Why BRITISH ARMY Infantry Officers STOPPED carrying SWORDS
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- Опубликовано: 26 фев 2021
- Many people make assumptions about why British Army infantry officers stopped carrying swords (in most cases) on active service. But I think there is one factor, above all, which we find solid evidence for in both the 2nd Anglo-Boer War and World War One.
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Развлечения
What a wasted opportunity. the obvious answer is to give everyone a sword.
I know right.
Sprinting across No Man's Land with a scabbard dangling between your legs? (I know, you weren't being serious)
@@siestatime4638 It's not a scabbard dangling *between* your legs, but I agree that sometimes the unnamed dangler is a bit too big and gets in the way.
@@siestatime4638 a metal scabbard is a weapon too...also psychological warfare, who do you shoot...and by virtue all are saying if we make it to your trench, you WILL be maimed
Nah, they should have invested into officer armor.
That way, when the enemy snipes an officer, the officer can just tank the bullet like a badass, heavily decreasing enemy moral while increasing the moral of allies.
"Don't forget your stick Lieutenant". "Cor, thanks Captain. I wouldn't want to face the German machineguns without this."
Do you have a cunning plan?
@@Tsototar Pencils up my nose and underpants on my head.
@@steveholmes11 I remember I had to shoot a whole platoon for trying that.
Gilmaris what whibble
Blackadder goes Forth?
“Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed”
-some MadLad.
Indeed.
Also bagpipes and a longbow.
@@mattaffenit9898 Who got a confirmed kill with that long bow.
@@shanehudson3995
Pretty sure there were several, but he did kill an officer with it.
Mad Jack Churchill - absolute legend. Replace some nouns in the accounts of Jack Churchill and it could quite easily be a Spartan legend.
@@donkmeister
Actually... yeah. Very similar pithy humor and economic use of words.
"If."
That one's my favorite. So's "Neither."
A Portuguese officer of the special forces once said to me: "If you really want to get rid of someone in the field, salute them every time, regardless of whether they are an officer or not. - The rest will take care of itself."
Haha well he must have been from Madeira
@@richardcostello360Well, are the islanders known for their efficiency? He explained me too, why in Drugwar in Southamerica they cut off the ears of the shot down villains. Ears are easier then Fingers to cut off for DNA-Identification
The officer's primary weapon are the men underneath him. Any other weapon they may be carrying is a side arm. The Second Lieutenant's primary weapon is their platoon.
Spot on.
An officer's ammunition load should be primarily viewed as resupply for the platoon. If the officer is actively engaged in a firefight they should probably reevaluate their priorities.
Old Army adage: “if the LT and the RTO are engaging targets... you’re in the shit”
@@nicksmith2680 My father was a US Army SF radioman in Vietnam c., and he said the same thing when I told him the outline of the video.
Actually, as a old NCO, you left us out. We are the officer's weapon. We carry both offensive and defensive weaponry depending on the situation. The platoon is simply the leading edge of the offensive weapon. Without their NCOs, an Officer is just another paper pusher.
Same reason that armies stopped saluting in the field. We used to joke and salute saying "sniper check sir."
There's a story like that in Don Valentine's book "Strap Hanger". He was at Khe Sanh with 5th SFG and an enemy sniper shot at him, so his SF buddies thought it was hilarious to keep saluting him whenever he walked by.
When I was stationed at Ft Hood in the late 80's we had an officer who during his return slate and reply was SAME TOO YOU 1 day I asked him why he said I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING
@@mr_n_luvs69nieman82 knows a bit about his troops
“We”
Two Comments -
1) As an infantry platoon leader in 1975, I was issued a pistol and scabbard (in addition to a rifle), binoculars and case and a dispatch case. Felt it made me an obvious target.
2) One possible reason for the persistence of the sword was that it was considered ungentlemanly and unsoldierly to deliberately aim at an enemy up until at least the end of the Napoleonic Wars (despite that was what light troops and riflemen did - they were a distinct minority)
The perfect example was at Zorndorf, where Frederick the Great, conducting a recon, spotted an Austrian Pandour aiming at him from behind a tree. Frederick rode up to the man and berated the man for his conduct and the man lowered his weapon in respect !
You were issued a scabbard but no sword? (I come from 2 years in the future, don't be scared)
This is why officers in field today look like a ordinary soldier on a distance, with the markings being subdued
Why British Army infantry officers stopped carrying swords
Mad Jack: Is this some sort of joke Im too badass to understand?
No, he just considered them improperly dressed
Had to check that someone mentioned him. Thank you for not letting me down!
When your balls are as big as Jack's must have been a sword and bagpipe is no big deal
Of your officer doesnt carry a sword then he's not in uniform.
He also carried a longbow (he was a medalled champion) and had the only confirmed kill by bow plus .... a bagpipe.
Matt Easton: An officer's #1 priority is to stay alive!
Lloyd: BRITISH OFFICERS DON'T DUCK!!
To quote a German Soldier on D-Day as to why they did not shoot the guy playing bagpipes on the beach, "We thought he was mad".
One is obviously from early in the war while the other is from late in the war: At some point the Germans figured out that officers were merely idling decoys distracting the enemy from the sergeants doing the actual work.
