Original Austro-Hungarian WWI San Martino Model Trench Raiding Club - Featured in “At Arms Length: Trench Clubs and Knives” by David F. Machnicki

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. Purchased directly from David F. Machnicki, the author of At Arm's Length Trench Clubs and Knives (Vol.I), where this very club is featured on page 13! Please note that the attached page image from the book is copyrighted material and the use of the page is done by permission of the author. A printed copy of the page will accompany the purchase of this club. This is an outstanding Austro-Hungarian WWI Trench Club, being of the San Martino type, named for Mount San Martino, where during the summer of 1916, the Italian Army had captured and confiscated clubs from the Austro-Hungarian Army.

The entry reads:

“The club illustrated above is an example of a simple but highly effective design and has a length of 571 mm and a mass of 789 grams. A piece of iron pipe (128 mm long) serves as the head for the club into which 20 "cleats' or boot nails have been hammered, thereby affixing the iron head to its wood handle. The handle tapers gradually away from its head and becomes the grip, which bears 13 regularly spaced encircling grooves that provide "grip assurance" for its user. The 5.5 mm hole drilled above the grip was intended for the attachment of a lanyard. Its pommel terminates in a decorative button-like finial. Current references identify this model of trench club as a "San Martino' so named as to the location at Mount San Martino, where during the summer of 1916 (5th Battle of the Isonzo) the Italian Army had confiscated and captured the clubs from the Austrian Army. This model of club is illustrated on the propaganda postcard found on page #9.

The club has some heavy woodworm damage as shown, and there is a hole over the grip where a lanyard or wrist strap originally would have looped. The club measures roughly 22 ½” overall, and the wood at the head is split into four as shown, further strengthening the head’s connection to the handle.

There is some wood “shaven” off on one side, but this example still swings well and will make a fine addition to any WWI collection. Don’t miss out on this outstanding “San Martino” model featured in the best reference book on the subject!

Ready to display as the centerpiece of any WWI collection.