Posted on 05/19/2004 6:53:59 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
OUTNUMBERED British soldiers killed 35 Iraqi attackers in the Army’s first bayonet charge since the Falklands War 22 years ago. The fearless Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders stormed rebel positions after being ambushed and pinned down.
Despite being outnumbered five to one, they suffered only three minor wounds in the hand-to-hand fighting near the city of Amara.
The battle erupted after Land Rovers carrying 20 Argylls came under attack on a highway.
After radioing for back-up, they fixed bayonets and charged at 100 rebels using tactics learned in drills.
Charge ... tactics from drills
When the fighting ended bodies lay all over the highway — and more were floating in a nearby river. Nine rebels were captured.
An Army spokesman said: “This was an intense engagement.”
The last bayonet charge was by the Scots Guards and the Paras against Argentinian positions.
What are they, nuts or something?
--Boot Hill
A couple of weeks ago Fox had footage of some insurgents "sneaking" out to an ambush point on the outskirts of Fallujah. They had AK-47s, but the dipsticks were wearing white (either their shirts or those robes some of them wear) and one was even wearing one of those woven skullcap thingies--in off-white. Needless to say, they all ended up dead.
It is not only tolerance, scholarship and the industrial arts that the jihadis have left behind in their silly effort to remain in the 11th Century, but they apparently missed out on some advances in the combat arms as well. like, say, camouflage.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!!
Tommy
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
This should be HEADLINE news around the globe!!! This is the FIRST I've heard of it. An amazing story that deserves several FOLLOW UPs. Very frustrating, these Brits deserve no less.
Even if they had them, training in their use, and in countering those used by the enemy, is very unlikely. From all I've read, they can't shoot them worth a hoot, so bayonet training is even less likely. They seem to be best at firing them into the air, preferably one handed. :)
Especially considering the POS rifle they had to use. It's so short that it really does't make a very good "pig sticker", as is known to be even less reliable than the M-16.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find a picture with the bayonet attached. However I did find this article, from the Sept. 15, 2002 on-line version edition of the London Telegraph , poo-pooing the military utility of the bayonet in the modern era, which I've linked for your amusement.
It's great, every year at graduation (and at other times as well) the college where my wife is a professor, and where my daughters both graduated, they have piper's, in full regalia, lead in the procession, which starts with the regents, then the faculty, and finally the graduates, with those getting Master's degrees bringing up the rear. My daughter just got her MA from there last week. One of the piper was female (I think, at least in the past one has been) and one was rather dark complected for a Scot (but with a name suggestive of origins in a former Brit Colony which retains Brit military traditions), but there were three of them, most I've ever seen at the ceremony. It did tend to limit their repertoires to stuff that all three knew. Somehow they were all wearing the same tartan. The school is (more correctly was) affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, and thus the Scot connection.
You can indeed, right here.
Must be why the ChiComs mount them on their version of the AK (and the SKS for that matter, I just happen to have a pre-import ban Chinese "SKS", with the bayonet (Although I couldn't tell you just where the bayonet might be at the moment, unless I actually put it back on the rifle :) )
Last night, I just happened to turn on the movie ZULU, which had nothing to do with Iraq. Still I was drawn to the British effective use of the Bayonet. Back in WWII, I recall that item of issue then. It was also a real pig sticker, nothing like the one issued today in length.
This is the first time I've seen this story (and it's 3 days after the fact). Have either of you seen it published anywhere else?
Because its never . . ever a good idea to suggest to Scottish Highlander that he is English
well, I know it sure would have caused such a thing with THIS female!!!!!
Alkhin, of the Ferguson Clan
Wrong movie. Let's all watch "Zulu."
LOL! (But the text you're quoting is really from Leisler, whom I'll ping.)
Or as we used to say in Glasgow
"Come ahead ya f*****g b*****d"
A propos of nothing, BTW, I only a few years ago learned (through another family member's geological research) that I'm a MacBain of Scotland through my great-grandfather Bane of West Virginia. I hope that doesn't mean we have a feud to the death or something.
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