Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

Pre 1914, Technology Display, Bayonets 1730 - 1903

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Overview

Technology display of bayonets associated with accompanying long arms. From top to bottom the bayonets are for: (1) Tower Musket (Flintlock); (2) Tower Musket (Percussion); (3) Snider-Enfield; (4) Martini Henry; and (5) Magazine Lee Enfield

Historical information

A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped melee weapon designed to be mounted on the end of the barrel of a rifle, carbine, musket or similar long firearm, allowing the gun to be used as an improvised spear in close combats. The term is derived from the town of Bayonne in southwestern France, where bayonets were supposedly first used by Basques in the 17th century. From the early 17th to the early 20th century, it was an infantry melee weapon used for both offensive and defensive tactics, usually when charging in mass formations or human wave attacks. Today, it is mostly considered an ancillary weapon, usually of last resort, and is rarely used (if wielded at all), although it is still displayed routinely for ceremonial purposes.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-54-430

Contextual Information

This exhibit is located in the Pre 1914 gallery at the Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

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