COLD STEEL!

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 227, 29 October 1914, Page 6

COLD STEEL!

RUSSIAN BRILLIANCE WITH BAYONET. GOSPEL OF THE SLAV SOLDIEE. After the brilliant Russian bayonet charges at Gumbinnen it may be interesting to consider the use of cold steel by the Russian troops (comments Lieut.Colonel Roustan Bek in the "Express"). Napoleon himself admitted after his enormous army had tasted the Russian bayonet charge that with such men he would '' conquer the world." The Slavonic nations are • born for fighting with eold steel, and their bayonet attack is a terrible one. History shows that the Russians in close fighting were always victorious. The vast, conquest in Asia and .the success in the long wars with Turkey prov& it. : For instance, during the Russo-Tur-kish war the Turkish army had better rifles than the Russians. The Turks were armed with the- Martini-Henry, when only the Russian Fusiliers and the Life Guard Regiments had the Berdan. Even the artillery of the enemy was superior. But, nevertheless, Shipka, Kara, and Plevna were taken, and the bayonet charge and attaeks by Russian Cossacks and regular cavalry" played a very important part. The famous Russian Field-Marshal Souvoroff fully Tealised that, and Mb troops used, the bayonet as the most important weapon. The Deadly Bayonet.

'The Japanese experienced the Russian - bayonet change," ipd did not like it. At the beginning of; the War, during the Yalu battle, the remainder of the 11th and 12th East Siberian " Fusiliers, surrounded by about-three divisions of the enemy, cut their way through with bayo- , nets only and saved, their honour and their- colours. It Was a* splendid sight when they reached "- the headquarters, few in numbers, but with the colours — I all wounded, covered with dust and blood. On the forts" and entrenchments of Port Arthur the Japanese were always , repulsed with bayonets, and only the of the enemy's artillery made them preponderant. They swarmed into the forts, which were abandoned and blown up /by ' Russians, and sometimes bayonet struggles took place in the underground galleries. The great Russian strategist, General Dragomiroff who, next to Skobeleff, was the best judge of the temper of the Russian soldier, said: "The bullet is stupid, the bayonet is always clever." , The French army during the ISTapoleonic wars learned from the Russians how to charge with bayonets. The Bulgars and Servians, pupils of Russia, imbibed the love for the bayonet, and we can see the results of this method alike in the recent Balkan war and in the successes of the Servians over the Austrians. The English, who as sportsmen are good fighters with swords and bayonets, have used it in their wars, and they know how the Russians, though in a-minority, used the bayonet at the storming of the Malakoff. Now the gallant British soldiers 'have tried it on the Germans, and they will not forget it, I fancy. Defensive Tactics. Germany has 2 always been auxious to develop this kind of fighting in her army an«\-to reach the same standard as exists in Russia and France, but duringmy long sojourn in Germany, watching I the progress of the army, I always had j the impression that the German soldier will never be so good in a charge with bayonets as my countrymen or the French. The Germans'are good shots; that is all. And as we see now, they use their bayonets only when they..are forced to do so, of after the battle to kill wounded or flying enemies or peaceful inhabitants. In defensive fighting the Russians are the most powerful with bayonets —that is well-known. In taking the offensive they attack under cover of fusiliers dispersed in what they call,/' chains." The reserve moves forward quickly, firing while on the move until within » fifty feet of the enemy, then the officers.give , a shout of "Hurrah!?' and.the reserve as well as the men of the ."chain" throw themselves on the enemy. Of course it is very difficult in face of mbdern firearms to approach within such a short distance of the enemy, but.' the Russians during the Russo-Japanese war learned how to do ,it from the Japanese, who were really incomparableat marfoeuvres of this kind. , Every Russian soldier knows by heart the memorandum which was 1 left, to the Russian army by the late General Dra- -j gomiroff. .It is very characteristic, and <• Britain ought to know \X. It runs in arough translation-thus: — You must perish yourself, but you must relieve your comrades. Always press forward; though the front lines are beaten. Do not be afraid to*, die; though you are in difficulties, know" that you will succeed. "Attack the Enemy." If you see that if is difficult for you,, think how difficult; perhaps even more difficult, it is for .your- enemy; the difference is that you feel what is difficult - for you, and do not feel now your adversary is suffering. So never despair, but always be obstinate and bold. On the defensive you must beat and not only repulse. The best defensive is to attack the enemy. In battle he who is more obstinate and gallant will always be superior to the stronger and better trained. You cannot win victory at once; theenemy can also fight. Very often success - cannot be won at the first, second, or - third attempt; then try a fourth, and go On until you cannot help but win. The really gallant detachment has neither rear nor flanks; it has only a--front on all sides. If the enemy is neaiy. always take hint on with the bayonet. If he is distant,, then, to begin with, use fire, and then / the bayonet. There is no -position from which you. cannot go out with, honour. Once you are in the fighting line there -■ is no changing your position; yOu remain there until the end; help, may be sent,, but you remain. .... During the struggle help only the uninjured; do not think about the wounded; otherwise will turn craven..There are those who will attend to the • wounded in due time. This splendid instruction for a warrior is called, '' The Evangel of a Rus- - si an Soldier," The Germans translated it and introduced it in their army, butin Russia there is a typical proverb:— "What is healthy-for a Russian isdeath for a German."