Knuckle Knives

[PhilB]

The following report is by a "Yankee who served with a British Regiment". It describes preparations for a raid:-

"Then we wrote letters and gave up our identification discs and were served with persuader sticks or knuckle knives, and with "Mills" bombs.

The persuader is a short, heavy bludgeon with a nail-studded head. You thump Fritz on the head with it. Very handy at close quarters. The knuckle knife is a short dagger with a heavy brass hilt that covers the hand. Also very good for close work, as you can either strike or stab with it."

http://www.worldwar1gallery.com/westernfro...l#a_trench_raid

The "persuader stick" I`m familiar with but so far as I`m aware, the knuckle knife is an American item and was not issued by the British?

[truthergw]

They are on show at IWM, Phil. I think the British used them.

[centurion]

Phil

Is that Corporal Holmes in "A Yankee in the Trenches"?

Knuckle duster knives were US made and usually privately purchased through mail order. Possibly an enterprising battalion CO had found the funds to order some through unofficial channels?

[Andrew Upton]

Knuckle duster knives were US made and usually privately purchased through mail order. Possibly an enterprising battalion CO had found the funds to order some through unofficial channels?

There was a thriving British trade in similar items, the firm of Robbins Dudley is perhaps one of the better known and popular suppliers from the war:

http://webprojects.prm.ox.ac.uk/arms-and-a...tion/1928.41.1/

[Doc2]

There were also at least three official US government issue versions. Doc