On the way to school the youngest daughter asked me, after reading in her history textbook, if I had ever heard of a bayonet.

After laughing at her teenager-y question, I told her everything I knew about them, but better yet, she ought to ask the Brits, who apparently still use them quite effectively.

  "In May 2004 a British convoy was ambushed by more than 100 members of the notorious Shia militia the Mahdi Army in Iraq's second city.

They had opened fire on the Brits as they passed through town and were forced out of their vehicles.

But the infantrymen climbed out of their unarmoured vehicles and opened fire at the dug-in attackers, taking them by surprise.

Then- when they ran out of ammo the Brits fixed bayonets and charged at the enemy positions screaming.

Below - British troops fix bayonets in Iraq

A vicious hand to hand struggle ensued as many of the Iraqis fled the British onslaught, which left more than 20 attackers dead.

Apparently it wasn't a pretty sight.

Just a handful of British soldiers were wounded and it is being hailed as a major triumph for shock tactics."

That guy right there would be enough to scare off anybody!