The make shift trench maces are quite interesting! I'm surprised their was no mention of the standard British trenching tool as an improvised weapon. A shaft of wood with a brass band to attach different multi tools.
I inherited one of the brass-knuckle type daggers from my grandfather (who carried it in the Pacific in WWII), who inherited it from his father (who carried it in WWI). It's an intimidating piece of equipment even just sitting there by itself.
@@taylorlibby7642 I have a family knife story too, My grandfather was in the 34 division I company, North Africa, Italy, later was in France at the end of the war after being punished for getting into a fight with his CO while he was on a war bond and radio speaking tour back home. He acquired a Nazi SS Dagger from a fallen officer. He had the knife in a trunk his entire life, I never even saw it, he didn't like to talk about the war, and he passed away when I was very young. My grandmother kept that knife locked away, but I remember stories about it from my dad. I wanted that knife because of the family history and rarity of it. When I was in high school I asked my grandma about it, she was really surprised, she thought nobody would want that old evil thing anyway, (she was a older Jewish woman. ) Turns out she sold it to someone at a yard sale for $20....
As a Sergeant of mine said on many years ago when confronted on the fact that he carried a knife strapped to his pistol holster. "Sir, I would rather carry the weight of this piece of steel for the rest of my life and not have need for it, than need it once and not have it..."
That and knives are useful even in everyday life. I can’t count how many packages I cut open or how many cans or other similar containers I had to pry or cut open with my cheap Chinese made edc knife.
I got stabbed by an insurgent with a trench knife in Baghdad ‘05, he came from behind and his knife point was stopped dead by my body armor. Just as I realized someone was behind me and before I could react my buddy put a burst in his noggin. It was one of those WW2 brit commando knives. Lots of old brit weapons found in my time in Iraq.
Well, getting personal to actually carry a piece of kit is actually fairly key to getting them to use the equipment. The can opener appears on a surprisingly array of equipment. 🤔 I suppose quite a bit of the food was still coming that way. Have to figure it was important.
Statistically true, everyone have to eat and how many of those were cut down by artillery or machine guns before getting into melee distance. I’d still wager a significant number of soldiers died at the end of a blade
Yeah honestly, halfway through the video i was thinking about how little id care to clean one after use before my dinner. - that is, if you are calm enough to eat.
I don't know about everyone else, but I *love* these deep-dives into 18th/19th/20th century weapons and warfare! This is something no other channel I follow does, especially not to this level of research and articulateness (...is that a word?)!
'Articulation'...but yes, story time with Uncle Matt is one of my favourite things. I particularly enjoy how the military and the media were at pains to explain things to the public (with a smattering of propaganda of course 😁).
@@bakerboy8910 If you haven't seen anything from Forgotten Weapons and Inrangetv that went over and tested ww1 equipment, including an old vid of testing the German engineers sawtooth backed bayonet, as well as a great impromptu French army mutiny during Verdun, I'd suggest checking Ian McCollum out for that.
I read somewhere that the reason they were called "bombers", was that when the hand grenade was reintroduced into the British Army, the Grenadier Guards didn't want anyone else being called "grenadiers", so they became "bombers".
For Parade only a prussian Grenadier Guard unit used in Imperial time the high grenadiers caps of 18th century. The fronside of this caps hat been made oft sheet metal ( Blech), so the Berlin citizens called this soldiers ,Blechköppe' ( dialect!)/ the sheet metal heads.
“Trench fighting is the bloodiest, wildest, most brutal of all ... Of all the war's exciting moments none is so powerful as the meeting of two storm troop leaders between narrow trench walls. There's no mercy there, no going back, the blood speaks from a shrill cry of recognition that tears itself from one's breast like a nightmare.” and "“These moments of nocturnal prowling leave an indelible impression. Eyes and ears are tensed to the maximum, the rustling approach of strange feet in the tall grass in an unutterably menacing thing. Your breath comes in shallow bursts; you have to force yourself to stifle any panting or wheezing. There is a little mechanical click as the safety-catch of your pistol is taken off; the sound cuts straight through your nerves. Your teeth are grinding on the fuse-pin of the hand-grenade. The encounter will be short and murderous. You tremble with two contradictory impulses: the heightened awareness of the huntsmen, and the terror of the quarry. You are a world to yourself, saturated with the appalling aura of the savage landscape.” ― Ernst Jünger, Storm of Steel
The two contradictory yet simultaneous impulses of the hunter and the hunted, to paraphrase, a concept which sends a shiver down my spine. That shiver being just a fraction of one percent of what those who were there must have felt at the time. Chilling stuff.
It's interesting that there's a conscious understanding that you're about to go into a situation where there is no neutral, kill or be killed, you'll find out soon enough. The impressive bit is the acknowledgment is that he's fully aware of his position and decision to initiate rather than having the situation just happen to him even with his full awareness of the fact that he may be the prey.
I am german, Britta is my girlfriend. The german trench knifes can be divided in two types. Some trench knifes are clearly descendants of german bayonnets, other ones are clearly descendants of a german hunting knife ,Nicker'. In southern Germany ( Bayern, Württemberg, Baden) and Austria this knifes had been EDC knifes, still today the currently produced ,Lederhosen' have a pocket for the ,Nicker' ( but today the weapons laws are a problem) . In 1980s you sometimes could see elderly men carrying such knifes with modern cloth.
@@CtrlAltRetreat : In 1980s only some elderly men carried such knifes as ,EDC' knife, they ( the knifes) are simply out of fashion for decades. By german law you could still carry them, if blade lenngth is shorter than 12 cm, in villages usually no problem, but not in towns/ cities.
I inherited a german nicker knife from father, and it was a present from a german friend. Probably the knife is over sixty years old. Hubertus actually eight centimeters blade, but probably was longer when new. Regards from Uruguay, it is my favorite knife.
Growing up I knew a number of men that was in WWI and WWII. Two saw combat in Europe. When I was getting a bit older and getting close to draft age (Vietnam) I went to them. I wanted their advice on knives. Both told me the same thing. Do not mess around go in and stab them as many times as you can. Don't slash unless it fits the incident. Other than that they also said carry as many socks as you can.
That particular advice actually goes back many centuries. _"They [Roman soldiers] were likewise taught not to cut but to thrust with their swords. For the Romans not only made a jest of those who fought with the edge of that weapon, but always found them an easy conquest. A stroke with the edges, though made with ever so much force, seldom kills, as the vital parts of the body are defended both by the bones and armor. On the contrary, a stab, though it penetrates but two inches, is generally fatal..."_ --Vegetius
I think the main reason for the brutal type and often simple weapons was lack of training and the chaotic nature of the fights, imagine being 18 years old, pumped with adrenaline like you have never before felt in your life, shaking from it, quite literally "seeing red" dripping with sweat, your uniform drenched in mud and blood, Your ears are ringing, your heart is pounding out of your chest, you can feel each beat in your temples. There are severed limbs laying around your feet and bits of human remains on your face from the artillery barrage prior; now the infantry is charging your position with bayonets. Nothing in your training really prepared you for what you are now seeing, the noise of it all, your friends just moments prior turned into a red mist, the epitome of sensory overload. Under those circumstances you need brutal, simple to use weapons where the animal inside of you, the "cave man brain" whatever you want to call it, is all that is in control in that moment, fancy fencing, everything you learned in training is now for naught. Now you are just pummeling another poor scared shaking 19 year old German kid with your entrenching tool, all on instinct alone. It was a terrible war.
Well said. Not many people truly appreciate (or understand fully) the sheer 'reality' of the brutality. Violence like that was not even seen in the early medieval ages (aka the Dark Ages).. MAYBE, to some extent.. But not even close in regards to scale.. There were no explosives back then (EARLY middle ages, think year 500-1200). Utter brutality with knives, swords, clubs, pole axes etc.. But no humans turning to red mist, no feeling the shockwaves of shells bursting near enough to deafen you for the day, but not kill you.. But you end up with your best friend splattered all over your uniform.. Yeah.. Nobody in this era, thankfully, should ever have to experience that.. We can only hope the oxymoronically named 'Great War' was/is/will be, a military anomaly. As was the battle of Thermopile. Sparta was known for it's diplomacy.. The whole bit of being 'bred warriors' was literal propaganda from that battle that held off the Persians just long enough for Athens and the larger part of the Spartan armies to join forces and fight off the invaders in a conventional manner..
