German Trench club ?

[barrow1901]

Recently bought trench club is it German or Austrian and is it okay,help need

[Willmore]

Hi there.

It looks like a good one,

The Imperial War Museum has an identical example on their website.

Physical description -
Coiled spring with square lump of metal, mounted on wooden handle.

Label -
The specialized nature of trench warfare, as it developed during the First World War, spawned a variety of new weapons. Many of these, such as clubs and knives intended for close quarter fighting, recalled more primitive eras of warfare. This German club is a quite sophisticated example. The cuboid iron head is attached to the grip by a thick coil-spring. The museum's collections feature two further identical examples, indicating that this pattern was produced in some quantity. They appear to be the product of a German military workshop, rather than a commercial manufacturer.

German trench club | Imperial War Museums

[Willmore]

Here is another example from the Austrian War Memorial website.

Description -
German Army trench club featuring a wooden handle and a coil spring steel flexible truncheon. The end of the truncheon has a square metal nut attached. The wooden handle has a serrated grip and is unpainted. There is a leather wrist strap attached to the handle. The coil spring and nut are painted gloss black. There are no markings.

History / Summary -
This German raiding club was found in the Queant-Drocourt line near Harnes in 1918 by the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company. Trench raids were small scale surprise attacks made on enemy front line positions. Small teams would silently cross no man's land, usually at night, and infiltrate enemy positions. The raids had several purposes including gathering intelligence, killing or wounding enemy troops, reducing enemy morale by instilling fear and a feelings of uncertainty, or disabling enemy equipment. The soldiers were lightly equipped in order to move quickly and quietly. While pistols or grenades could be used, often hand weapons such as knives, clubs and bayonets were used as they could be carried easily and not attract as much attention due to noise or damage caused.

German Army raiding club : 3 Australian Tunnelling Company, AIF | Australian War Memorial

[Narcis]

Hi,
Actual version

[Gwar]

Similar SIPO..

[Aldo]

My old cocobolo nightstick.....used in a previous life for administering a well deserved "wood shampoo"

[MAP]

These trench weapons were nasty business. Although I've always wanted to add one to my small WW1 collection.

Not idea on originality but I like it.

[AndyM35]

Looks original to me. I believe there is one in Mike Baldwin’s Feldzug series of book.

[Danmark]

Hi,
Actual version

"striping" ........ now that's nasty ( a favourite of the Kray twins in London )