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Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

Article about: I just received my first Hitler Youth knife. While admiring it, I remembered the scene in Saving Private Ryan where the Americans find a Hitler Youth knife on a Germany body in the Omaha Bea

  1. #1

    Default Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    I just received my first Hitler Youth knife. While admiring it, I remembered the scene in Saving Private Ryan where the Americans find a Hitler Youth knife on a Germany body in the Omaha Beach fortifications.

    I got to thinking... Is there any documented use of Hitler Youth knives in combat? I can easily imagine that when Hitler Youth members were pressed into combat duties they brought their HJ daggers with them...

    Expanding from that, were dress daggers and dress bayonets ever used in combat? Obviously they wouldn't be a preferred weapon, but surely there must have been at least one instance of a dress dagger being wielded in desperation?

    IMG_3225.jpg

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    Don't know about documented proof but I would be sure soldiers would have taken their hitler youth knife with them, even as a boot knife or just a general purpose thing...

    One note on that scene in SPR....the troops that surrender state they were polish, forced into the German army....why would a pole have a HJ knife!!

    That scene too got me interested in these knives, mines on the way

  3. #3

    Default Re: Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    The German defenders on Omaha Beach on June 4 1944 were the 916th Grenadier Regiment with elements of the 726th Grenadier Regiment from the 352rd Infantry Division (Assault).Most of these troops were young 18 year men supplemented by Eastern front veterans and were a untrained front line unit.Most were ethnic Germans.
    The 352rd replaced second line troops of the 716th static division at Omaha in March but the change of defenders was not noticed by Allied intel.
    These were the Russian,Volkdeutsche and old/disabled troops diplicted in SPR as defending the Omaha area and is incorrect.
    Hollywood got it wrong just as Allied High Comand did in 1944.
    So a HJ knife being picked up at Omaha Beach could have been a likely thing.
    Cheers fellas

  4. #4

    Default Re: Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    Thanks for the response, Thanatos! That is along the lines of what I figured. I'm just wondering if there are any pictures or stories out there of soldiers using their HJ knives, or officers forced to use their dress daggers as an act of desperation.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    Highly likely imo.
    Those little HJ knives would make a good general purpose blade.
    Far more useful than a bayonet as an all rounder I feel
    Cheers mate.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    There you go me being blinded by Hollywood!!! Funny thing is I knew that stuff.....but had a "medication" moment!!

    Thsnks thantos....if I had a hitler youth knife, I'd have taken it with me into the army.....I even used a repro German folding fork and spoon in Iraq to eat those bloody MREs with those dodgy platic poons

  7. #7

    Default Re: Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    If I was a German soldat in WW2 I would certainly have some form of general purpose knife in my breadbag for sure.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    Does anyone know of any pics of HJ daggers being carried/ used by combat troops?

  9. #9

    Default Re: Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    hehe, Saving Private Ryan is pretty realistic... duh :P
    They didn't even have the BIG bunkers eighter :P

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Hitler Youth daggers, dress daggers/ bayonets in combat?

    Anecdotal evidence and real examples exist of the HJ knife being converted into a combat / fighting knife !! As for SPR please don't take anything portrayed as being in anyway historically accurate !!

    cheers

    Paul
    The gates of hell were opened and we accepted the invitation to enter" 26/880 Lance Sgt, Edward Dyke. 26th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers , ( 3rd Tyneside Irish )

    1st July 1916

    Thought shall be the harder , heart the keener,
    Courage the greater as our strength faileth.
    Here lies our leader ,in the dust of his greatness.
    Who leaves him now , be damned forever.
    We who are old now shall not leave this Battle,
    But lie at his feet , in the dust with our leader

    House Carles at the Battle of Hastings

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