CHAPTER IV.

The Hand-to-Hand Fight.

THE SLASH. . . . THE BUTT STROKE. . . . THE DAGGER AND ITS USE. . . . KICKS, STONES AND HELMETS. . . . KILL OR BE KILLED. . . . LIGHTNING REACTIONS.

Here are some butt strokes. Again there are no rules, and the idea which works best, wins.

The Butt Stroke: From "On Guard" swing the butt in a circular movement, bringing the toe of the butt to the jaw or ribs or even against the forearm of the enemy if the other positions are "covered." Use force.

Again, the rifle can be gripped in the vertical position and the toe of the butt brought up with force into the opponent's crutch or stomach. He won't like that.

In training follow the butt stroke with the slash. This means bringing the butt back into the "On Guard" position, and while doing so the slash is made with force across the face or neck.

All these movements require practice, with care taken not to use force or hurt one another. In training, keep out of range.

The Answer to the Butt Stroke: Suppose, having parried the bayonet, the butt stroke is used against you. Seize the butt of your opponent's rifle with the left hand: with your right hand grasp the barrel near the enemy's left. Next, twist the rifle up-wards and over his left shoulder, at the same time kneeing him hard in the crutch. He will let go and you can then finish off the job with his rifle.

The Dagger or Fixed Knife: The first rule about a dagger in war time is to carry it in an accessible place. A sheath could be improvised let into the seam on the right side of the trouser at the knee. Be sure to learn through continual practise how quickly you can draw it, and go on practising until this quick draw becomes second nature, for when life or death hangs on a split second, it is useless to fumble.

The dagger will come in usefully for many purposes apart from actual fighting, but here is one illustration of how it can be used to save your life. Suppose you are attacked in the dark by a powerful enemy who has got hold of your rifle. Surprise him by making him a gift of it, and with the speed of greased lightning make him a further present of your dagger through his throat, heart or stomach.

If by any chance you have no dagger in such a situation, let the rifle go and dive in a flying tackle - as in Rugger - for his feet. The surprise consequent on your relinquishing the rifle will make it simple to unbalance him. Violent kicks are then indicated while you make an attempt at the same time to recover your weapon.

THE FIGHT

During training it should be impressed on recruits that the purpose of bayonet practice is to provide fundamental teaching. This ground work, having been learned and practised until it has become instinctive, when the real thing starts, confidence and intelligence will tell you what to do and when to do it.

Imagine that you have just polished off one Nazi and come back to "On Guard" when another rushes at you. As he thinks he has his bayonet through you, you side-step and fool him. Next you approach each other, each making feints for an opening. This is done by pretending to go for the face and then alternately the body and seizing an opening or beating the opponent's weapon aside, to get your thrust home. He flings his rifle at you, but you jump aside, he then leaps towards you with his dagger, but you are in time to parry his arm with your rifle, using your butt, but he steps clear. As you do so he jams his heavy boot on to your instep. Luckily the ground is soft and you can still stand.

By now, you are both growling and grimacing at one another and behaving pretty much like savages. Remember that in this form of warfare he is the more successful who inspires the greater fear, and from your own point of view the noise you make bucks you up no end in the dirty game of hand-to-hand combat.

You rush over to prevent him from regaining his rifle, but as you do so he grabs a stone and hurls it at your head. You duck and his bluff has worked, for he has seized your rifle and in the struggle he forces it from you, having used the back-heel to unbalance you.

But before he has time to stab you, you have rolled clear, leapt to your feet and skimmed your helmet straight into his teeth. The rest should be easy.

One could continue indefinitely with tips and ideas. Use your orthodox methods of fighting— the parry and long point and short point—but they may have to be augmented for rough and tumble methods as the occasion demands. At close quarters all kinds of "dirty work" may be required to finish the job. The great thing about hand-to-hand fighting is to keep your intelligence mobile, to seize every opportunity and to be always prepared to shift your plan of attack with hardly a second's notice. Every fight differs from every other fight: no one can do more for you than suggest possible combinations of circumstances; in the end it is each man for himself. Practise until your reactions come like lightning and nothing can baffle you.