@@mnk9073
Ouch.
They absolutely do crouch or otherwise take cover when the situation warrentes it, though.
British Officers No1 prioty is to defend The Crown.
The 'old uncles' in my family told us a lot of stories about the 1st and 2nd Boer Wars. One uncle even had a Wilkinson sword on display in his farm house, when I was little, which he had ploughed out of one of his fields one day. They said their parents had a lot of respect for the British officers, but not for the high command (scorched earth, concentration camps...). One story I heard was before ordering the burning down of a farm, the officer played on the family's piano to calm them down, shed a tear, then ordered everything to be burnt... very dramatic. Also, yes, we've been told this as children, the officers were targeted especially because they could be distinguished.
Someone once told me their father had a phobia of canned apricots. While fighting in Korea, every time they got apricots, one of his friends died. It seems the polished inside of can lids was giving away their position.
Good video! I like your line of reasoning
This makes a lot of sense. Similarly, the U.S. military, known at home for saluting officers, actually forbids it in areas at risk for enemy surveillance.
Swedish home guard militia also never formally salute their own officers for similiar reasons. So nowdays the platoon radio man is the most endangered type of soldier in the field until the FN MAG machinegun or Carl Gustaf recoilless voices their presence on the field...
XD
So are Indians. There's no salute on field, neither any insignias
The priority is to cut off the head of the enemy and break down control. Which is why we always taught to shoot the man with the antenna and then the man shouting and waving his arms. Simplified, of course, but a good guideline. When swords were no longer carried in the first world war the enemy was directed to shoot at the men with skinny legs (riding breeches) because they were the officers. The man on the ground is always looking for the edge and we learn from this experience which is why today there is no distinction between officers and men in field dress, at least in our army, and I suspect that in regard to the saluting thing in areas of risk most armies have flagged it away. There is a story that when general Montgomery visited the NZ division in North Africa he complained that the Kiwis were not much on saluting and General Freyburg replied that if he waved they would generally wave back.
@@HaurakiVetAustralian and South African troops were like that as well 😂
When your military is nearly all professional hunters and farmers you learn just how easy you stick out from the pack
A soldier's weapon is his rifle; an officer's weapon is his platoon.
Specifically, his cavalry scout and his radio. Properly used, whatever is bothering said officer won't be for long.
Ahh, so thats why Richard Sharpe. Sharpe’s Eagle - Bernard Cornwell (1981*) survived all those adventures…He insisted on carrying a rifle like his men.
*First book in the Sharpe’s series published, but eighth chronologically, new readers should start with Sharpe’s Tiger. (1997)
He also had a big old cavalry sword that came in handy from time to time :)
@@antonionotmyrealnamo6333 Yes, yes he did. But remember his unit was from the 95th rifles and those close to him were chosen men i.e. the snipers of the day.
Ye carried a sword in the TV series.
@@DonMeaker Yes, yes he did. But, and its a big but. He was from the 95th rifles and the men in his unit were chosen men or the snipers of the day.
Woah that’s Colonel Sharpe now, FILTH!
Very interesting! Like your Boer war reference. My family owns a farm on the modder river. You showed a picture in your video. We have been on that farm for 5 generations now. I have found ammunition, tent spikes, buttons, etc . There was even a foundation for a building which we believe was used by the British forces to cross the river. Very much appreciate your video....
General rule of thumb:
Look unimportant, the enemy may be running low on ammunition.
(This is why Aircraft Carriers are lovingly called "Missile Magnets")
When have any wvwe been hir. y missiles?
The anecdotal example was nelson, told to wear a plainer uniform to not draw fire, said that if the enemy are shooting at him then they arent shooting at the men doing the important work at that point of the battle. Got shot.
@@andrewshaw1571 ... but at that point he had won the battle ...
@@memyshelfandeye318 yeah but that doesnt mean he won the war, he did in this case but world wars are a bit bigger and require an even larger step backwards
Based on my extensive investigation of kung-fu movies, swords should always be carried to cut bullets in half before they can strike the soldier. Additionally all uniforms should have long sleeves to crack like a whip on an opponent's fingers, and a pair of chopsticks to be thrown fifty yards into a target's eyes.
One soldier of each platoon shall act as a comic relief and be issued a hidden technique thought lost by the enemy.
@DANIEL BIN OMAR - Preferably both!
I feel that in not watching kung fu movies as a child, I was denied a critical education.
I can add after observing my long lived European grandfather and uncles that there no mightier a defense than a solid beard.
Modern Proof: Chuck Norris - alive and healthy
Clean-shaven Bruce Lee: Not as healthy...RIP
'and a pair of chopsticks to be thrown fifty yards into a target's eyes.'
also for killing flies.
fantastically interesting, wonderful to see that new evidence.
Considering the timing I was expecting some toilet humor ngl.
To be honest the sword has became useless in the era of the Machete, Machine Gun and Assault rifle. The chances of charging anyone successfully with a sword is basically zero, plus its extra weight that could be better put towards carrying either a Machete or more bullets. Or extra medical supplies.
very interesting
We also know that officers were more targeted during the American civil war as well.
