Combat knives?(hand to hand)

In the Greek Army (Enginnering), we used to train with hand to hand fights with our bayonettes, sappers was also trained with their ''ptyoskapano'' (little pickaxes).

Edited by Giannis - 04-Aug-2006 at 05:07

Only most commando's have commando knifes I think

There was recently, another thread on this under topic of bayonets, Hand to hand combat is a guaranteed occurrence no matter what war when.

Just going of the topic; Do you think the day of the bayonet maybe coming to an end?

Getting back to bayonets.   Even if their use in combat is decreasing -mainly because the issue of fully automatic assault rifles to virtually ALL front line infantrymen tends to keep one's enemy well away from one, they still have a valid role to play. In Northern Ireland before the issue of the Army's current SA 80, we carried Browning Hi-Power 9 mm. automatic pistols, Sterling sub-machine guns and the SLR 7.62 rifle.  Even at a range of several hundreds of metres, the SLR's bullets would pass through a breeze block wall and several people on the other side, the Browning had punch but lacked accuracy, and the Sterling was fine for the close quarter work needed to empty a room of a few enemy soldiers, but the bayonet, even, when sheathed, was a powerful psychological weapon when waved under people's noses- plus a good poke in the throat with  a sheathed one would invariably spoil the day of even a Londonderry housewife and IRA supporter !  I remember one craggy old infantry sergeant telling me that when he was stationed in Northern Ireland in the early 1950's guarding power stations and bridges from the IRA, he was issued with the SMLE Lee-Enfield .303 rifle. This was a bloody good gun, but at that time it's bayonet was a little 5 inch spike of a thing that the Irish women alwasy used to take the piss out of, alluding to it being no more use than a limp dick !!  He was never so pleased as to get 7 inches of good sharp solid steel on the end of his gun again !  And wouldn't we all !!