Overview of Bayonet Charge in IRAQ

Pilgrim · 01-31-2010, 04:32 PM

http://www.military.com/news/article...=1186032325324

Overview of Bayonet Charge in IRAQ
On 21 May 2004, Mahdi militiamen engaged a convoy consisting of approximately 20 British troops from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 55 miles north of Basra.

The battle began when over 100 Mahdi army fighters ambushed two unarmored vehicles transporting around 20 Argylls on the isolated Route Six highway near the southern city of Amarah. Ensconced in trenches along the road, the militiamen fired mortars, rocket propelled grenades, and machine gun rounds. The vehicles stopped and British troops returned fire. The Mahdi barrage caused enough damage to force the troops to exit the vehicles.The soldiers quickly established a defensive perimeter and radioed for reinforcements from the main British base at Amarah – Camp Abu Naji. Reinforcements from the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment assisted the Argyles in an offensive operation against the Mahdi militiamen. When ammunition ran low among the British troops, the decision was made to fix bayonets for a direct assault.

Propaganda by Sunni and Shiite jihadists regularly advertised the perception that American and British soldiers were cowards. Similar rhetoric increased after the battles of Fallujah in April 2004, perhaps to steady the resolve of militia fighters in the face of aggressive coalition attacks.

In addition, British convoys did not engage significantly during previous ambushes, which probably validated the narrative for many Mahdi militiamen. Because many of the Mahdi fighters were teenagers, it is also likely that the Mahdi army used these ambushes for training and recruiting. The attacks were an opportunity for young fighters to use weapons in combat with little risk of serious reprisal.

In short, the bayonet charge not only surprised the Mahdi militiamen, it also debunked the perception that coalition troops were reluctant fighters seeking to avoid conflict.

The British soldiers charged across 600 feet of open ground toward enemy trenches. They engaged in intense hand-to-hand fighting with the militiamen. Despite being outnumbered and lacking ammunition, the Argylls and Princess of Wales troops routed the enemy. The British troops killed about 20 militiamen in the bayonet charge and between 28 and 35 overall. Only three British soldiers were injured.This incident marked the first time in 22 years that the British Army used bayonets in action. The previous incident occurred during the Falklands War in 1982.

"I wanted to put the fear of God into the enemy. I could see some dead bodies and eight blokes, some scrambling for their weapons. I’ve never seen such a look of fear in anyone’s eyes before. I’m over six feet; I was covered in sweat, angry, red in the face, charging in with a bayonet and screaming my head off. You would be scared, too."

Corporal Brian Wood
Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment

"There was a lot of aggression and a lot of hand-to-hand fighting. It wasn’t a pleasant scene. Some did get cut with the blades of the bayonet as we tumbled around, but in the end, they surrendered and were controlled. I do wonder how they regard life so cheaply.

Some of these Iraqis in those trenches were 15 years old – against trained soldiers."

Colonel Mark Byers
Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment

A crucial distinction during the bayonet charge was the professional discipline of the British troops in contrast to the disunity and confusion of the militia fighters. Irregular militia often fight with passion and benefit from knowledge of the local terrain. Professional soldiers, however, formally trained in tactics and squad unity can often overcome these and other obstacles. During the bayonet charge, the soldiers rarely lost their nerve and not a single soldier lost his life.
Many of the militiamen fled.

Onyx · 01-31-2010, 05:49 PM

That will be a nice little story to tell back at the cave.
'' And they got out and charged us with bayonets, we had to flee''

Cheops · 02-01-2010, 09:52 AM

Old story but still a good find.

Mother Fuckers charged 600 feet with bayonets and engaged a superior force, numbers wise, and smoked them!! Hahahaha fucking ragheads!!

mangler65 · 02-02-2010, 03:09 AM

Good to see the British getting back their fighting reputation. After that surrender by the British sailors to the Iranians a couple of years ago I was embarrased for them. What was once the worlds mightiest navy had surrendered without firing a shot.

The armies of Britain AND the US need to go back to holding personnell to account by what we have in America as the code of conduct. It's technically illegal to surrende while you have the means to resist. If you remember back during the war in Yugoslavia some soldiers surrendered to the Serbs while their .50 cal machine gun never even came out of the ready position. One of them even recieved a purple heart because he got a chipped tooth when a Serb punched him in the mouth. It's shit like that that kills our reputation among our enemies and gives them the heart to fight us.

Good for the Brits in that story though. They made sure the enemy knows western fighting men aren't paper tigers.