Lessons of the Boer War forgotten in just twelve years.
@@darktimes9489you really have no concept of CQC . The basic truth is most officer's aren't worth their weight anyway. After the Civil War in America officer's are in the rear with the gear.
As for usefulness a long knives will always be useful. But they require training to be very deadly.
I attended Sandhurst ten years ago and swords were still part of the uniform -- an expensive part, but a part nonetheless. They may not carry them into battle but they are still part of the kit.
I'll bet that you perform all sword drill in a slovenly rupertian manner sir!
You may recall that Wellington repeated ordered his officers to leave their umbrellas in the baggage. For the same reason. A clump of open umbrellas on the battlefield would signal to a French artilleryman that here was an excellent target.
Having said that, of course, it appears that the order was more honored in the breach than the observance; because the order was reissued periodically throughout the Peninsular campaign and accounts say that on the day of Waterloo the rain got heavy enough at some point that the Duke himself wound up sheltering under one of his subordinates umbrellas.
Very interesting!
@@scholagladiatoria Elizabeth [I think] Langford, "Wellington: The Years of the Sword."
I knew about Wellington's aversion to his officers carrying umbrella, but didn't know it was because it made them more of a target than they were anyway. His orders were, as you say, largely ignored - there is a historical account of the senior officers of one battalion sheltering under a collection of them the night before Waterloo.
@@nickdougan394 I believe, if I remember my source correctly, his objection was only to them carrying umbrellas in actual combat. That is in view of the enemy.
Wellington was, of course, of the class that would carry an umbrella. :)
"He (Digby) also took an umbrella with his kit as a means of identification because he had trouble remembering passwords and felt that anyone who saw him with it would think that "only a bloody fool of an Englishman" would carry an umbrella into battle." - Wikipedia
"relatively rapid fire"
Bloke on the Range has entered the chat.
The Mad Minute: Am I a joke to you?
Priority: Staying alive
Also: Not ducking when under fire.
Flipped it on it's head. Before, when accurate fire was pretty impossible, having a symbol of an officer - waving swords around - was an advantage. Better morale, and visibility to your own side.
At trafalgar, Nelson was asked not to wear his officers uniform as it made him a target. And look how that ended!
The problem is, Officers act like officers.
@@DonMeaker but if they didn't then there wouldn't be any point in having them.
there are tines a corps commanders life doesn´t count
"I see no ships"
A decent degree of officer culling is essential in forging an effective fighting force. Young talented officers need space to progress to more senior command.
The solution is giving common soldiers swords aswell.
Try carrying a yard of steel on your belt for a day. Then find an area that might resemble a battlefield where you might spend considerable time taking cover and raising.
Even carrying a pistol in holster takes some effort.
If they did that then they would ALL be sniped.
The sword has became useless in the era of the Machete, Machine Gun and Assault rifle. The chances of charging anyone successfully with a sword is basically zero, plus its extra weight that could be better put towards carrying either a Machete or more bullets. Or extra medical supplies.
I think a gladius. The deadliest blade devised my man. Not too long to get in the way carrying. But lethal chopping and thrusting. I am not suggesting drawing swords and charging machine guns. But for close work, quiet work and hand to hand combat it is ideal. Would scare the byJesus out of the enemy for that matter.
A friend of mine who was a soldier said that if could carry anything beyond his official load it would be extra ammunition and water.
Not gonna lie, I saw the thumbnail and wondered why Richard O'Brian from The Crystal Maze was stood holding a sword and a Webley.
In the U.S. Army we called saluting an officer in the field a “sniper check”.
Aussies just started calling officers by their name or a nickname .
Cool what was your MOS?
@@tray-oq1nj Started off 12B while active. No engineers in Colorado so I switched to 13B in the NG while I was in college.
@@s4agilbert awesome 11m/11c here
@@tray-oq1nj Had some good friends who were infantry when I was stationed in Korea. Worked with you guys a lot wherever I was stationed.
Similar things happened in the 18th century with the British Army in North American. Officers and Sargents used lighter muskets versus pole arms, and officers not wearing gorgets.
Interesting!
True, but the bulk of the campaigning fell to the "light bobs", who had already made those reforms.
Someone once asked me why the British aristocracy did not avoid service in WW1 like people did in Vietnam. I had to explain that with the old Empire mindset, should a member of the aristocracy try to avoid service they were very likely to be presented with a loaded pistol by their wife, father or possibly under the morning Times by their personal valet.
"should a member of the aristocracy try to avoid service they were very likely to be presented with a loaded pistol by their wife, father or possibly under the morning Times by their personal valet."
That was extreme, but I do concur to the underlying values of that stance.
We should bring it back.
@@Briselance I suspect that you would probably receive at least one, possibly even two, white feathers in envelopes on the hall stand first.
To be fair thought the British aristocrats became aristocrats by being warriors (knight)
While in some other places you became an aristocrat by being a merchant and well merchants pay other people to fight
My king has need of me.
And tub Alton from school, if our king grants him the commission.