@UCW11flY1Xn65JhnqLX5-azA I in fact, am Christian. And I actually find those events of said wars horrible. Nobody should needlessly suffer any of that. And the Christian God forgives. Also we have Christ. Follow in His footsteps and you have a ticket to The Kingdom of Heaven.. And even for people who were born never knowing about God, or under a different religion, God still gives them a chance based on their actions in this mortal life. There is a very real possibility that all Earthly (and maybe beyond) religions are one in the same. The differences being in cultural and linguistic developments. These things are something no human can know until their time comes. And fighting in war is not considered murder, as the large part of those drafted/volunteered really have no choice in the matter. It is either fight or be killed, whether by opposing forces or your own government. Our God does not micromanage. We have the gift of free will. And that free will gives the option to choose to not believe. And still those folks are given a second chance based on how they used their mortal time. Me. I would never send anyone to their deaths. Much less in such a manner. I chose not to join the military because I would not want to have to kill another person. Should Global War break out and I were to have no other option. That would be different. And these TH-cam comments sections tend to not be so friendly to Christians. I only discuss these things where appropriate. I will not deny my faith for any reason. And doing so for reasons such as 'peer pressure' or 'being judged by others' are inherently sinful actions. I wear my faith with pride.
An additional consideration. In earlier centuries a campaign might last for weeks or months with only one battle lasting less then a day. In the two world wars battles could last months with soldiers being in the front line for days or even weeks without relief. At a given point when you can hit back, you do
I am german, Britta is my girlfriend. My father , born 1938, had often possibility to speak with german veterans of wwl, the last one in my village died in 1997. One day he spoke with two wwl veterans. He asked the two men, what thing frightened you the most? My father thought artillry or poisson gas. To his surprise the two men said , the assaults frightened them the most. Suddenly a stranger, whom you not know, is in front of you and attacks you like thousands of years ago.
The best melee weapons for situations like that are ones that cater well to be swung like caveman’s club, but still have room that training martial arts can improve. My great lolo (Filipino word for grandfather) fought the Japanese in ww2. He fought them primarily with grenades, mines, and bolos (Filipino word for shortsword or machete). I can only imagine the sheer brutality and the irony that both sides felt to be fighting each other using ancient weapons and techniques in an age of machine guns, bombs, tanks, airplanes, and ships.
@@jeremybriggs1707 I know, their is a few supressed weapon that are almost hollywood quiet. but most only stops you from blowning your eardrums out. when firing indoors. with out any protection.
The necessity of bringing silent death was described to me by my Grandfather. He was a pilot in WWII flying British soldiers behind the Japanese lines in a flying boat. He was issued with an FS dagger and trained in its use. The theory being that if you used a firearm, you’d bring the Japanese down on top of you. I’ve made a couple of videos of his knife and his fascinating story on my TH-cam channel. From a pre-war teenage spy to a Cold War Vulcan pilot, via the small business of WWII.
The first time I saw a trench knife was in Boardwalk Empire, wherein the character Jimmy Darmody carried one, having come back from the WW1 western front with shrapnel in his leg. Apparently, being able to fist-fight as you normally would is a large advantage in a fighting knife, so enhancing that ability with the brass knuckles then seems like a good idea. Such a brutal weapon.
This was an absolute treat! I own a modern-day trench knife made by the Italian manufacturer Extrema Ratio. It's their ADRA dagger, the "Parade" model to be exact.
I've always been fascinated by this topic. I would certainly be interested in more WWI videos. I thinks it's ironic that yes that war saw a return to knives, clubs, and amrour (more archaic fighting techniques), and yet it is the first modern war. Tanks and trench knives.
Hi Jason, original WW1 examples are legal to buy, sell and own in the UK as they are over 100 years old and therefore antique. Antiques are exempt from the prohibited weapons list (unless they are firearms, which have other methods of categorization).
@@scholagladiatoria Thanks Matt, I wasn't sure if the antique exemption covered that type of weapon. UK law has some very odd categories. Zombie knives for example!
My Uncle who fought in the first war gave me his trench knife from the war. It was a cut down and ŕedone grip from a Ross rifle bayonet that he was supposed to return to stores. It was a super strong and handy knife.
Another interesting trench weapon is the short sword issued to Lord Howard de Walden's battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, with a leaf shaped blade and a very unusual hand guard, and sheath. It was apparently issued by the Lord himself, was 24 inches overall length, with a 17 1/2 inch blade and used to some effect in the trenches. Based on an older Welsh sword called the "CLEDD" it later apparently inspired Fairbairn of "Commando" knife fame, to design a weapon called the SMATCHET, also issued and used by Commandos and Special Forces in ww2 The American OSS and others had a copy too. I saw one of the original ww1 versions in the RWF military museum it is quite impressive and fearsome. As David Crockett said of the Bowie knife when he met James Bowie and saw the knife "the thought of that tickling someone's ribs, would like to turn a man's stomach"
Matt, I love your presentations and your enthusiasm for your topics. I’ve been interested in weapons, especially historic ones, since I was a small boy. I had swords (broken hockey stick), knives (wooden) bows and arrows, slingshots (made by my grandpa) shields (plywood), armor (football helmet), guns (BB), etc., so I really enjoy seeing and hearing about pieces from your collection.
@@RockyMountainBear yes, my brother served in the military, and E-tools are still widely used and carried by infantry. Also, if you see E-tools in ww1, they didn’t all look the same, for some, it was a small pick axe, there are some examples in museums of ones that were carried specifically for trench fighting, nasty looking things.
I have been fascinated with trench knives since I was a little kid. The design of these knives drew my attention and the stories and reason behind them hooked me in.
You pick the best topics, man! I unexpectedly ran into a really cool ww1 trench exhibit at the Wilson presidential library in Virginia. Those serrated and spiraled tri-blades are vicious
The big problem with brass knuckles on a trench knife was that they made the knife very difficult to use effectively. With the fingers in the knuckles, it became impossible to shift the grip when necessary.
Worth noting that one of the reasons officers outfitters were selling trench daggers was because officers were still expected to equip and clothe themselves at their own expense, including their weapons.
A very good friend of mine, Arthur Purcell (1890-1986), had the brass-knuckle ‘1918’ American trench knife, he was issued while in France in the First World War. I remember he used it as a paper weight.
There is a considerable difference between fighting from a trench and fighting in the trench. WWI soldiers were very creative in making useful and deadly weapons for hand to hand combat in trench fighting. A simple entrenching tool ( a small, one handed spade) with the spade blade sharpened became a lethal weapon. Various clubs were made from any bits and pieces available. A small hatchet (or tomahawk) was popular. All manner of shapes of knives and daggers were improvised. But the dagger that incorporated both brass knuckles and a skull cracking nut on the pommel was ingenious. You could thrust and slash with the blade, punch with the brass knuckles and with a back hand blow, break someone's skull. No matter how your hand was positioned, you had a lethal weapon ready to go. In as little as one or two seconds, you could slash, then punch and then break bone. Unfortunately, so could the other guy. Stealth, silence and complete surprise was the key. Get in, kill and get out. Personally, my idea of a good trench weapon was the trench shotgun. Forget silence. Keep back a few yards and blow the other guy to pieces with your trusty Winchester Model 1897 trench gun, complete with bayonet. Paper case cartridges were less than ideal in the often water logged trenches so brass cased buckshot was just the ticket. www.americanrifleman.org/media/g2rhrxmt/_trench-p61d.jpg www.americanrifleman.org/media/0p4fo44l/_trench-p59c.jpg The shotshells had nine, .34 calibre pellets and the gun held six rounds. Special canvas cartridge pouches carried plenty of ammo (32 rounds) but such pouches were not common. Various other pouches or just pockets would suffice. www.americanrifleman.org/media/vtxfoubo/_trench-p63a.jpg Armed with this shotgun and the dagger/brass knuckles/bone breaker as backup, a guy actually stood a chance of survival in trench raiding, either on offense or defense.
*Great point.* They didn't always have the benefit of proper equipment or even resupply! They had to get creative, like all true warriors. (In Shaolin, "monks spade" is one of he few traditional bladed weapons. Buddhists could utilize it b/c it was properly a tool, and not specifically designed to draw human blood:)
I love these primary source videos. Even just historical commentary on events can really show you how modern conceptions of the past get formed. You take for 'common knowledge' for granted.
