[kronckew]

this was also not that long after the zulus defeated the brits at islandwana by bringing knives to the gun fight. sometimes the knives win.

at omdurman the mahdi had an army of committed individual warriors fighting for their honour and their place in paradise. the brits had an army of trained soldiers fighting for each other and as a cohesive disciplined unit.

at islandwana, the brits arrogantly thought they were facing another band of native warriors and by the time they found out the zulu were themselves soldiers, not warriors, and at least as well disciplined and trained as themselves, if not more so, it was too late. if the zulu king's brother-in-law had not disobeyed orders NOT to attack fortified british positions (as in rouke's drift) the day would have ben even worse for the brits.

the gurkhas are still fond of bringing their scary bent knives to gunfights. they are also soldiers who know enough not to use them other than as a last resort. there was a brit colonel famed for going ashore at normandy in ww2 with his sword. he also carried a longbow - and used it to good effect on a few germans he personally skewered.

p.s. a law enforcement agency did a study.

a. most gun battles between LEOs and perps occurs at less tha 9 yards (avereage 7).
b. at that range a man with a knife can easily close with & slash/stab a LEO before he can draw his weapon and aim it. one reason why informed & well trained people draw their weapons BEFORE they are needed.

also the origin of the saying, if you seek a knife fight, first dig two graves.