@@myparceltape1169 Sandor Clegane has entered the chat
This is a very informative video and a great point made. I remember reading a book about a British division of rifles in the Peninsular War, and the same point was made by the author there - French officers facing these longer ranged and more accurate guns had a massive casualty rate as they were easily identified and picked off.
Robert Graves (Author of I, Claudius) in “Goodbye to all that), his autobiography, refers to purchasing a Bowie knife to replace his sword. He was an officer in the Royal Welch Fusiliers during WWI.
As of 1922, all British soldiers were armed with sling-bags filled with pommels, rendering all other weapons redundant.
I mean bullets are just fast & tiny pommels
@@hagnartheviking6584 Indeed they are 🤣
I had an uncle who'd served in the Pommeleer Guards.
We found a box of 'still active' ones in his shed. Had to call the authorities and get them made safe.
My immediate reaction to reading the title was "because you can't parry mustard gas?"
*fuckin watch me*
*Any anime swordsman has entered the chat*
Only if you're a filthy casual.
Good video. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into them.
Prior to the advent of accurate rifles; the black powder era; I imagine the officer's sword would have come in awfully handy. Especially if their side's nearing the point of defeat and they became a target for capture. And, to be sure, an officer would have made a valuable captive. Maybe they want information out of you. Maybe a prisoner exchange is their goal. Or maybe just ransom.. If your enemy is attempting to capture you, they aren't necessarily going to be doing so at gunpoint. Shooting you would sort of defeat the purpose having attempted to capture you alive in the first place. So, I imagine that in the last stages of an ill-fated battle, melee combat could have been an all-to likely possibility.
A musket with a bayonet is actually not a particularly good melee weapon. An officer, who likely wont have to defend himself until the enemy was right on top of him, would be well served with a sword.
@@jarvy251exactly.......an officer would be "fresh in the fight" after you've slogged through his army.....he'd also be trained in fencing 😂
I was watching this, and I was reminded of how H. H Munro (Saki) was killed in WWI: he saw a private soldier smoking a cigarette, and told him "Put out that bloody cigarette", as it was dark, and snipers could take aim by the glow of a lit cigarette.
They also could take aim from a voice, and a sniper did indeed do so. He was, however, an NCO and not an officer, as he had actually turned down a commission to join the fusiliers as a trooper. He was lance-sergeant when he was killed.
I remembered funny thing: as child I was reading novels by Louis Boussenard (not that these are credible sources :) ) and in at least on of them speaking about Boer he mentioned that British officers stopped wearing white scarfs exactly because they were sniped by Boers.
A solid argument as always! The other factors like cramped trenches and changing warfare are meaningful, but you cut right to the bone of the issue with the targeting of officers. I like the emphasis of defense kits versus offense kits as well.
Absolute fascinating, how you can talk about this simple fact for more than 1/4 of an hour.
But is really a great pleasure listening to you as you use the power of speech rather than bombarding us with archive footage. Well done.
BTW don't forget our friend "Mad Jack" Churchill who used a sword in WWII and had the motto: "Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed."
Fantastic guy👍🏻
Any officer could have just retorted: "Efficiency is proper". :-P
He also carried a longbow and was in the habit of rallying his men with the bagpipes!
Churchill sold the British people out to the globalist
My great great grand dad, was a co in the german jäger corps from early 1915 till 1918, my dad known him I don't. He had to participate on the battle of the somme and he noted in his diary, that the british officers were so easy to pic out, because they had still normal hats and the normal troops had helmets.
Also he was one of the first stormtroopers co, he carried a mauser c96 (no red 9) and a trench knife, both of them are still in the family tody. His sword (was shortend for trench combat) was lost in a attack in late 1915. He also stated that he liked the c96 other the Luger, because he coud carry more ammo with him and the wooden holster / stock was not prone to shrinking in bad weathe as the leather holster of the luger. Also the luger was prone to jamming in the most bad times, so superstition might also played a role in his choise to use a c96 other a luger.
PS: old german writing is thery hard to read, so I hope there are no big errors in my translation.
I am also german, not Britta herself, her boyfriend. About ten years ago, my grandmothers sister, born 1916, died. Every year at my birthday a letter arrived, containing a 20 Mark or Euro bill and a postcard with the words : Alles Gute zum Geburtstag wünscht dir Berta. ( about: Best wishes to your birthday from Berta). The words had been still written in ,Sütterlin' style. One day i showed such a postcard to my coworkers, and the nongerman ones told me, that they had never seen this style of handwriting before.
Es gibt Zufälle, meine Oma heißt auch Berta😀👍
Your great great grandad?? How old are you kid?
@@joefriday8607 My great grandfather lived 102 years, went through both WW.
Whoa. Your father knew and was able to speak with his great grandfather? O_o
Interesting, convincing - I like that you laid the groundwork for your arguement then hit us with the why. Subscribed!
Great video and interesting topic. Thank you!
Officers finally realized the main weapon to be wielded was bureaucracy.
Yeah, let them walk around with a typewriter.
@@sergelecluse0001 From Black Hawk Down "Grimes: Didn't I just say, "Don't ask"? Look, kid, you look like you're about twelve, so let me explain something to you. I have a rare and mysterious skill that precludes me from going on any missions.
Blackburn: Typing.
