The lowly spike bayonet. What odd thing have you seen or used it for?

[Flying10uk]

I have seen a wartime photograph in book, cant think which of my many books, showing a group of British soldiers searching for mines in the North African Dessert. They were using the No4 pigsticker bayonet attached to an entrenching tool handle and their arms were fully out-stretched. The soldiers were all working in a line laying face down and wearing steel helmets. I'm guessing that the theory behind working like this is that if an anti-personal mine is set off there is a good chance of surviving albeit with serious injuries. I believe that U.K. soldiers are still trained to use bayonets as a last resort in an emergency to detect mines???

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[browningautorifle]

if an anti-personal mine is set off there is a good chance of surviving

You are correct. And yes, although Canadian, I taught mine or trap detection the way you suspect...because it works.