Original Austro-Hungarian WWI Trench Raiding Club - From Personal Collection of David Machnicki, Author of At Arm's Length Series

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Purchased directly from David F. Machnicki, the author of At Arm's Length Trench Club book Series. This example is very similar to one seen on Page 5 of Volume II of “At Arms Length: Trench Clubs and Maces”, and Machnicki noted that this is the only variation of this type he has ever encountered.

This trench club is similar to the example seen on Page 5, but the spikes on the top row are far larger. Also on this page is a photo of an Italian soldier proudly posing with a club just like this after capturing it.

This Austrian trench club is constructed from a single piece of wood measuring roughly 23 ½”. To prevent the club’s head from splintering upon impact, a 10mm wide U-shaped metal bracket has been mounted and anchored into the sides and along the top of its head using crude flat-head screws. The bottom edges of this bracket wrap around the bottom of the third ring. In addition, these screws are used to fasten two forged iron rings bearing six spikes each, the top row having much larger and thicker spikes. The top row is missing one of the six spikes as shown. Crowning the club’s head is a now-loose nearly 3-inch spike.

The handle terminates in an egg-shaped pommel with a small hole in its pommel for the attachment of a lanyard. The overall length of this example is 26 ⅞”. Current authors identify this model of trench club as a “San Michele’s”, so named as to the location at Mount San Michele, Battle of the Isonzo. 

This is a fantastic almost medieval appearing trench mace from the Austrian-Hungarian forces during World War One!

Trench raiding clubs were homemade melee weapons used by both the Allies and the Central Powers during World War I. Clubs were used during nighttime 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 (e.g. an empty Mills bomb) 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. 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.

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, entrenching tools, bayonets, hatchets and pickaxe handles – backed up with revolvers and hand grenades.