Indeed. These blades were used in combat in what was, until very recently, living memory. Much more reliable than trying to reconstruct a lost art out of unreliable medieval manuals written in pre-scientific language.
“Trench knives” are specifically prohibited weapons by name in Australia. However anyone of the features it has would be enough, duel edged blade, covered fingers even only a little tiny bit, point on the handle ‘pommel’.
@@Elias-xu7uw also throwing knives and axes are prohibited weapons as well. They are defined as a knife or axe designed for throwing or ANY knife or axe that you do throw. So hold your axe trip over and accidentally let it go as you fall, you’ve thrown the axe so it’s now a throwing axe. Crazy. Even crazier is that a few states allow some prohibited weapons that australia itself bans. You buy one and it gets stopped at the border by customs then the paperwork starts.
@@danielleriley2796 Ppl like to say the Aussies are the descendants of prisoners and criminals; but they're also the descendants of the jailors. Good luck down there :(
I have a small flick knife that my great grandfather picked up in Belgium during WWI. I don't know if he got it as a weapon or just a tool, it's a little small for trench fighting but perfect for shanking sentries or as a hidden hold out if captured.
The prichard greener bayonet was made for the webley service MKV1 for trench raiding and a speed loader was accepted in 1918 to give it a quicker loading . you could use it as a club if all else failed
RE: Thug knife. In 1915 the term "thug" was often associated with members of a deviant Hindu sect devoted to the worship of Kali, the goddess of death, who murdered people as a religious rite. The belief and practice was called Thuggee and the adherents Thugs, which is the origin of the English word which we now generally apply to violent career criminals. The Thugs typically strangled their victims, but they also used other weapons, including knives and daggers. Perhaps by "thug knife" the 1915 writer of that article was thinking of a typically Indian style of edged weapon that was, used by the Thugs. The Raj authorities must have collected thousands of knives in the campaign to suppress Thuggee. Perhaps there were one or two prevalent types of edged weapons that came to be popularly known as a "Thug knife".
Not WWI but WWII I knew a number of former Commandos. One was a customer who I became friends with & he brought his Fairbairn-Sykes knife for me to see. It looked like it had seen some use but still had a very good edge. I could almost the the quotation marks when he said that he "...'mainly' used it for opening ammo crates." Another told me tales of one of his comrades who had been a bit of a tearaway even before the war, his speciality was capturing sentries. He had a set of brass knuckles with three very large & stout fishing hooks set into it. He would sneak up on a sentry & tap them on the shoulder, as they turned he'd thrust the hooks into their face while putting the index finger of his other hand up to his lips to mime "Shhh!" The stuck sentry would seemingly come along meek as a lamb & not make a noise. Seems a very cruel way to capture someone & the wounds were horrible, but they at least got taken alive & could give up information.
The going for the face observation is really interesting both in terms of modern combat and also World War One. During WWI lots of horrific new weapons were pioneered like chemical attacks and I can see how a facial cut or stab would be very demoralizing to a person who had spent months in a muddy trench, but also this would probably be a preferable way of deciding the fighting for the infantry on both sides as opposed to getting gutted. It also makes the re-introduction of the steel helmet more than just about artillery.
GREAT video! I can’t wait for the trench knife evaluation video, upcoming. Along these same lines I’d love to see discussions of other knives and daggers such as the Fairbairn Sykes, the smatchet, various types of dirks, stilettos, main gauche, and hand bills. Thanks Matt!
I find it difficult to imagine crawling through the night, the mud, and wire, armed with post-apocalyptic weapons, to stab and claw at the enemy. How scared and desperate trench raiders and trench defenders must have been.
I'm not sure of the source, (likely Pierre Burton's book "Vimy") but trench raids over a period of time provided diminishing returns. The idea was to catch the Germans by surprise and intelligence gathering was another point of the raid. Done too often, the Germans were ready and the raid could turn into a debacle. There's cases where trench raiding squads would just go out and spend much of their night in a bomb crater when they felt they had reached that diminishing returns point.
You'd be surprised to learn that many volunteered for such raids, seeing them as an agreeable diversion to doing nothing or being shelled. But yes the trench defenders would most likely be feeling pretty scared and desperate
Having just watched the rather disappointing movie “The Kings Man” the one scene that works is the meeting of British and German soldiers in no man’s land at night - no guns for fear of bringing down gunfire, just brutal fighting for your life with edged steel and lumps of steel.
More of the battles of the US-occupation of Mexico was fight that way, The Mexicans have less powerfull guns than the US so the Mexicans use to get close and stab the sh*t of the US soldiers, That is why that is consider the most traumatic war for the US soldiers after Vietnan
Interesting. I often wondered if British officers had daggers or knives made for them to carry in addition to the sword(i.e. early ww1 and before). Considering what you said that it was thought of as "ungentlemanly" I guess that answers the question.
Many years ago when conducting live fire training we always used to refer to the chap tasked with throwing or posting the grenade into the "enemy" gun pit as the "bombadier".
I wonder how the cutless would have faired in the trenches. It's short enough to stab all the way up to your body. It's heavy enough to bash your skull in, and that guard is a good knuckle duster. They used short shovels so there was enough room for a short sword. The cutless was designed for close combat in confined space, on poor footing.
I've got an L.F.&C. 1918 with matching scabbard. I love how it feels in my hand, solid and designed for business. It's got a great patina to it. Just makes me think of who else held it in the past?
I found this more thought provoking than I had anticipated. I actually think I changed my mind about point up or point down in regards to trench warfare.... but not outright killing.
Very impressive program! My uncle (officer) and his men had used a short knifes during the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 against the Russian's at Port Arthur and Manchuria trenches.
I once read an account of Irish troops using the Shilalaegh as a weapon. One quote was to the effect that a one pound lump hammer could be used in many ways. If course, there were many spare bayonets, and getting one cut down and sharpened made a very useful trench weapon. An empty tin had a cut down handle from an entrenching tool put in, then molten lead was poured in. This made a short heavy club. Perhaps Matt didn't make it clear, just how deep and narrow the commination trenches were. As well as changing direction almost constantly. Probably also being covered, or reinforced near the top. They were dug like this to give maximum pretention from artillery and snipers.
I love WWI & WWII era weapon's, I have quite a few WWII items in my collection, an M1 Carbine & M1 Garand that my grandfather brought back from the war, a BAR along with dozens of different style bayonets. The only WWI era stuff I have is some trench art, a couple trench clubs and my favorite is a 1907 Vickers bayonet. Unfortunately the Vickers doesn't have a Scabbard. Wish I could find one for it just because, but I haven't been able to find one. 😟 Great video as always 👍👍
As a passionate First World War history buff I must say this is a great video! One that i certainly will share with my like minded friends. Great job, Matt!!! Well done! Would be awesome to see similar sources for the German and French armies aswell as others.
One also has to assume that this direct experience of using these knives in combat was passed down from one instructor to the next, and to their students, and is probably still maintained today in places like SAS, even if they no longer use this particular knife.
I vaguely remember my Grandfather havi one of the knuckle type knives. When visiting him, we live 3 states away, he would allow me to see some of his gear from WWI and the Polish Soviet War. Unfortunately my aunt's swept in on his passing and three away his uniforms and weapons.🙄☹️
I remember going through my grandad's sea chest from WW2 and he had a model 1918 trench knife and a letter from his dad a WW1 Veteran saying I hope it serves you like it served me
Lindybeige does a great video on British officer's swords. He has solid evidence that swords worked great for fighting in the trenches and for rallying troops, but that they made officers too easy to be targeted by Germans snipers who notoriously targeted officers first. I think in the year or two before the sword was recalled, it was like 75% mortality for British officers or something awful. Which went down when the swords were decommissioned. It's crazy to think about all the brave experienced and well trained men they lost this way early on in the war. Kinda like helmets, its painful to think about in hindsight.
Great vid. Musashi talks a lot about striking, stabbing and slicing to the face, as well. All animals instinctively protect their eyes, especially if there is a sharp, pointy object coming toward them. Cheers!