Grimes: Can you type?"
An enemy can't shoot you if you hand them a 30-page kill-requisition form to fill out first.
They probably realized that most of the time the officers just needed weapons to discipline people.
@@JeffHays This ability, to type, got my dad promoted to headquarters company, 4th ID, in Vietnam. Someone has to process the paperwork.
Great stuff Matt. My grandmother, in old age, used a lovely walking stick that had been carried by her brother in the Battle of the Somme (presumably along with a pistol). By 1918 it was common for officers to carry rifles, although I am not sure it was ever official policy - waving a "swagger stick" around was a bit of a giveaway as well, even if it wasn't shiny. This was the point is history where officers rank badges moved from prominent ones on the sleeve to more discrete ones on the shoulder.
When I served as an infantry officer I, of course, was issued a rifle. I admit a tendency to fire it rather than observing and directing, and there were those who suggested that officers ought to carry a rifle - but not to load it.
There is a historical oddity about officers carrying longarms; it was the done thing in the Seven Years War, at least in North America. General James Wolfe is shown carrying a musket at the Battle of Quebec, and it seems that this was standard policy. They were not expected to fire them in battle; Wolfe either didn't carry a sword at all or just a hanger. Maybe you can find out more about that policy - and whether it was just in that theatre.
Just now stumbled onto your excellent channel. Superb content and presentation - immediately subscribed. Greetings from Greece! 🇬🇧🇬🇷
Always impressed at how you can do these talks in one take without stumbling.
To paraphrase my favorite line from a fantasy story: "A stabby object always works."
The stabby object is civilisation.
'The Magic Goes Away', I'm guessing?
"That won't work; no more magic."
::::STAB::::
"A knife always works."
@@Etaukan DING DING DING! We have a winner!
Or a bit more lengthy...
"A properly balanced sword is the most versatile weapon for close quarters ever devised. Pistols and guns are all offense, no defense; close on him fast and a man with a gun can't shoot, he has to stop you before you reach him. Close on a man carrying a blade and you'll be spitted like a roast pigeon - unless you have a blade and can use it better than he can.A sword never jams, never has to be reloaded, is always ready. Its worst shortcoming is that it takes great skill and patient, loving practice to gain that skill; it can't be taught to raw recruits in weeks, nor even months". -- _Glory Road_, 1963, Robert A Heinlein
Matt did forget to specify the girth and length of said flesh stabbing instrument.
This evolved even faster between WW1 and WW2 with the idea of distributed small-unit tactics allowed for by portable radio communication between platoons. Alongside the wider sharing of 'command' between lesser NCOs, essentially creating more 'team leaders' out of a platoon beyond the primary Officer/NCO.
In fact that may be why the officers are not usually the actual person speaking on the radio.
@@dougsinthailand7176 In part, certainly. It was also considered that a specifically-trained radio operator was a necessity for the time. More and more cross-training on equipment showed up as WW2 dragged on, especially in the Pacific theaters.
At the Beginning of "The Great War" (World War One ) the "Platoon" was only an "administrative" unit, the Company was the smallest Tactical Unit (Squads were a sub-unit of a Company, but Platoons were NOT)
@@dougsinthailand7176 the Officer was usually the person talking on the radio, however, a Signalman was the person Carrying the radio (and maintaining it when not in battle) Most WWII Radios were AM Radios, bulky and heavy.
FM radios had much more limited range, and were only fielded around 1943.
The "Handi-Talki" c.1944 was a real revolution, with a range of 1km to 1.5 km, and only Line-of-Sight weighing 2-3 pounds were amazing!
Tactical Communications was usually Officers (so to Artillery Forward Observers).
The Division Signal Company (or sometimes Battalion) handled the A/L network (Admin/Logistics) from the Infantry Battalions and Regiments to Division, using both Radios and Wire Communications ("Field Phones") were manned by Enlisted technicians.
You made that very interesting. Keep up the good work
Excellent video. Thanks Matt.
The way my professor once put it was "the infantrymen's weapon is his rifle, the officer's weapon is his men, everything else is a backup".
and the pistol is for the case his weapon is turning against him
John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming Churchill. (Mad Jack)
“Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed.”
1939-1959
Lieutenant Colonel, British Army.
Also, the only man with a recorded kill using a Bow & Arrow in WWII.
ya but that guy was a prat. extremely brave but still a prat.
He was a man that should have been removed from command of troops, because he was, in fact, quite mad.
@@TimmyB1867 stop clutching your pearls! Mad Jack was an extremely successful commander of irregular troops.
VERY INTERESTING - VERY ! ! !
I feel enriched by that one - thank you so much ! !
Loving your channel, it’s so informative and the huge amount of replicas you have really make the content tangible
Matt" You need to be.."
Me guessing:Not Dead!
Matt:"alive"
Me:close enough right?
Zombies generally make lousy officers.
Pointy stabby weapons were also very popular for raids in WWII.
My paternal grandfather was an officer of an artillery spotting unit, the Finnish troops under his command regularly crossed the lines armed only with bayonets and/or fighting knives to kill Russians in their sleep.
Thanks Matt! Brilliant, interesting vid as ever!
