ORIGIN OF THE BAYONET.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 68, 23 March 1915, Page 6

ORIGIN OF THE BAYONET.

FIRST USED IN 1670. Most people must at some, time or other have speculated as to the origin of the bayonet, the Aveapon of which so much is being heard in the present campaign. In vioAv of this, a note in the “Petit Journal,” of Paris, is interesting:—“lt is to the bayonet, an arm of French origin, that our infantry has always owed the greater, part of its victories. This weapon takes its name from the town in which it was invented—Bayonne. It was in 1641, during an engagement betAveen Basque peasants and .smugglers that this deadly instrument; Avas discovered! Having used up, the ir ammunition, the Basques hit upon the, idea of attaching their knives to the ened of their .muskets, and using them for repulsing their adversaries,, This spontaneous application of a Aveapon, which was still without definite form, entirely changed the system of military art in Europe. The bayonet Ayas used for the first time, in France by the regiment of King’s .Fusiliers in, 1070, In .1674 and 1675 other regiments were, supplied with tile AA'eapon. The Dragoons received it in 1676;,the Grenadiers in 1678. At this time, the bayonet entered the .tube of the gnu, but improvements were made in 1688. The first bayonet charge Was made .in 1703,, at the. battle of Spire. The Aveapon suited so Avell the dash of our , .soldier? that the Prince of Ligne called it a typical French weapon. It has played a most brilliant part in.the history of our military campaigns.”