It's your boy, Raid Shadow Legends! Wrong channel, sorry. I sat down at 5:10 in the morning to watch this, and loved every moment.........fascinating and somewhat overlooked subject matter. Some of the improvised trench clubs/maces, along with the cleavers, billhooks, and other assorted ironmongery would probably also be worth examining - if only for the sake of completeness.
Talking about killing someone silently the U.S. Marine Corps still teaches how to do just that with your knife. The technique is to stab your blade through the center or just behind center of their neck from behind them & then quickly push the blade forward and out the neck. This technique will prevent them from being able to scream before they die from blood loss.
There's a video on TH-cam of Stan Scott (WW2 commando) describing the technique with a Fairbairn Sykes dagger. Even in his 70's, still has the aura of a very formidable man.
Great video Matt. I would love to see more videos on trench knives and other trench warfare weapons(that are not firearms). The Welsh trench sword would be of specific interest. I would also be interested in what forms of armour would be used. Off the top of my head the smatchet was a later development? A video on that would be good as well. :)
One reason for trench raiding was to grab prisoners for interrogation. Brass knuckles and clubs work well for that. As late as the 1980's we were taught the use of the knife, garrote and field expedient sap for sentry elimination in the U.S. Army.
I was in the occasional scrap during my time in service but I can hardly fathom just how brutal trench warfare must have been. I'm *really* glad I never had to do it.
This is what I had been asking for. It actually answered a lot of my questions about how this knife was typically used beyond "well they stab them with it". I'll try for two with another question I've been thinking about. Axes and maces seem to have similar handling, and it would seem that their percussive damage should be similar but we know that sometimes maces were preferred over axes, even by people who probably would have been more comfortable with axes (normans?) So I do wonder why axes aren't almost always picked over maces when it seems like they could accomplish the same or close to it? Is it just because maces are easier and cheaper to make and use? More durable? There are some pretty fancy maces out there as well as axes so I don't know how much I buy into either of those answers so I feel I must have gotten something wrong or I'm missing something.
There's a Matt's video from 3 years ago (I think) named "Can a battle axe chop wood?". In this video he talks about the diference between the Dane axe and a pollaxe. Despite both were axes, the pollaxe axe head is fairly smaller in profile, however is much thicker. Therefore the pollaxe is more reliable to hit hard targets such as a brigandine or a solid breastplate than the Dane axe. The Dane axes blade was generally very thin for a axe, what is easy to understand once it was beeing used at the Age of Hasting, so the better armor you could have to face was a coat of mail and a conical helmet.
Axes are super effective but have a habit of getting stuck in most inconvenient times. That extra second you spend wrenching the blade out of someones skull can be the death of you.
Maces don't have an edge to be degraded, do I'd think they win on durability. Also assuming the learning curve is lower, because the range of applications is pretty limited to "bash", unlike an axe which can be more versatile. MaaZeus also make an important point about hacking weapons getting stuck in bone.
@@JonesMacGrath In modern Chinese fencing with real weight swords, chops are considered less optimal for this reason, as opposed to slicing tendons and thrusting into the abdomen *avoiding contact with bone*. Even where you see chops, such as into the shoulder, there will often be a followup movement-chop/saw forward-to release the blade from the bone.
This was in WW II, but as regards hand to hand combat that needed to quiet-ish, my dad spoke of three weapons that were favored. One was the Kabar, which is essentially a slightkly scaled down Bowie knife. Another was the machete. I have his Collins made, Legitimus which he bought later. The third was the trenching shovel which could be sharpened on the edges and used more or less like an axe. There also knuckle duster knives in use, some apparently government issued considering the "US" stamp on the triangular cross-section blade.
Fascinating stuff. thanks very much. I does show the ad hoc nature of the early trench fighting and the view by some that it was not quite British, of was that English.
Very interesting, I love your use of primary sources.. First just like to note that my countrymen were known as aggressive trench raiders. According to what I read, their sectors were usually pretty active. That being the Canucks. Also another reason that officers stopped carrying swords, is it really made them stick out as targets. And as you know they were primary targets for snipers. Also I read a post war book in which there was a reference to the British disdain of using cold steel.It was in Murder on the Orient Express of all places. The victim was murdered with a knife or pointy object. Some of the civilians said it could not be a British gentleman that would use such a barbious weapon. Also they took the young woman out of the suspect list, because again, a woman could never weld such a weapon and would be horrified to use one. Interesting where you can find info on people's attitudes to weapons and fighting.
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The make shift trench maces are quite interesting!
I'm surprised their was no mention of the standard British trenching tool as an improvised weapon.
A shaft of wood with a brass band to attach different multi tools.
PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE WELSH TRENCH SWORD!!!!
I'm surprised they didn't go back to useing Cain mail or some form of stab armor
Also very cool advice. Aim for the face if you want to win a knife fight
I inherited one of the brass-knuckle type daggers from my grandfather (who carried it in the Pacific in WWII), who inherited it from his father (who carried it in WWI). It's an intimidating piece of equipment even just sitting there by itself.
You are one lucky dude, besides the obvious sentimental and family value, those knives are quite rare and sought after by collectors.
@@-Zevin- Yeah I am! I have them as my ancestors!😁
My friend had one but the blade was more the size of a Gladius short sword than a dagger
@@taylorlibby7642 I have a family knife story too, My grandfather was in the 34 division I company, North Africa, Italy, later was in France at the end of the war after being punished for getting into a fight with his CO while he was on a war bond and radio speaking tour back home.
He acquired a Nazi SS Dagger from a fallen officer. He had the knife in a trunk his entire life, I never even saw it, he didn't like to talk about the war, and he passed away when I was very young. My grandmother kept that knife locked away, but I remember stories about it from my dad. I wanted that knife because of the family history and rarity of it. When I was in high school I asked my grandma about it, she was really surprised, she thought nobody would want that old evil thing anyway, (she was a older Jewish woman. ) Turns out she sold it to someone at a yard sale for $20....
have photos up anywhere? That's an awesome piece of history.
As a Sergeant of mine said on many years ago when confronted on the fact that he carried a knife strapped to his pistol holster. "Sir, I would rather carry the weight of this piece of steel for the rest of my life and not have need for it, than need it once and not have it..."
That and knives are useful even in everyday life. I can’t count how many packages I cut open or how many cans or other similar containers I had to pry or cut open with my cheap Chinese made edc knife.
Sound like excellent advice.
I feel the same way about a decent pocket knife. It serves many purposes & is still there "just in case". BTW it's perfectly legal where I live.
Sounds like a perfect argument for carrying a handgun as well. 😁
@@quentinmichel7581 or even a long gun
I got stabbed by an insurgent with a trench knife in Baghdad ‘05, he came from behind and his knife point was stopped dead by my body armor. Just as I realized someone was behind me and before I could react my buddy put a burst in his noggin. It was one of those WW2 brit commando knives. Lots of old brit weapons found in my time in Iraq.
I saw a picture of a soldier holding an M-1 Garand that they got from some Afghan cave...
@@MrWayne1701 There was actually Taliban that still were using functional Martini Henry rifles. Pretty crazy.
Thats the wild part of clan cultures- lots of fighting, never enough internal stability to improve industry and actually make firearms.
Kevlar kicks ass. Was it an interceptor vest with the giant collar and throat protector?
@@cascadianrangers728 yup plus esapi plates and a urine stained crotch flap
In a german weapons magazin was written: We think, most blades of trench knifes saw more saussage fat than human blood.
Well, getting personal to actually carry a piece of kit is actually fairly key to getting them to use the equipment.
The can opener appears on a surprisingly array of equipment. 🤔 I suppose quite a bit of the food was still coming that way. Have to figure it was important.
Of course they're going to say that-propaganda. 😉
But the fact that it says they had both on them though....I hope the sausage was first.
Statistically true, everyone have to eat and how many of those were cut down by artillery or machine guns before getting into melee distance.
I’d still wager a significant number of soldiers died at the end of a blade
Yeah honestly, halfway through the video i was thinking about how little id care to clean one after use before my dinner. - that is, if you are calm enough to eat.
I don't know about everyone else, but I *love* these deep-dives into 18th/19th/20th century weapons and warfare! This is something no other channel I follow does, especially not to this level of research and articulateness (...is that a word?)!