01-31-2010, 04:32 PM	#1
Pilgrim Be somebody. Be a HO. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wherever the military sends me... Posts: 6,263 Rep Power: 64	Overview of Bayonet Charge in IRAQ http://www.military.com/news/article...=1186032325324 Overview of Bayonet Charge in IRAQ On 21 May 2004, Mahdi militiamen engaged a convoy consisting of approximately 20 British troops from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 55 miles north of Basra. The battle began when over 100 Mahdi army fighters ambushed two unarmored vehicles transporting around 20 Argylls on the isolated Route Six highway near the southern city of Amarah. Ensconced in trenches along the road, the militiamen fired mortars, rocket propelled grenades, and machine gun rounds. The vehicles stopped and British troops returned fire. The Mahdi barrage caused enough damage to force the troops to exit the vehicles.The soldiers quickly established a defensive perimeter and radioed for reinforcements from the main British base at Amarah – Camp Abu Naji. Reinforcements from the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment assisted the Argyles in an offensive operation against the Mahdi militiamen. When ammunition ran low among the British troops, the decision was made to fix bayonets for a direct assault. Propaganda by Sunni and Shiite jihadists regularly advertised the perception that American and British soldiers were cowards. Similar rhetoric increased after the battles of Fallujah in April 2004, perhaps to steady the resolve of militia fighters in the face of aggressive coalition attacks. In addition, British convoys did not engage significantly during previous ambushes, which probably validated the narrative for many Mahdi militiamen. Because many of the Mahdi fighters were teenagers, it is also likely that the Mahdi army used these ambushes for training and recruiting. The attacks were an opportunity for young fighters to use weapons in combat with little risk of serious reprisal. In short, the bayonet charge not only surprised the Mahdi militiamen, it also debunked the perception that coalition troops were reluctant fighters seeking to avoid conflict. The British soldiers charged across 600 feet of open ground toward enemy trenches. They engaged in intense hand-to-hand fighting with the militiamen. Despite being outnumbered and lacking ammunition, the Argylls and Princess of Wales troops routed the enemy. The British troops killed about 20 militiamen in the bayonet charge and between 28 and 35 overall. Only three British soldiers were injured.This incident marked the first time in 22 years that the British Army used bayonets in action. The previous incident occurred during the Falklands War in 1982. "I wanted to put the fear of God into the enemy. I could see some dead bodies and eight blokes, some scrambling for their weapons. I’ve never seen such a look of fear in anyone’s eyes before. I’m over six feet; I was covered in sweat, angry, red in the face, charging in with a bayonet and screaming my head off. You would be scared, too." Corporal Brian Wood Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment "There was a lot of aggression and a lot of hand-to-hand fighting. It wasn’t a pleasant scene. Some did get cut with the blades of the bayonet as we tumbled around, but in the end, they surrendered and were controlled. I do wonder how they regard life so cheaply. Some of these Iraqis in those trenches were 15 years old – against trained soldiers." Colonel Mark Byers Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment A crucial distinction during the bayonet charge was the professional discipline of the British troops in contrast to the disunity and confusion of the militia fighters. Irregular militia often fight with passion and benefit from knowledge of the local terrain. Professional soldiers, however, formally trained in tactics and squad unity can often overcome these and other obstacles. During the bayonet charge, the soldiers rarely lost their nerve and not a single soldier lost his life. Many of the militiamen fled.

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01-31-2010, 05:49 PM	#2
Onyx EmeraldDragon's eternal loveslave Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: a stones throw away Posts: 5,791 Rep Power: 73	That will be a nice little story to tell back at the cave. '' And they got out and charged us with bayonets, we had to flee''

02-01-2010, 09:52 AM	#3
Cheops HO's 2nd 100,000 rep whore and reigning champion. Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4,683 My Mood: Rep Power: 104	Old story but still a good find. Mother Fuckers charged 600 feet with bayonets and engaged a superior force, numbers wise, and smoked them!! Hahahaha fucking ragheads!!

02-02-2010, 03:09 AM	#4
mangler65 Resident Toyota hater Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 675 Rep Power: 8	Good to see the British getting back their fighting reputation. After that surrender by the British sailors to the Iranians a couple of years ago I was embarrased for them. What was once the worlds mightiest navy had surrendered without firing a shot. The armies of Britain AND the US need to go back to holding personnell to account by what we have in America as the code of conduct. It's technically illegal to surrende while you have the means to resist. If you remember back during the war in Yugoslavia some soldiers surrendered to the Serbs while their .50 cal machine gun never even came out of the ready position. One of them even recieved a purple heart because he got a chipped tooth when a Serb punched him in the mouth. It's shit like that that kills our reputation among our enemies and gives them the heart to fight us. Good for the Brits in that story though. They made sure the enemy knows western fighting men aren't paper tigers.