On a serious note, one of the British tanks of 1939/40 (possibly the Matilda?) had a set of hooks built into them inside...to hang the crewmens swords on!!!!
I seem to remember that Albert "Smiler" Marshall was the last surviving British soldier to have drawn his sabre in a cavalry charge. I can't find a reference to the specific incident, but here is his Wiki reference and a picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Marshall
In the first few weeks and possibly months of the war their I believe, would of been many incidents where Cavalry from many nations on all fronts using the swords/sabres, on each other A side note. The (so called) Australian Light Horse not to be mixed up with the ANZAC Light Horse who refused the offer of swords carried them in 1918 although how much they used them as mounted infantry would be minimal if at all. They i believe were issued against the possibility of a LH Div having to charge again. However the Indian Cavalry Divisions that arrived in 1917/18 most certainly carried and used swords when it was needed.
A 18 inch bayonet would certianly send the shivers up my spine if someone came at me with one. Let alone a whole Regt or more. Thanks for the correction with the Australian Units who carried swords in late 1918, so much military history in my memory that i at times get things slightly wrong. You are right even today the sword is used widely in Australian Military cermony's, most especially the Cavalry,
And going off topic a bit, in the book "Don't Cry for me Argentina", mention is made of a young Para (I think) landing at San Carlos with a Katana strapped to his bergen! - more in hope than expectation I suppose!