'Articulation'...but yes, story time with Uncle Matt is one of my favourite things. I particularly enjoy how the military and the media were at pains to explain things to the public (with a smattering of propaganda of course 😁).
@@Tommiart lol dammit, I will always think of this as "story time with Uncle Matt" every time there's a new video now
@@bakerboy8910 If you haven't seen anything from Forgotten Weapons and Inrangetv that went over and tested ww1 equipment, including an old vid of testing the German engineers sawtooth backed bayonet, as well as a great impromptu French army mutiny during Verdun, I'd suggest checking Ian McCollum out for that.
I read somewhere that the reason they were called "bombers", was that when the hand grenade was reintroduced into the British Army, the Grenadier Guards didn't want anyone else being called "grenadiers", so they became "bombers".
For Parade only a prussian Grenadier Guard unit used in Imperial time the high grenadiers caps of 18th century. The fronside of this caps hat been made oft sheet metal ( Blech), so the Berlin citizens called this soldiers ,Blechköppe' ( dialect!)/ the sheet metal heads.
“Trench fighting is the bloodiest, wildest, most brutal of all ... Of all the war's exciting moments none is so powerful as the meeting of two storm troop leaders between narrow trench walls. There's no mercy there, no going back, the blood speaks from a shrill cry of recognition that tears itself from one's breast like a nightmare.”
and
"“These moments of nocturnal prowling leave an indelible impression. Eyes and ears are tensed to the maximum, the rustling approach of strange feet in the tall grass in an unutterably menacing thing. Your breath comes in shallow bursts; you have to force yourself to stifle any panting or wheezing. There is a little mechanical click as the safety-catch of your pistol is taken off; the sound cuts straight through your nerves. Your teeth are grinding on the fuse-pin of the hand-grenade. The encounter will be short and murderous. You tremble with two contradictory impulses: the heightened awareness of the huntsmen, and the terror of the quarry. You are a world to yourself, saturated with the appalling aura of the savage landscape.”
― Ernst Jünger, Storm of Steel
The two contradictory yet simultaneous impulses of the hunter and the hunted, to paraphrase, a concept which sends a shiver down my spine. That shiver being just a fraction of one percent of what those who were there must have felt at the time. Chilling stuff.
It's interesting that there's a conscious understanding that you're about to go into a situation where there is no neutral, kill or be killed, you'll find out soon enough. The impressive bit is the acknowledgment is that he's fully aware of his position and decision to initiate rather than having the situation just happen to him even with his full awareness of the fact that he may be the prey.
What a vivid and riveting description!
Junger was the real deal!
Beautiful and evocative.
I am german, Britta is my girlfriend. The german trench knifes can be divided in two types. Some trench knifes are clearly descendants of german bayonnets, other ones are clearly descendants of a german hunting knife ,Nicker'. In southern Germany ( Bayern, Württemberg, Baden) and Austria this knifes had been EDC knifes, still today the currently produced ,Lederhosen' have a pocket for the ,Nicker' ( but today the weapons laws are a problem) . In 1980s you sometimes could see elderly men carrying such knifes with modern cloth.
Nicker is our word, but you can say Nicka
When did the legality become a problem? How about in the field? I can't imagine skinning a deer would be easy without a blade.
@@CtrlAltRetreat : In 1980s only some elderly men carried such knifes as ,EDC' knife, they ( the knifes) are simply out of fashion for decades. By german law you could still carry them, if blade lenngth is shorter than 12 cm, in villages usually no problem, but not in towns/ cities.
I inherited a german nicker knife from father, and it was a present from a german friend. Probably the knife is over sixty years old. Hubertus actually eight centimeters blade, but probably was longer when new. Regards from Uruguay, it is my favorite knife.
Growing up I knew a number of men that was in WWI and WWII. Two saw combat in Europe. When I was getting a bit older and getting close to draft age (Vietnam) I went to them. I wanted their advice on knives. Both told me the same thing. Do not mess around go in and stab them as many times as you can. Don't slash unless it fits the incident. Other than that they also said carry as many socks as you can.
That particular advice actually goes back many centuries.
_"They [Roman soldiers] were likewise taught not to cut but to thrust with their swords. For the Romans not only made a jest of those who fought with the edge of that weapon, but always found them an easy conquest. A stroke with the edges, though made with ever so much force, seldom kills, as the vital parts of the body are defended both by the bones and armor. On the contrary, a stab, though it penetrates but two inches, is generally fatal..."_ --Vegetius
I think the main reason for the brutal type and often simple weapons was lack of training and the chaotic nature of the fights, imagine being 18 years old, pumped with adrenaline like you have never before felt in your life, shaking from it, quite literally "seeing red" dripping with sweat, your uniform drenched in mud and blood, Your ears are ringing, your heart is pounding out of your chest, you can feel each beat in your temples. There are severed limbs laying around your feet and bits of human remains on your face from the artillery barrage prior; now the infantry is charging your position with bayonets. Nothing in your training really prepared you for what you are now seeing, the noise of it all, your friends just moments prior turned into a red mist, the epitome of sensory overload. Under those circumstances you need brutal, simple to use weapons where the animal inside of you, the "cave man brain" whatever you want to call it, is all that is in control in that moment, fancy fencing, everything you learned in training is now for naught. Now you are just pummeling another poor scared shaking 19 year old German kid with your entrenching tool, all on instinct alone. It was a terrible war.
Well said. Not many people truly appreciate (or understand fully) the sheer 'reality' of the brutality. Violence like that was not even seen in the early medieval ages (aka the Dark Ages).. MAYBE, to some extent.. But not even close in regards to scale.. There were no explosives back then (EARLY middle ages, think year 500-1200). Utter brutality with knives, swords, clubs, pole axes etc.. But no humans turning to red mist, no feeling the shockwaves of shells bursting near enough to deafen you for the day, but not kill you.. But you end up with your best friend splattered all over your uniform.. Yeah.. Nobody in this era, thankfully, should ever have to experience that.. We can only hope the oxymoronically named 'Great War' was/is/will be, a military anomaly. As was the battle of Thermopile. Sparta was known for it's diplomacy.. The whole bit of being 'bred warriors' was literal propaganda from that battle that held off the Persians just long enough for Athens and the larger part of the Spartan armies to join forces and fight off the invaders in a conventional manner..
@UCW11flY1Xn65JhnqLX5-azA I in fact, am Christian. And I actually find those events of said wars horrible. Nobody should needlessly suffer any of that. And the Christian God forgives. Also we have Christ. Follow in His footsteps and you have a ticket to The Kingdom of Heaven.. And even for people who were born never knowing about God, or under a different religion, God still gives them a chance based on their actions in this mortal life. There is a very real possibility that all Earthly (and maybe beyond) religions are one in the same. The differences being in cultural and linguistic developments. These things are something no human can know until their time comes. And fighting in war is not considered murder, as the large part of those drafted/volunteered really have no choice in the matter. It is either fight or be killed, whether by opposing forces or your own government. Our God does not micromanage. We have the gift of free will. And that free will gives the option to choose to not believe. And still those folks are given a second chance based on how they used their mortal time. Me. I would never send anyone to their deaths. Much less in such a manner. I chose not to join the military because I would not want to have to kill another person. Should Global War break out and I were to have no other option. That would be different. And these TH-cam comments sections tend to not be so friendly to Christians. I only discuss these things where appropriate. I will not deny my faith for any reason. And doing so for reasons such as 'peer pressure' or 'being judged by others' are inherently sinful actions. I wear my faith with pride.
An additional consideration. In earlier centuries a campaign might last for weeks or months with only one battle lasting less then a day. In the two world wars battles could last months with soldiers being in the front line for days or even weeks without relief. At a given point when you can hit back, you do
I am german, Britta is my girlfriend. My father , born 1938, had often possibility to speak with german veterans of wwl, the last one in my village died in 1997. One day he spoke with two wwl veterans. He asked the two men, what thing frightened you the most? My father thought artillry or poisson gas. To his surprise the two men said , the assaults frightened them the most. Suddenly a stranger, whom you not know, is in front of you and attacks you like thousands of years ago.
The best melee weapons for situations like that are ones that cater well to be swung like caveman’s club, but still have room that training martial arts can improve. My great lolo (Filipino word for grandfather) fought the Japanese in ww2. He fought them primarily with grenades, mines, and bolos (Filipino word for shortsword or machete). I can only imagine the sheer brutality and the irony that both sides felt to be fighting each other using ancient weapons and techniques in an age of machine guns, bombs, tanks, airplanes, and ships.
