Bayonet Charges

[Dave Homewood]

I was listening to a US-made military history podcast the other day, and its topic was the Screaming Eagles (101st Airborne Regt).

In the podcast the narrator was talking about actions after the Normandy invasion in June 1944, and he said that the 101st made "he first bayonet charge of the war for the Allies".

Unbelievable!

That is such utter crap, and yet now probably thousands of people around the world have heard it as it's been online since 2006, and they probably all believe it.

I know for a fact that the New Zealanders charged with fix bayonets on Crete in 1941, up a hill, at a place they called 42nd Street. it's famous because the NCO's were giving their men rugby calls like "Feed the backs" and some of the Maoris involved were chanting with a haka. it was not all Maoris in the charge though, there were a mix of battalions involved.

Later I know the Maori Battalion made a bayonet charge in the battle to take the Mareth Line in 1943. This is detailed in Roger Smiths excellent book 'Up The Blue' as he witnessed it.

And later still in December 1943 or January 1944 the Maori Battalion again made a forceful bayonet charge at Orsogna in Italy to repel a bayonet charge attack being made by German paratroops. The Maoris killed them all.

I am sure these are not the only Allied bayonet charges pre-dating the 101st Airborne's one - in fact I am sure there were probably other kiwi bayonet charges in the Egyptian or Tunisian campaigns too.

Why can Americans not recognise other people's history?

[exkiwiforces]

Dave it doesn’t surprise me about the Yanks having worked with them on and off since 1999 as they seem to think they are best at everything and we don’t need to be taught how to fight and win wars.

The 1st Battalion of Royal Cameron Highlanders conducted a battalion size bayonet attack against the Germans in 1940 between Dunkirk and Lillie when the BEF was fighting for it life.
Two things to note about this attack:
1: The Cameron’s were wearing their Kilts disobeying War office rules (note: like all of the Jock Regiments they did their own thing).
2: The German Battalion they attack was a SS Motor Battalion dismounted.

The 2nd Battalion of the Argyll’s conducted a bayonet attack in and around Singapore

The Australian and New Zealand Divisions like using the bayonet when possible as you have already mention the battle of 42nd street in Crete also there was the retake of Galatas led by the 23rd Battalion of 2NZEF where I think the late Jack Hinton won his VC? The Australians used the bayonet to effect at Tobruk and later in the Jungles of PNG. The most famous Bayonet change I think that ever took place was when the 2NZEF breakout at Minqar Qaim led by 4th Brigade which went thru a German Panzer Battlegroup and pretty much cleaned them up mind you pretty much almost the whole lot of the 2NZEF went thru that same battle group as well.

The Ghurkha battalions were also very good at using the bayonet on a number of times throughout the war.

One last thing the British Army is still using the bayonet in the Gan and Iraq. One such attack that sticks in my mind was when 2003 a platoon from Argyll’s got ambush. It was a choice of stay and die or fix bayonets and charge over 250yds of open ground needless to say the Argyll’s came out on top and it was only when the Argyll’s were doing their re-org they realize they had been out-numbered 3 to 1.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for that, great post.

[exkiwiforces]

Had quick flick through a book called "The Rommel Papers" edited by B.H Liddle-Hart. On page 238 mention that bayonet attack lead by 4th Brigade not only did they hit that Panzer battlegroup but also went onto bounce Rommel's headquarters quote: "The firing between my forces and the New Zealanders grew to an extra-ordinary pitch of violence and my headquarters was soon ring by burning vehicles, making it the target for continuous enemy fire. I soon had a enough off this and ordered the Headquarters and staff to withdraw to the south east. One can scarcely conceive the confusion which reigned that night".

I knew some old boys from the 27th and 2nd Div Cav and when you mention the break out at Minqar Qaim a big wide grin develops with the words "Sit down young fella have I got a story to tell you".

[The Red Baron]

16 September 1939
With his division surrounded and running out of food and ammunition, Brig. Gen. Jozef Kustron of the 21st Polish Mountain Division told his regimental and battalion commanders to release all men who wished to make their way home individually. The general himself had no intention of giving up; he placed himself at the head of his bitter-end volunteers and led them in a headlong attack against the Germans barring their escape route to the Hungarian border.
Kustron was killed leading a wild bayonet charge that disrupted the Germans long enough to allow some of his troops to escape. Part of the division - now well under 4,000 men - joined with 6th Infantry Division to keep fighting, while another group joined a cavalry unit still resisting. The high command disbanded 21st Mountain Division, but Kustron became one of the September Campaign's heroes.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Jan 24, 2014 20:22:48 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Why can Americans not recognise other people's history?

[komata]

KtJ

Re: 'Why can Americans not recognise other people's history?'

It's all to do with one's perspective. If one is convinced that one is the strongest ANYWHERE, (as the USA is), has never been defeated on the battlefield (in a 'conventional' war), and is equally of the belief that no matter what one does, it is 'Right' (although don't analyse that concept too closely). On that basis, naturally one then can 'write' (actually rewrite) history to fit that viewpoint, especially when it is tailored for 'domestic' consumption, ans those to whom you are speaking are prepared to accept your pronouncements as 'truthful' and do not have the ability or inclination to check the facts. 

It's an interesting concept, and is unlikely to change anytime in the immediate future.....

Hope this answers the question.