection counteroffensive capabilities as well as fluid controlled aggressive offensive bayonet employments combined with stances stability and mobility are all included in initial basic bayonet course lessons.
Rifle grips and on-guard ready stances and guards must minimise extension of the weapon in a ready status prior to actions on so as not to expose the weapon holding hands to the enemy’s blade.
Fluid action combinations for actions on bayonet battle employing the bayonet to disarm disable and dispose of the threat increase bayonet competency and combatant’s bayonet confidence.
The make, model and configuration of the rifle will dictate the best opposing forces secure grip and retention of the rifle with bayonet fixed.
The full military bayonet course of instruction will include offensive skills against an unarmed enemy as well as counteroffensive skills against an unarmed enemy.
There primary counter offensive options secondary and emergency options like stationary counter options and there are alternative/contingency options for specific scenarios and situations.
Any mentally tough committed combatant that is unarmed facing a bayonet that cannot escape and evade will be aware that bayonet disarming or attacking their armed attacker to take them out or if available disarming them of their weapon are required options if they want to live.
Installing both confidence in the rifle with bayonet fixed and never underestimating an unarmed enemy is conducive with increasing the chances of safely and effectively neutralising ones enemy.
The combatant must also be trained in bayonet versus bayonet offensive and counteroffensive skills.
Running out of ammunition could be a reality for both the combatant and the enemy and as such being skilled in both offensive and counteroffensive bayonet against bayonet close quarters combat is essential.
Bayonet disarming when unarmed facing a rifle and bayonet armed enemy is also a very important part of the bayonet training package.
Offensive bayonet actions include a range of options to fit with target selection and availability as well as important considerations such as your type of rifle/ bayonet and the environment conditions and situational considerations faced.
Considerations include the enemies rifle and bayonet specifics their level of competency and commitment as well as how they are utilising their rifle and bayonet.
Bayonet training courses will include contingency bayonet skills executions to maximise self- safety under the realities of bayonet combat. This will include fast mapping bayonet battle real time assessments on the move and changing tact to enable combating or countering of changes in threat and situational specifics.
Rifle and bayonet evasive and stationary counter actions will provide the capabilities to self- protect and neutralise bayonet armed enemy by means of primary decided options as well as immediate fast mapping assessment identified changed threat specific real time actions on options.
The Todd mil bayonet package include tactics and skills to maximise retention of the weapon prevent an enemy seizing and securing the weapon and if an enemy grasps your weapon regaining control of it and using it to neutralise your enemy.
Battle proven bayonet skills are based on minimising risk and maximising destructive capability by means of the most effective threat neutralisation capabilities tactics and skills.
Making range combining distractive or wounding components with bayonet offensive and counteroffensive actions based on praying on the enemies every weakness increases the chances of defeating a formidable enemy.
Controlled aggressive tactically correct calculated employment of the rifle and bayonet can weaken an enemy’s mental toughness in an instant.
The intention of the bayonet is to kill or maim and kill and is about as primitively terminal and brutally deliberate as it gets.
The difference between unarmed combat and bayonet combat is that bayonet combat provides superior range and capability of enemy disposal by deep vital organ penetration.
Bayonet training develops high level controlled aggression in the combatant and a required high level confidence capability in situations where their primary assault rifle capability is not available or is not the best option in relation to objective achievement.
Rapid enemy disposal by targeting major life support vital organs or if they are not immediately available targeting extremities or lesser targets to disarm disable ones enemy prior to fatal disposal is the modus operandi in kill or die bayonet combat.
The spirit and employment of the bayonet in combat is to kill at close to point blank kill zone range.
Military bayonet training utilises specialist equipment and facilities that include bayonet courses/bayonet training fields to best arm the combatant with skills competency and proficiency and the required bayonet combat mental toughness needed to dispose of a formidable enemy combatant.
Over the years equipment has been designed and developed for military bayonet courses training including pugil sticks helmets and protectors as well as bayonet training rifles with spring-loaded plungers and bayonet training poles.
Pics below of such equipment at the Todd Group.
Bayonet training courses both regular and irregular setups include wide and varied targets dummies and enemy training party means and methods of enhancing willing competency.
Hanging targets, target stands, ground targets and rising as well as dropping targets will provide different bayonet options including varied employment specifics.
Some targets and training equipment have been developed for accuracy while others have been developed for controlled aggressive penetration.
Some courses are set up to include standing and ground targets while others may be swinging targets.
Some are set up in set or various formation courses while others provide the factor of confusion by being unexpected until they spring up or swing out.
Some will be set up in bayonet battle lanes while others will be part of battle handling exercises where prior to the actions on the combatant has no knowledge of where the targets are placed or how they will be activated.
Many targets will include a dummy rifle/bayonet in the centre line of the target that needs to be disarmed disabled and cleared out of the way to effectively target the major vital disposal targets.
Some bayonet courses or battle handling exercises will be conducted in low light as in jungle sneaky boots courses that may include mud and water terrain obstacles combined with surprise target elements.
Bayonet combat courses will include the primary bayonet and secondary rifle butt means of penetration and blunt force trauma impact respectively.
Combatants will be trained in orthodox skills employments as well as unorthodox employments to provide capability to overcome terrain obstacles and faced threat specifics where contingency option may be the reality.
The decided option can be based on combination skills employments with the sharp end and butt end or specific threat neutralisation on a grounded target by penetration or bludgeon type impact with the butt of the rifle.
Methods for deep penetration bayonet extraction is also instructed for if the bayonet becomes stick lodged in the enemy and can’t be extracted by with drawl.
The protection of the combatant’s hands when holding the rifle fixed bayonet is essential to ensure they can retain a secure grasp of their weapon.