Great video, loads of information and told in an way that is easy to understand but keeps you interested. Subbed
Thanks for the sub!
Opens with sword in right hand, revolver in left. “Welcome home good hunter. What is it you desire?”
I seek the old blood.
A hunter is still a hunter... even in a dream.
Man the death rate must have been utterly insane for the officers to react that quickly and abandon such an iconic symbol of their status.
It was. Especially, this was the bit of the war before they really got seriously into earthworks, trenches, etc.
I don't have Max Hasting's book Catastrophe with me right now, but he sets out just how dire the casualties were for the officer classes, and how to a reasonable extent (the whole book is actually more or less an example of how badly the nobility of Europe failed Europe in the lead up to and general conduct of the early war) the people in charge started off trying to fight a war of machine guns, artillery bombardments, and accurate rifles, using essentially medieval swarm tactics and being bright, shiny, athletic goddamned heroes instead of anything that might remotely work.
It really was the ugliest war on every level, from the sheer scale of the battlefields, to the dire trench conditions and civilian carnage, the shift to ruthless technological tactics (bombs, gas, flamethrowers, in addition to the early devastation inflicted by machine guns*), and the almost limitless arrogance and incompetence of the officer classes at the highest levels.
(Sort of like if Brexit was an actual battle, now that I think about it. Sorry/Not Sorry.)
* In some cases because people were being instructed to *walk* towards the enemy guns.
I heard that the life expectancy of an Officer dipped as low as 9 weeks on the front at one point.
This is opposed to the RAF Flying officers when the average dipped as low as 6 weeks!
@@jon-paulfilkins7820 and from what I remember their life expectancy in the air was as low as 30minutes at one point
@@b-beale1931 "Twenty minuters" based on flying time. If you survived that your odds rose dramatically.
See also the German Fleet's Predreadnoughts "Five minute ships" - naval warfare's equivalent to the fat kid in a zombie movie.
@@jon-paulfilkins7820 Up until 1st April 1918 pilots would have been RFC, not RAF.
Excellent presentation ....Thank You!!!
Thank you very much. May you have a blessed New Year in a blessed? Twenty twenty four whole year you're a videos are always well rounded very informative
Getting a strong Nosferatu vibe here Matt. Time for some Sun 😉 Fun video.
He realy shines in this one. :)
Winter in Great Britain is a real bitch, I imagine
He's English, it is winter. There is no sun to be found. But I am sure he will get out and enjoy the four and a half days of nice weather come spring and summer.
He's British, there's no such thing as a sunny day in England, it's always cloudy and humid. At least that's what Hollywood shows ...
Doesn't help wearing black.
Seeing the rifle made me realize the rattling sound you see associated with moving a gun around comes from the sling attachment points. Movie sound guys always get it wrong by making pistols or slingless rifles rattle when tilted or leveled.
Fixed bayonets rattle as well.
One thing you didn't mention about the SMLE (which also applies to many other rifles of the day) is that it's not just the pointy end that's deadly.
The blunt end is also a very effective weapon. One of the reasons why the wrist of the stock is so thick.
Amazingly interesting detail. Many thanks.
We learned in the military that we shouldn't salute officers during a mission. That's why this theory makes perfect sense to me
you only salute officers you don´t like. on a more serious note. for the same reason. the radioman bends the antenna down.
@@exploatores 😄 that way you will at least quickly lose the bad officers!
@@hansmeier5617 A good officer and a popular officer is two diffrent things. / PFC Exploatores.
Luckily in The Netherlands, the duty to salute in the army was fully abolished in 1973, except for ceremonial purposes within the barrack grounds. It was not as much to avoid sniper-baiting but because the trade union of conscripts thought it was ridiculous having to greet people you didn't know or like... :D
@@hildoschutte6200 Why do conscripts have a union. It´s not like it´s a work. a military don´t salute a person. they salute a holder of a rank.
To put into context, as major Hesketh Prichard explains in his book "sniping in France", German snipers were so efficient and had such good optics that they could spot nco's because they had tiner legs than the normal soldier, because they were wearing pants to ride horses.
So spotting a shiny doodle such as a sword was an easy pick for them.
That's an interesting remark, I'm thinking about it in the context of forgotten weapon's video on german snipers rifles. I was shocked to learn that the germans didn't select rifles off the line and instead just issued them the sight + whatever came off the rack. That would mean they would be sniping with a 6-8 MOA rifle using a 4x optic, which while decent for the time, is not exactly a telescope.
Plus at the time, my understanding was that snipers were considered more "area denial" troops than assassins picking high value targets. The rifle was accurate enough for them to force enemy soldiers to seek cover and limit their movement, which was militarily valuable. That said I'm sure they could and did kill an officer when they had the opportunity.
@@demonicspire1345 I don't know where Ian got this information, but rifle were selected at the factory. We don't know the exact standards, but for Bavaria (rifle factory of Amberg) what was looked for was not accuracy, has it was the base accuracy of the rifle, but dispersion and point of impact shift.
Has for the doctrine well it depends on the country. But generally speaking snipers were employed just like today in sections tasked with observation, killing of enemy combatants, especially the valuable ones, area denial and counter sniping.