Silent sentry take out was still a part of my infantry training back in the day. Mostly knife and garrotte
Sometimes even a supressed pistol makes to much noise.
@@exploatores not when trying to do it quietly. Suppressors are not what you see in movies
@@jeremybriggs1707 I know, their is a few supressed weapon that are almost hollywood quiet. but most only stops you from blowning your eardrums out. when firing indoors. with out any protection.
@@exploatores suppressed .22s and the .32 acp Welrod are the only ones that come close to the near silent movie guns that i have wver seen
The necessity of bringing silent death was described to me by my Grandfather. He was a pilot in WWII flying British soldiers behind the Japanese lines in a flying boat. He was issued with an FS dagger and trained in its use. The theory being that if you used a firearm, you’d bring the Japanese down on top of you. I’ve made a couple of videos of his knife and his fascinating story on my TH-cam channel. From a pre-war teenage spy to a Cold War Vulcan pilot, via the small business of WWII.
I stopped the video and went to your channel. Scrolled through 20 or so videos and subbed. I’m going to enjoy it sir. Thank you👍🏻🤠
@@sweetdrahthaar7951 thank you, that’s very kind 😃👍
Matt Easton's innuendo powers are so strong that even actual period quotes he reads "swing the butt" towards innuendo.
The source of Bowies during the American Civil War was England in large part. Naturally they would be readily available to Tommies for trench use.
The first time I saw a trench knife was in Boardwalk Empire, wherein the character Jimmy Darmody carried one, having come back from the WW1 western front with shrapnel in his leg. Apparently, being able to fist-fight as you normally would is a large advantage in a fighting knife, so enhancing that ability with the brass knuckles then seems like a good idea. Such a brutal weapon.
Glad someone else remembers that amazing TV series
This was an absolute treat! I own a modern-day trench knife made by the Italian manufacturer Extrema Ratio. It's their ADRA dagger, the "Parade" model to be exact.
I've always been fascinated by this topic. I would certainly be interested in more WWI videos. I thinks it's ironic that yes that war saw a return to knives, clubs, and amrour (more archaic fighting techniques), and yet it is the first modern war. Tanks and trench knives.
Matt, Is an antique trench knife, with knuckle duster grip, illegal to have in a collection in the UK?
No, Matt is a historian
Hi Jason, original WW1 examples are legal to buy, sell and own in the UK as they are over 100 years old and therefore antique. Antiques are exempt from the prohibited weapons list (unless they are firearms, which have other methods of categorization).
@@scholagladiatoria Thanks Matt, I wasn't sure if the antique exemption covered that type of weapon. UK law has some very odd categories. Zombie knives for example!
@@mistahanansi2264 remove the first comma from the question and you'll see why @drakeevanscar was making a joke.
Don't get caught walking around Piccadilly Circus with one.
My Uncle who fought in the first war gave me his trench knife from the war. It was a cut down and ŕedone grip from a Ross rifle bayonet that he was supposed to return to stores. It was a super strong and handy knife.
Another interesting trench weapon is the short sword issued to Lord Howard de Walden's battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, with a leaf shaped blade and a very unusual hand guard, and sheath. It was apparently issued by the Lord himself, was 24 inches overall length, with a 17 1/2 inch blade and used to some effect in the trenches. Based on an older Welsh sword called the "CLEDD" it later apparently inspired Fairbairn of "Commando" knife fame, to design a weapon called the SMATCHET, also issued and used by Commandos and Special Forces in ww2 The American OSS and others had a copy too. I saw one of the original ww1 versions in the RWF military museum it is quite impressive and fearsome. As David Crockett said of the Bowie knife when he met James Bowie and saw the knife "the thought of that tickling someone's ribs, would like to turn a man's stomach"
Matt, I love your presentations and your enthusiasm for your topics. I’ve been interested in weapons, especially historic ones, since I was a small boy. I had swords (broken hockey stick), knives (wooden) bows and arrows, slingshots (made by my grandpa) shields (plywood), armor (football helmet), guns (BB), etc., so I really enjoy seeing and hearing about pieces from your collection.
Entrenching tools or Trench spades were also readily used as weapons in the trenches of the Great War
E-tools are nasty things, they are hardened steel so they can be sharpened. I’ve seen them chop wood just as effectively as a small axe.
@@philw8049 true about chopping. I have a Etool I sharpened with a file. It's like a folding shovel and an light duty AXE.
@@philw8049 even unsharpened, they’re very handy and still very powerful, in terms of how much damage they can inflict.
They're still in use today. I think you can even look up the number of confirmed kills using an entrenching tool/spade, if you know where to look.
@@RockyMountainBear yes, my brother served in the military, and E-tools are still widely used and carried by infantry.
Also, if you see E-tools in ww1, they didn’t all look the same, for some, it was a small pick axe, there are some examples in museums of ones that were carried specifically for trench fighting, nasty looking things.
I’d recommend a look into the Italian Arditi of WWI. Use of armor, shields and daggers as shock troops was their wheelhouse.
I have been fascinated with trench knives since I was a little kid. The design of these knives drew my attention and the stories and reason behind them hooked me in.
Using these weapons for real even once and a man's character is forever changed.
Thanks!
Trench clubs and maces deserve a video too. There are so many great designs, many truly look like Medieval weapons.
Yes, and some were even German designed resembling a morning star with a spring shaft.
You pick the best topics, man! I unexpectedly ran into a really cool ww1 trench exhibit at the Wilson presidential library in Virginia. Those serrated and spiraled tri-blades are vicious
The big problem with brass knuckles on a trench knife was that they made the knife very difficult to use effectively. With the fingers in the knuckles, it became impossible to shift the grip when necessary.
Worth noting that one of the reasons officers outfitters were selling trench daggers was because officers were still expected to equip and clothe themselves at their own expense, including their weapons.
A very good friend of mine, Arthur Purcell (1890-1986), had the brass-knuckle ‘1918’ American trench knife, he was issued while in France in the First World War. I remember he used it as a paper weight.
There is a considerable difference between fighting from a trench and fighting in the trench. WWI soldiers were very creative in making useful and deadly weapons for hand to hand combat in trench fighting. A simple entrenching tool ( a small, one handed spade) with the spade blade sharpened became a lethal weapon. Various clubs were made from any bits and pieces available. A small hatchet (or tomahawk) was popular. All manner of shapes of knives and daggers were improvised.
But the dagger that incorporated both brass knuckles and a skull cracking nut on the pommel was ingenious. You could thrust and slash with the blade, punch with the brass knuckles and with a back hand blow, break someone's skull. No matter how your hand was positioned, you had a lethal weapon ready to go. In as little as one or two seconds, you could slash, then punch and then break bone.
Unfortunately, so could the other guy. Stealth, silence and complete surprise was the key. Get in, kill and get out. Personally, my idea of a good trench weapon was the trench shotgun. Forget silence. Keep back a few yards and blow the other guy to pieces with your trusty Winchester Model 1897 trench gun, complete with bayonet. Paper case cartridges were less than ideal in the often water logged trenches so brass cased buckshot was just the ticket.
www.americanrifleman.org/media/g2rhrxmt/_trench-p61d.jpg
www.americanrifleman.org/media/0p4fo44l/_trench-p59c.jpg
The shotshells had nine, .34 calibre pellets and the gun held six rounds. Special canvas cartridge pouches carried plenty of ammo (32 rounds) but such pouches were not common. Various other pouches or just pockets would suffice.
www.americanrifleman.org/media/vtxfoubo/_trench-p63a.jpg
Armed with this shotgun and the dagger/brass knuckles/bone breaker as backup, a guy actually stood a chance of survival in trench raiding, either on offense or defense.
*Great point.* They didn't always have the benefit of proper equipment or even resupply! They had to get creative, like all true warriors.
(In Shaolin, "monks spade" is one of he few traditional bladed weapons. Buddhists could utilize it b/c it was properly a tool, and not specifically designed to draw human blood:)
**Me slowly putting on sunglasses while holding a trench knife**
“Thug Knife~”
I love these primary source videos. Even just historical commentary on events can really show you how modern conceptions of the past get formed. You take for 'common knowledge' for granted.