This requires the combatant to maintain maximum safety of their weapon holding hands by grasp/grip placement and in situations like bayonet versus bayonet ensuring the rifle to rifle contact is with the correct part of the weapon and not with weapon to the hands impact.
Understanding the correct holding of the weapon for bayonet employments and how to maintain an even balanced grasp of the weapon is essential to minimise fatigue as well as maximise safety and effect.
Understanding rifle and bayonet checking deflecting and redirecting of an enemy rifle and bayonet with your rifle and bayonet not only increases safety and provides counter action options but also ensures effective use of physicality in the achievement of threat neutralisation.
The bayonet trained combatant will be well versed in keeping the bayonet point facing their enemy and actions on protective recovery skills while armed with a rifle bayonet if they lose their footing.
The use of distraction deception dirty tricks and targeting exposed vitals as part of an effective threat neutralisation capability will make the well-trained combatant capable of reducing risk and increases the chances of defeating their enemy.
The fear the bayonet provides simply by presenting and directing it at a bodily part of an enemy can create adverse autonomic reactions and panic responses including turning away or losing their grasp of their weapon and once they are compromised they are vulnerable to primary targeting of their major life-support vitals. Even the most formidable enemy when penetrated by a bayonet loses levels of capability and is most likely going to be incapacitated followed by being eliminated.
Penetrative wounds have dire and deadly effects and when the bayonet assault is fluid and continuous the outcome is as guaranteed as it gets under such actions realities.
Primary skills bayonet actions on combinations with the bayonet based on best of battle proven employments and exposing human reaction and responses to being targeted with a bayonet by a combatant skilled in ensuring they hard target themselves while exposing and taking deadly advantage of enemy weaknesses and mistakes provides highest chances of dispatching ones enemy by means of the bayonet.
While the bayonet may rise and fall in favour it remains an effective addition to the soldier’s primary weapon capabilities that provides effective threat neutralisation in dire or situational specific employments.
In the hands of a trained mentally tough combatant with lethal intentions based on controlled aggressive skilled enemy destruction, this non-ballistic method of enemy destruction at close quarters is a terminal means of unarmed enemy neutralisation.
The bayonet trade-craft modus operandi is quick quiet enemy disposal or if immediate disposal is not possible the objective is to disarm disable and dispose of the enemy in a kill or die close quarters actions on.
Bayonet training is beneficial in developing controlled aggressive killer instinct at closer quarters if the soldiers primary weapon capability is not available, it also enhances other close quarters actions on such as dagger combat or unarmed close quarters combat.
The bayonet tactics and skills will not only have commonality with the combatant’s unarmed combat principles and practices but also with their dagger, bludgeon and improvised weapons means and methods of enemy incapacitation or elimination.
The Todd Group formerly the Baldock institute has had a 93 year history of instructing bayonet combat training as well as pugil battle training and while there are risks even with the best safety practices being employed the positives outweigh the negatives by considerable.
Like with any close quarters weapon all facets of its use must be included in the bayonet training package to best arm and prepare the combatant to deal with all realities and capabilities of bayonet usage including disarming.
European mil CQC non-ballistic weapons including improvised weapons offensive and counter offensive weapons usage have commonality because they are primary proven trade-craft practices that enhance safety and increased chances of formidable enemy disposal.
Non-ballistic mil CQC weapons having commonality of employment promotes less being more in the best of battle proven employment principles that wide ranging CQC weapons share and this reduces confusion in assessment and decision making under threat.
Shared commonality methods in non-ballistic weapons usage also increases cohesive similar weapons employments and as such provides the capability to train and practice with CQC issued/carried role specific weapons/tools or use whatever is at hand by means of the same weapons employment principles/practices.
Penetrative and bludgeon type weapons capabilities make up the non-firing rifle and bayonet means of disarming disabling and disposing of the enemy and the specific offensive and counter offensive methods of achieving this are same/similar trade-craft principled skills/practices as with a wide range of tools other non-ballistic weapons including improvised weapons.
While many may think the bayonet charge and parry is all that bayonet usage bayonet training consists of this is only but two trade-craft skills included in comprehensive bayonet combat packages. All uses/options bayonet training must include offensive and counter-offensive unarmed enemy neutralisation, offensive and counter-offensive rifle and bayonet armed enemy neutralisation and unarmed bayonet disarming.
There are a range of offensive threat neutralisation bayonet skills options as well as a range of counter-offensive bayonet threat neutralisation skills options to provide capability in diverse bayonet actions on situations in regards to threat, situational specifics and differences and disparities in weapons.
Our European Military CQC unarmed combat and military self-defence skills principles share commonality with our bayonet combat and as do our armed combat CQB skills and this is important for combative competency and proficiency.
The difference between life and death can be milliseconds and having deliberate decided means and methods of dispatching an enemy with a rifle and bayonet reduced decision making to the minimum and eliminates confusion and hesitation.
Mil CQC courses that include battle handling exercises and sneaker courses where mil unarmed combat combined with bayonet combat, and all other mil non-ballistic weapons/ tools and improvised weapons install capability by common trade-craft practices and as such enhance confidence and competency.
Important fundamentals such as the line and angle of the bayonet for specific bodily targets and means of extension penetration including methods of extraction and retraction all go towards combatant ownership of their rifle with a fixed bayonet.
Battle fitness training with rifle and fixed bayonet or pugil stick on tough terrain including steep battle lances, sand dunes mud runs and on foreshores and in the water with live enemy party or targets provide excellent means to synchronise respiration in targeting combined with running physical fitness.
In civilian hunting the spear has come back into use with pig hunting and as history has proven is an effective hunting tool in stopping even a boar in its tracks.