There were some roles that were prioritized , but it depends on the country, the sector and even sometimes the men leading the snipers.
A country with an interesting sniping tenet is I think Canada, with one of their instruction material splitting the mission of the sniper in four parts, with the one atop being:
"To shake the enemy's morale"
@@gordondelacroix253 it also didn't help that the most common optic of the war for the germans was the underwhelming ZF-41 that was issued to many snipers instead of a proper 4x optic. I'd call the german sniping doctrine in the war largely inferior to the soviet one.
@@demonicspire1345 We were talking about ww1 previously.
I do agree that the zf 41 in ww2 was not a proper sniper optic.
However I think in terms of doctrine the German and the Soviet are really close to each other, since they often praised the enemy side for their skill.
@@gordondelacroix253 I apologize, all of my remarks were in the context of ww2, I thought yours were too.
Great video thanks for your info.
Fascinating. Thank you Matt
"more attractive target than normal" Is this why i'm not allowed to wear high heels in battle?!
Don't worry, the way things are going it'll probably be mandatory soon!
You'll never make it look as good as Corporal Klinger.
@cuteshadowKIA Only if they're STILETTO heels. 😁😁
Is that how you became KIA? There's your answer.
The real reason boob armour is bad.
Our Department of Defence missed a trick by not just giving everyone a sword.
Great channel - thanks
Well presented!
I remember that in one of the books about WWI (i think it was the book of Ernst Jünger, german officer) it was mentioned that they hid their knives/and other weapons or made them dirty so that snipers or partrouls wouldnt spot them when they were close to storm the trences at night or scouting, skirmishing.
Regarding the Weapons of officers i remember a source from the 17th century about the thirty years war that mentioned that the swedish and german officers(not all of them) had great swords. this was mentioned in another source as well where it was mentioned that some officers close to the banners would carry some as well so they could defend themselves better since tactics changed so much.
Agree with your theory. Oddly you are the second source I have come across recently that mentioned the WWI sword recall. A little off topic, but British officers in general were responsible for purchasing their own handguns if I am not mistaken leading up to and into WWI.
Yes, all an officer's equipment was private purchase, with the exception of ammunition (which is why their pistols were normally in regulation calibres).
@@scholagladiatoria Uniforms as well. While the issue of OR's battledress was strictly controlled anybody could walk into a military tailor and order a uniform in the XYZ regiment, no questions asked. It wasn't until some time after Dunkirk that the PTB realised it and the loophole was closed.
BTW this requirement for a new officer to buy all his own kit out of his pocket was just the start of the outlay. John Masters in Bugles and a Tiger, his account of his time at Sandhurst and prewar service with the Gurkhas, states that it was impossible for a young officer in an interwar British Army regiment to live on their salary and thus the officer had to have a private income to supplement his pay. That's why Masters joined the Indian Army, where it was possible to live on his pay.
@@stuartm2106 : In Germany before 1914 there was the famous ,Captain of Köpenick' incident. A poor unemployed shoemaker bought a complete Hauptmann/ Captain uniform with a sword. He had read officers regulation book of german army. One day a group of soldiers , who served as honour guard at a Palace, marched back to barracks, when the fake Hauptmann stopped them, and ordered them to Köpenick townhouse. He arrested the major of Köpenick, ordered the soldiers to take the major to nearby Berlin by train and stole the Stadtkasse ( the townmoney) out of the safe.
@@brittakriep2938 That’s an interesting story. Just one point, the English for Rathaus is Town Hall, not townhouse. A townhouse is a type of dwelling that you might find in the central parts of a town, often a smart terrace house of three storeys.
@@jerry2357 : Thank you, that Town Hall means Rathaus in english. When you are in france, and you need a hotel, ask for the Hotel de Ville ;-)
A fantastic video!
Great video!
Cheers from Australia!
Interesting that they caught on to sword conspicuousness in 1914, but it took until 1917 to ditch that glaringly obvious lower sleeve rank insignia.
Good point. Perhaps mud obscured the insignia. Perhaps their hands were below the trench most of the time, but waving a sword next to your head was a dead give away. Just speculating.
My grandfather told me those early rank badges were a big problem.
Nonsense. A shining sword would have been observed by Germans as Judahic (as in Judas), in the capturing of Christ and not seen as a threat.
Looking at the backdrop of Matt's videos, it occurs to me that in 30 to 40 years he is going to turn into the old bloke in the movie Hot Fuzz with a enormous antique arsenal in his barn, including a (deactivated?) sea mine.
Yarp.
Who says he doesn't already? Why would he show ALL of his collection at once, just for a backdrop for his videos?
Well obviously, the sword was dropped in premature expectation of it being replaced by the chainsword, however the chainsword contract went out to tender in an MoD RfP, and we are still waiting for the process to be completed ~100 years later.
Nah the Ork Mekboiz got hold of the prototype and sent it to Ukrainians 😂
Superb video. Bravo.
I’d guess that it didn’t even have to be the sword waving itself, but simply having a shiny scabbard hanging on your hip would be a good indicator of one being an officer as well. The Boer War order you showed seems to point that way as well.