Indeed. These blades were used in combat in what was, until very recently, living memory. Much more reliable than trying to reconstruct a lost art out of unreliable medieval manuals written in pre-scientific language.
Does bring to mind medieval siege works, often the same trenches and raiders on both sides, not to mention meeting up in tunnels under the fortress.
“Trench knives” are specifically prohibited weapons by name in Australia. However anyone of the features it has would be enough, duel edged blade, covered fingers even only a little tiny bit, point on the handle ‘pommel’.
pretty stupid laws. you could just go to the store and buy a little axe/tomahawk
@@Elias-xu7uw also throwing knives and axes are prohibited weapons as well. They are defined as a knife or axe designed for throwing or ANY knife or axe that you do throw. So hold your axe trip over and accidentally let it go as you fall, you’ve thrown the axe so it’s now a throwing axe. Crazy. Even crazier is that a few states allow some prohibited weapons that australia itself bans. You buy one and it gets stopped at the border by customs then the paperwork starts.
@@danielleriley2796 funny what the world has come to.. not a democracy thats for sure it never was either
@@danielleriley2796 Ppl like to say the Aussies are the descendants of prisoners and criminals; but they're also the descendants of the jailors.
Good luck down there :(
What about screw drivers? Someone who knows how to throw a screw driver could really do some damage.
A trench knife is very personal, by definition.
That's why there's so much emotion wrapped up with its use.
I'm really enjoying these modern studies Mr. Easton! Do you think you could do one of these on war clubs (gunstock, ball, etc.)?
I have a small flick knife that my great grandfather picked up in Belgium during WWI. I don't know if he got it as a weapon or just a tool, it's a little small for trench fighting but perfect for shanking sentries or as a hidden hold out if captured.
Excellent video! The very last part about the preference for the icepick grip (in this context, naturally) was particularly interesting.
The prichard greener bayonet was made for the webley service MKV1 for trench raiding and a speed loader was accepted in 1918 to give it a quicker loading . you could use it as a club if all else failed
back in late 70's i got lucky to get my hands on 1' and i got it cleaned and sharpened and it was not a regret to add it to my tool collection
I have an authentic 12 gauge trench gun with Enfield sword bayonet, I use it for home defense
You lucky bastard.
RE: Thug knife. In 1915 the term "thug" was often associated with members of a deviant Hindu sect devoted to the worship of Kali, the goddess of death, who murdered people as a religious rite. The belief and practice was called Thuggee and the adherents Thugs, which is the origin of the English word which we now generally apply to violent career criminals. The Thugs typically strangled their victims, but they also used other weapons, including knives and daggers. Perhaps by "thug knife" the 1915 writer of that article was thinking of a typically Indian style of edged weapon that was, used by the Thugs. The Raj authorities must have collected thousands of knives in the campaign to suppress Thuggee. Perhaps there were one or two prevalent types of edged weapons that came to be popularly known as a "Thug knife".
Thanks for your comment. In fact this video and the comment section or full of fascinating things I never knew. 👍🏻
Not WWI but WWII I knew a number of former Commandos. One was a customer who I became friends with & he brought his Fairbairn-Sykes knife for me to see. It looked like it had seen some use but still had a very good edge. I could almost the the quotation marks when he said that he "...'mainly' used it for opening ammo crates." Another told me tales of one of his comrades who had been a bit of a tearaway even before the war, his speciality was capturing sentries. He had a set of brass knuckles with three very large & stout fishing hooks set into it. He would sneak up on a sentry & tap them on the shoulder, as they turned he'd thrust the hooks into their face while putting the index finger of his other hand up to his lips to mime "Shhh!" The stuck sentry would seemingly come along meek as a lamb & not make a noise. Seems a very cruel way to capture someone & the wounds were horrible, but they at least got taken alive & could give up information.
The going for the face observation is really interesting both in terms of modern combat and also World War One. During WWI lots of horrific new weapons were pioneered like chemical attacks and I can see how a facial cut or stab would be very demoralizing to a person who had spent months in a muddy trench, but also this would probably be a preferable way of deciding the fighting for the infantry on both sides as opposed to getting gutted. It also makes the re-introduction of the steel helmet more than just about artillery.
I can see how avoiding disemboweling would be suboptimal b/c viscera are more slippery than mud.
This was an excellent video. This channel is always good, but I really like this sort of researched format on contemporary use and opinions.
GREAT video! I can’t wait for the trench knife evaluation video, upcoming.
Along these same lines I’d love to see discussions of other knives and daggers such as the Fairbairn Sykes, the smatchet, various types of dirks, stilettos, main gauche, and hand bills.
Thanks Matt!
I find it difficult to imagine crawling through the night, the mud, and wire, armed with post-apocalyptic weapons, to stab and claw at the enemy. How scared and desperate trench raiders and trench defenders must have been.
I'm not sure of the source, (likely Pierre Burton's book "Vimy") but trench raids over a period of time provided diminishing returns. The idea was to catch the Germans by surprise and intelligence gathering was another point of the raid. Done too often, the Germans were ready and the raid could turn into a debacle. There's cases where trench raiding squads would just go out and spend much of their night in a bomb crater when they felt they had reached that diminishing returns point.
You'd be surprised to learn that many volunteered for such raids, seeing them as an agreeable diversion to doing nothing or being shelled. But yes the trench defenders would most likely be feeling pretty scared and desperate
Having just watched the rather disappointing movie “The Kings Man” the one scene that works is the meeting of British and German soldiers in no man’s land at night - no guns for fear of bringing down gunfire, just brutal fighting for your life with edged steel and lumps of steel.
More of the battles of the US-occupation of Mexico was fight that way, The Mexicans have less powerfull guns than the US so the Mexicans use to get close and stab the sh*t of the US soldiers, That is why that is consider the most traumatic war for the US soldiers after Vietnan
That sounds badass
Interesting. I often wondered if British officers had daggers or knives made for them to carry in addition to the sword(i.e. early ww1 and before). Considering what you said that it was thought of as "ungentlemanly" I guess that answers the question.
Many years ago when conducting live fire training we always used to refer to the chap tasked with throwing or posting the grenade into the "enemy" gun pit as the "bombadier".
I wonder how the cutless would have faired in the trenches. It's short enough to stab all the way up to your body. It's heavy enough to bash your skull in, and that guard is a good knuckle duster. They used short shovels so there was enough room for a short sword. The cutless was designed for close combat in confined space, on poor footing.
Very interesting! Looking forward to a close-up on different varieties in the future!
I've got an L.F.&C. 1918 with matching scabbard. I love how it feels in my hand, solid and designed for business. It's got a great patina to it. Just makes me think of who else held it in the past?
Landers, Frary & Clark was a fine old American knife company back in the day. You have a good quality knife.
I found this more thought provoking than I had anticipated. I actually think I changed my mind about point up or point down in regards to trench warfare.... but not outright killing.
Very well done presentation based on solid research from primary sources. Thank you!
Very impressive program! My uncle (officer) and his men had used a short knifes during the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 against the Russian's at Port Arthur and Manchuria trenches.
I really enjoy storytime with uncle Matt. Keep doing these please.
Would love to see a video about how much trench daggers changed (or didn’t) from their medieval counterparts
I once read an account of Irish troops using the Shilalaegh as a weapon.
One quote was to the effect that a one pound lump hammer could be used in many ways.
If course, there were many spare bayonets, and getting one cut down and sharpened made a very useful trench weapon.
An empty tin had a cut down handle from an entrenching tool put in, then molten lead was poured in. This made a short heavy club.
Perhaps Matt didn't make it clear, just how deep and narrow the commination trenches were. As well as changing direction almost constantly. Probably also being covered, or reinforced near the top. They were dug like this to give maximum pretention from artillery and snipers.
I was just listening to the period usage of Bowie knives and sword canes videos. I must say I'm greatly enjoying this unofficial new series.
One of the most interesting, actual knife and Combat video's that I have seen!
When my brother was in Ranger Battalion, I tried to find him a trench knife- but he found and carried an old K-bar
I've heard about some nasty uses for K-bars.
