Trench raiding club

Trench raiding clubs were homemade mêlée weapons used by both the Allies and the Central Powers during World War I. Clubs were used during night-time trench raiding expeditions as a quiet and effective way of killing or wounding enemy soldiers. The clubs were usually made out of wood. It was common practice to fix a metal object at the striking end (eg. a hand grenade body) in order to maximize the injury inflicted. Another common design comprised a simple stave with the end drilled out and a lead weight inserted, with rows of large hobnails hammered in around its circumference. Most designs had some form of cord or leather strap at the end to wrap around the user's wrist.

Trench clubs were manufactured in bulk by units based behind the lines. Typically, regimental carpenters and metal workers would make large numbers of the same design of club.

They were generally used along with other "quiet" weapons such as trench knives, hatchets and pick-axe handles - backed up with revolvers and grenades.

ee also

* Hand-to-hand combat
* Trench warfare

External links

* [http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/L/lostgeneration/ww1/popup/611.html Photo of hob-nailed trench club in Imperial War Museum]
* [http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-weapons/enemy_ww1.htm Photo of hob-nailed trench club in a private collection]
* [http://www.1914-1918.net/Diaries/wardiary-2msex.htm Account of a raid where a trench club was used to kill an officer]