This is a British Flail style Trench Club from WW1. These kinds of weapons were considered ‘semi official’ at the time, in that they were not really officially issued to soldiers, more made in regimental workshops. Some were a more solid club type, like a bat and less common were the flail types which we have here. Used in trenches when guns would be considered too loud, Trench Clubs were used for a more stealthy approach.

Authentic pieces are made from hardwoods like oak and have some natural wear and even some small cracks. Wood is a natural material after all. It’s also common for some minor spotting and/ or dark spots to appear on very old wood. Shrinkage is also a possibility as the wood ages.

This piece not only shows a little wear and even a crack in the wood, but also the original hand-forged metal parts such as the chain loop and it’s fastenings. The metal collar that links the two pieces together also shows the methods of the time, in that one of the screws is clearly smaller than the rest which is very common for pieces like this. If you look VERY closely, you can even see tool marks around the same area. Additionally, there’s some surface rust on the metal fixings however, all fastenings are nice and tight, the screws are tight the collar is tight and nothing is loose.

It’s full length is almost 21 inches, and it has no markings at all, however none of them do. These were made in workshops, during wartime conditions. They were not mass produced, hence the lack of maker marks or stamps.

An almost identical piece is featured on Page 38 of At Arm’s Length Trench Clubs and Knives by David F Machnicki.