German trench club, 1918 (c)

Wooden truncheon or club made from a table leg with steel fittings.

Resembling a medieval mace trench clubs like this one were not officially issued during World War One (1914-1918) and were either home made, or in some cases commercially produced.

They were designed to be used as silent weapons during trench raids. The could be used to quietly kill or knock unconscious enemy troops in the confined spaces of a trench. Most were made of wood and fitted with a metal object at the striking end. They were used alongside other 'silent' weapons such as knives, bayonets and axes.