During the early years of WW1, the powers that be were caught completely unprepared for the realities of the first "modern war". Actually the American Civil War gave all of them fair notice but... they were idiots.
The lads living in their muddy holes in the ground, however, were unwilling to go along with the higher command's vision that the spirit of the troops, the rush of the cavalry and the "terror of cold steel" would carry the day.
They came up with their own solutions to the deficiency. Every army (except the Germans - the advantage of being in the defensive position) devised "field expedient" knives, whether reground bayonets, worked-over files or forged barbed wire pickets, the boys made do.
This knife is based on a French example, made on site, probably at a facility similar to that of the background photo (a British tank repair truck with on-board forge, drill press, lathe and welder). The original had etched upon its blade the following:
"Le Nettoyeur de Tranchees" "The Trench Cleaner".
$80 plus $5 shipping.
To order e-mail me.
