Trench Club Assistance

[SiegeGunner]

It's just occurred to me that while the club studded with long nails would be fairly useless for trench fighting with enemy soldiers, it would be well suited to killing rats and mice in trenches/dugouts, or indeed pigeons, poultry or any other small and potentially edible creature that came within a long arm's reach while the owner was at rest or in reserve in the rear area.

I have translated numerous reports of German trench raids, and spades are mentioned more often than trench clubs. Not only was the spade a more versatile weapon (offering both edged and flat striking surfaces), but the raider needed to take it with him anyway, in case of need to dig in (or to dig out enemy equipment to take back). Raiders on 'smash & grab' type raids needed to travel comparatively light and avoid carrying equipment that would rattle or snag on wire. German raiders were always briefed to grab and bring back anything they saw in the way of documents, maps, code-books, communications equipment, etc, and for that purpose each man would carry a number of empty sandbags.

Trench clubs undoubtedly were used offensively, but I wonder whether that use is over-estimated and their principal use was in fact in the soldier's 'home trench', not least as a weapon of opportunity to be grabbed if the enemy suddenly appeared and his rifle was momentarily out of reach.

[wainfleet]

I'm surprised that, considering the sums fake trench clubs regularly make, two perfectly good regulation pattern British ones on the Military Antiques website are still sitting there after several weeks. I have no agenda here and no connection with the dealer or the items. I just thought other collectors might like to know that here are of these two extremely rare items at a fair price. If I didn't already have three, I'd buy them myself.

I hope that pointing them out doesn't contravene "Discussion of items for sale", as I wouldn't imagine the dealer or anyone else is going to object.

Add: to make sure there isn't any confusion, I'm referring to items 092 and 093.

[Grovetown]

I'm surprised that, considering the sums fake trench clubs regularly make, two perfectly good regulation pattern British ones on the Military Antiques website are still sitting there after several weeks. I have no agenda here and no connection with the dealer or the items. I just thought other collectors might like to know that here are of these two extremely rare items at a fair price. If I didn't already have three, I'd buy them myself.

I hope that pointing them out doesn't contravene "Discussion of items for sale", as I wouldn't imagine the dealer or anyone else is going to object.

Add: to make sure there isn't any confusion, I'm referring to items 092 and 093.

Agree. Also got some nice posters well priced too.

Cheers,

GT.