Trench Raiding Clubs of WWI

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 1/10/20 | C Cocloe

[w1n1]

Far Outweighs the Firepower in Trench Warfare - You would think having extreme fire power would be the ideal thing to have when entrenched in a world war. However, in trench warfare during World War I having medieval/zombie types of weaponry was a better choice and more effective while fighting in the trench at close quarter.
Trench raiding clubs were homemade melee weapons used by both the Allies and the Central Powers during World War I. These raiding clubs were used during night time trench raiding expeditions as a quiet and effective way of killing or wounding the enemy.

The objective of trench night raids were either to knock out a machine gun nest, reconnoiter or just putting pressure on the enemy.
At this close range the bolt-action rifles were ineffective after a shot due to the long reloads time. Using the bayonet requires stabbing a man before engaging another enemy, you must first withdraw the blade from the bad guy’s flesh. Again, time is the problem here.
This may have been the reason why improvised raiding clubs came to be about, there was no more reload time at close quarter melee. So, troops grabbed old pieces of wood and converted them into weapons.

The clubs were usually made out of wood with metal object at the striking end for maximizing the injury inflicted. Bosnian soldiers serving in the Austro-Hungarian army were fond of using maces. They were also used by officers to finish enemy soldiers wounded by poison gas attacks. Read the rest of trench raiding clubs.

[glorgau]

Also excellent prep for the zombie apocalypse!

What’s old is new again.

[canuck_conservative]

In “All Quiet on the Western Front” there’s mention of the troops using sharpened shovels as weapons

[FlipWilson]

Oh, it’s a weapon. I thought it was some kind of weird WWI gaming group.

Right, clubs not clubs.

[Big Red Badger]

A short
Baseball bat
Wrapped in barbed wire.
“Persuader Raider!”

[RightGeek]

Please. A trench gun beats all clubs, especially when slam fired. - https://www.guns.com/news/2013/02/26/1897-winchester-trench-gun

[Texan Tory]

I’m curious what slam firing is, and why it’s more effective, thanks.

[LibWhacker]

Says spring clubs were the most popular choice. I'll bet not by the guy who was hit by one!

[MNJohnnie]

An entrenching tool makes an excellent close in weapon. Sharpen the edges and the point and it can be both a thrust and a swung weapon. It will make ghastly wounds.

[RightGeek]

Keep the trigger pulled back and just keep pumping

[RightGeek]

The True Story Of How ‘E-Tool’ Smith Earned His Famous Nickname - https://taskandpurpose.com/true-story-e-tool-smith-earned-famous-nickname

[Bratch]

Slamfire

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A slamfire is a discharge of a firearm occurring as a cartridge is being loaded into the chamber. Some firearms are designed to slamfire, but the term also describes a malfunction of self-loading firearms. Shooters accustomed to firearms requiring trigger activation for discharge may be unprepared for a slamfire discharge.

 

[MNJohnnie]

As long as you have about a yard ofor so of space to work with and no friendlies in the line of fire.

[Manuel OKelley]

I’ve had a few but bought a Cold Steel spetnaz/special forces shovel, did some minor sharpening with a belt sander and keep it under my seat (legal here) all the time (with some dirt on it, it IS a shovel after all) and feel quite comfortable having it handy. I’ve chopped plenty of campfire wood with it without damaging it at all

[MNJohnnie]

Nice!

[Towed_Jumper]

The Imperial War Museum (IWM), in London had a nice collection of trench clubs when I visited there a few years ago. Very nasty looking stuff!

[glorgau]

> A trench gun beats all clubs

Not for noise it doesn’t. Sometimes you don’t want to wake up the neighbors.

[Yardstick]

What a horrible kind of warfare.

[immadashell]

I constantly debate which World War was more insane. Atrocities were committed regularly by all participants on all sides, however, very few of those who gave the orders participated in the acts that followed.

[ConservativeWarrior]

That looks a lot like a clay pigeon hand-chucker.