You can paint the scabbard and the guard khaki 🤗
@@konstantin.v yes but would the officer want to, how would the men respect him without the shiny stuff.
I think I read somewhere that Captain Winters (of Band of Brothers fame) preferred carrying regular private weapons because that made him stand out less as an officer too.
Correct. Working on the basis that officers were not to likely to directly engage the enemy, the US Army issued them with either a carbine or a submachine gun. The result was that they could be easily identified from a distance. In time, you could tell the experienced officers and senior NCOs because they carried the same weaponry as the men.
I like your theory and thanks for bringing it to light.
Absolutely Brilliant vid!!! You've just earned a subscriber!
I was an Infantry Officer a generation later during the SE Asia wargames ("We got the Silver Medal."), There was a variant of the M-16 which had a short barrel and telescoping buttstock. It was "cool", lighter, and much less cumbersome. They were issued 6 per rifle company. Aha, they thought: "One each for the Company Commander, XO, and each of the platoon leaders". Until, the enemy snipers started selectively shooting those with the stubby rifle. Soon the "commando" rifles were exclusively carried by the designated recon troops snooping and pooping through dense jungle. Anyone saying having an infantry company with every trooper wearing a sword is not a terrible idea never commanded troops.
CAR 15?
If we really want the officers to maintain their bravado, could we add a fake scabbard to riflemen?
One soldier, even if an officer, without a rifle is one less effective soldier in the battle field- the pistol and sword cannot reached the enemy at one hundred meters. Officer can lead, and direct its men on the battlefield while firing a rifle or carbine. he must lead at the front for his men to but not necessarily the very first man at the front. it is the German(me think) that started the doctrine that when the leader is killed the next senior in rank will lead the group or unit. So if the Lieutenant is killed the sergeant or corporal or even the most senior Private will continue leading the unit. This doctrine negated decapitation--- that if the head is cut, the body goes dead. The body will still continue fighting despite the death of the leader.
Wouldn't work with the Brits in WWI, because the corporals marched at the back to catch any deserters. But you're right about the Germans devolving command down to the senior private.
Very nicely done! Tres interesting
Extremely interesting video 👍😁
Interesting point about the swords as being liabilities because it distinguished officer from enlisted man for enemy snipers. I heard that American officers on the frontline in WW II tried to conceal the rank insignia on their helmets with mud or something else. I guess the same could go for medics, who had that cross right on their helmet. Perfect target!
I don't think Medics were acceptable targets.
If a sniper starts targeting medics, he'll make himself subject to treatment not compliant with international treaties if taken prisoner. Soldiers are very "an eye for an eye" when it comes to compliance to the treaties of Geneva and Hague.
I have a french paras officer's helmet from the Indochina War, which comes in two parts with a thick steel "battle helmet" and a thin bamboo "walking helmet". Only the bamboo one has markings.
@@johanrunfeldt7174 very true, but you will find that snipers do not receive a warm welcome anyway. The history of snipers being killed on sight or tortured is well documented in the US. Sniper school reminds them of this often.
In 1944-45, many officers had a single Vertical White Stripe on the BACK of their Helmet, and NCOs a single Horizontal Stripe on the BACK of their Helmet; but no other Rank markings.
While this was some Risk, it also meant they didn't have to wave their arms about as much, which also identified a Leader. Soldiers knew to follow their leaders (with the white stripe). In the US Army Replacements were sent to the frontlines during protracted combat, so, They wouldn't Know who the Officers and NCOs were, as the Veterans did.
38,000 more years and the Space Marines bring the sword back. I guess the sword makes you less of a target when you are wearing 2 ton brightly painted power armor.
WHERE IS HIS WILL NEEDED!
Swords are to be used in concert with tanks, that way you can be driven close enough to hit them with your sword.
It also helps that guided anti-armour weapons like ATGM are conspicuously absent in the 40K universe. Somehow, over the last 40 millennia, weapons like the FGM-148 Javelin, TOW missile, and 9M133 Kornet went the way of the original recipe for Greek Fire.
@@Schwarzvogel1 Yeah I always found that pretty funny. You have space craft, developed Physic powers, plasma weapons. But a shaped charge or a rocket engine, heresy says the Adeptus Mechanicus! Self tracking rockets are influenced by the chaos gods!
@@Schwarzvogel1 Useless against adamantium fortified plasteel really. There are still various rocket launcher type weaponry.
Great video and very informative... though I must admit I spent a lot of the video staring at your belt and wondering where the shoulder strap was ;)
I must say that I am extremely jealous of the awesome collection of edged weapons and swords you have amassed in your business and personal life good on you mate great channel and you are so knowledgeable about the subject that is near and dear to me ancient weapons and battle tactics and the use of and knowledge of antique weapons and accoutrements.and parrafnelia
Oh and of course the History of the people that used such edged weapons and swords ⚔️
It would be awesome to have Matt Easton dressed in a british army ww1 officers uniform when telling about this subject. :)
Obligatory "Drive me closer, I want to hit it with my sword." Reference.
Superb presentation.
Thanks a lot. Most intelligent video, as usual.
Et ce Lee Enfield est absolument magnifique !