I love WWI & WWII era weapon's, I have quite a few WWII items in my collection, an M1 Carbine & M1 Garand that my grandfather brought back from the war, a BAR along with dozens of different style bayonets. The only WWI era stuff I have is some trench art, a couple trench clubs and my favorite is a 1907 Vickers bayonet. Unfortunately the Vickers doesn't have a Scabbard. Wish I could find one for it just because, but I haven't been able to find one. 😟 Great video as always 👍👍
Finally!! I been waiting for a video from you on trench knives
Brilliant presentation. WW1 really was an interesting shift in bladed weaponology.
As a passionate First World War history buff I must say this is a great video! One that i certainly will share with my like minded friends. Great job, Matt!!! Well done! Would be awesome to see similar sources for the German and French armies aswell as others.
One also has to assume that this direct experience of using these knives in combat was passed down from one instructor to the next, and to their students, and is probably still maintained today in places like SAS, even if they no longer use this particular knife.
I vaguely remember my Grandfather havi one of the knuckle type knives. When visiting him, we live 3 states away, he would allow me to see some of his gear from WWI and the Polish Soviet War.
Unfortunately my aunt's swept in on his passing and three away his uniforms and weapons.🙄☹️
I remember going through my grandad's sea chest from WW2 and he had a model 1918 trench knife and a letter from his dad a WW1 Veteran saying I hope it serves you like it served me
Lindybeige does a great video on British officer's swords. He has solid evidence that swords worked great for fighting in the trenches and for rallying troops, but that they made officers too easy to be targeted by Germans snipers who notoriously targeted officers first. I think in the year or two before the sword was recalled, it was like 75% mortality for British officers or something awful. Which went down when the swords were decommissioned. It's crazy to think about all the brave experienced and well trained men they lost this way early on in the war. Kinda like helmets, its painful to think about in hindsight.
And if captured by the enemy & in possession of an altered blade e.g. serrated, were you summarily executed because of this alteration?
I read that it was the concern at the time.
Good timing. It's ANZAC day in Australia, which is our most popular day for remembering servicemen. (With the WWI era being a significant focus.)
Hi Matt,
When looking at function for a trench knife, wouldn't a naval boarding cutlass also be an effective trench weapon? 🤔
Matt mentioned that swords were not effective in trenches, and a boarding cutlass would be fundamentally similar to an officer's saber.
Not useable as a tool, when eating with a cutlass, you also need a farmers fork.:-)
Hard to run or crawl into a trench with a sword of any type. Also blade length is a detriment in CQB both for fighting and maneuver.
Great vid. Musashi talks a lot about striking, stabbing and slicing to the face, as well. All animals instinctively protect their eyes, especially if there is a sharp, pointy object coming toward them. Cheers!
Outstanding super solid history. Thanks
It's your boy, Raid Shadow Legends!
Wrong channel, sorry.
I sat down at 5:10 in the morning to watch this, and loved every moment.........fascinating and somewhat overlooked subject matter. Some of the improvised trench clubs/maces, along with the cleavers, billhooks, and other assorted ironmongery would probably also be worth examining - if only for the sake of completeness.
Talking about killing someone silently the U.S. Marine Corps still teaches how to do just that with your knife. The technique is to stab your blade through the center or just behind center of their neck from behind them & then quickly push the blade forward and out the neck. This technique will prevent them from being able to scream before they die from blood loss.
There's a video on TH-cam of Stan Scott (WW2 commando) describing the technique with a Fairbairn Sykes dagger. Even in his 70's, still has the aura of a very formidable man.
I thought it had to do with hitting the brain steam too
That's the most 'Boy's Own' opening line I've heard in a long time. I'm in!
Great video Matt. I would love to see more videos on trench knives and other trench warfare weapons(that are not firearms). The Welsh trench sword would be of specific interest. I would also be interested in what forms of armour would be used. Off the top of my head the smatchet was a later development? A video on that would be good as well. :)
One reason for trench raiding was to grab prisoners for interrogation. Brass knuckles and clubs work well for that.
As late as the 1980's we were taught the use of the knife, garrote and field expedient sap for sentry elimination in the U.S. Army.
Yes! I remember that.
I like the idea of utility of tomahawk with a cutting edge and either a spike or hammer opposite.
Good video Sir! I enjoy your research and source material.
Could you talk more about the importance of the psychological shock for war tatics? I think it's a not so explored subject.
I'd love to get your commentary on the trench club and use of the spade/E tool in hand to hand combat.
I was in the occasional scrap during my time in service but I can hardly fathom just how brutal trench warfare must have been. I'm *really* glad I never had to do it.
If you could you should do a video on the welsh trench dagger/short sword of WW1 and the further design the smachet of WW2. Love the videos
This is what I had been asking for. It actually answered a lot of my questions about how this knife was typically used beyond "well they stab them with it". I'll try for two with another question I've been thinking about. Axes and maces seem to have similar handling, and it would seem that their percussive damage should be similar but we know that sometimes maces were preferred over axes, even by people who probably would have been more comfortable with axes (normans?) So I do wonder why axes aren't almost always picked over maces when it seems like they could accomplish the same or close to it? Is it just because maces are easier and cheaper to make and use? More durable? There are some pretty fancy maces out there as well as axes so I don't know how much I buy into either of those answers so I feel I must have gotten something wrong or I'm missing something.
There's a Matt's video from 3 years ago (I think) named "Can a battle axe chop wood?". In this video he talks about the diference between the Dane axe and a pollaxe. Despite both were axes, the pollaxe axe head is fairly smaller in profile, however is much thicker. Therefore the pollaxe is more reliable to hit hard targets such as a brigandine or a solid breastplate than the Dane axe. The Dane axes blade was generally very thin for a axe, what is easy to understand once it was beeing used at the Age of Hasting, so the better armor you could have to face was a coat of mail and a conical helmet.
Axes are super effective but have a habit of getting stuck in most inconvenient times. That extra second you spend wrenching the blade out of someones skull can be the death of you.
@@MaaZeus This is honestly the only answer that seems seems big enough to me. Maces are far less likely to get stuck.
Maces don't have an edge to be degraded, do I'd think they win on durability. Also assuming the learning curve is lower, because the range of applications is pretty limited to "bash", unlike an axe which can be more versatile.
MaaZeus also make an important point about hacking weapons getting stuck in bone.
@@JonesMacGrath In modern Chinese fencing with real weight swords, chops are considered less optimal for this reason, as opposed to slicing tendons and thrusting into the abdomen *avoiding contact with bone*. Even where you see chops, such as into the shoulder, there will often be a followup movement-chop/saw forward-to release the blade from the bone.
A nice companion piece might be anything you can find on the rarely used trench raider armour and any links you can find back to medieval inspirations
My great uncle used the mk1 trench knife (with the brass knuckles) in Europe during ww2. He was a paratrooper
Always a pleasure to watch
Lots of great info and awesome primary sources!
This was in WW II, but as regards hand to hand combat that needed to quiet-ish, my dad spoke of three weapons that were favored. One was the Kabar, which is essentially a slightkly scaled down Bowie knife. Another was the machete. I have his Collins made, Legitimus which he bought later. The third was the trenching shovel which could be sharpened on the edges and used more or less like an axe. There also knuckle duster knives in use, some apparently government issued considering the "US" stamp on the triangular cross-section blade.
Fascinating stuff. thanks very much. I does show the ad hoc nature of the early trench fighting and the view by some that it was not quite British, of was that English.
Great channel, wondering if you have ever made a vid about the improvised trench weapons?
Very interesting, I love your use of primary sources.. First just like to note that my countrymen were known as aggressive trench raiders. According to what I read, their sectors were usually pretty active. That being the Canucks. Also another reason that officers stopped carrying swords, is it really made them stick out as targets. And as you know they were primary targets for snipers. Also I read a post war book in which there was a reference to the British disdain of using cold steel.It was in Murder on the Orient Express of all places. The victim was murdered with a knife or pointy object. Some of the civilians said it could not be a British gentleman that would use such a barbious weapon. Also they took the young woman out of the suspect list, because again, a woman could never weld such a weapon and would be horrified to use one. Interesting where you can find info on people's attitudes to weapons and fighting.
Finally a longer video!
Iv got WW1 Hungarian trench knife ..My nephew gave it to me years ago .I play with it all the time its in my hand now
Fascinating and brilliant stuff.