Wooden kotiate presented to I (BR) Corps (British Army of the Rhine) by the New Zealand Contingent on Exercise LIONHEART, 1984

A Kotiate is a type of club, normally made of wood or whalebone. In Maori, Kotiate means to cut or divide the liver ('koti' - to cut in two or divide; 'ate' - liver), is probably taken from its shape, which resembles the lobed part of the human liver.

This example was presented, as a souvenir, to 1 (BR) Corps by the contingent from New Zealand that had been invited to observe Exercise LIONHEART in West Germany during the Cold War. Held between 3 September and 5 October 1984, LIONHEART was the largest military exercise in Europe since the end of the Second World War, and the largest ever conducted by NATO. In total 131,565 NATO troops took part. It was the first major exercise with the Challenger 1 Main Battle Tank. It cost Britain more than £100 million in today's money.

In total there were 165 observers from across the Commonwealth. The annual, large-scale Field Training Exercises held in West Germany by the Army were a major way to test warfighting plans and readiness during the Cold War.