A bayonet is a short sword attached to the muzzle of a firearm. The bayonet was placed inside the barrel of the muzzle loading muskets of the late 17th century. The sock or ring bayonet, invented 1700, allowed a weapon to be fired without interruption, leading to the demise of the pike. Since the 1700s, bayonets have evolved into a variety of types. During the Great War, the French used a long needle bayonet, the British a sword bayonet, while the Germans adopted a 'pioneer' bayonet with the rear edge formed into a saw. As armies have become more mechanised, bayonets have tended to decrease in length. Although many military leaders have advocated the use of the bayonet, in practice it has been rarely used. Research Bayonet
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Warfare
Research Bayonet
