An Original French 1915 'Trench Raiders' Fighting Knife, the So Called WW1 French Army 'Butchers' Bowie Knife In Original Military Issue Scabbard

French WWI close combat trench knife aka the 'Butcher Knife', in original leather scabbard

At the start of WW1 French soldiers were not issued knives, and were supposed to rely on their bayonets, but as soon as trench warfare set in the long rifles with bayonets proved unwieldy in the confined space of the trenches. In the beginning of 1915, the French Army starts distributing large numbers of civilian knives in many variations, the most common being the so-called Butcher's Knives with Bowie blades


A photo in the gallery of an original French “Trench Raider” during WW1. All sides had them, British trench raiders during World War I were specialized assault groups that carried out small-scale, violent night-time incursions into enemy lines on the Western Front. Capturing enemy soldiers ("tongues") for interrogation, mapping trenches, and seizing documents or orders. Inflicting casualties, destroying machine-gun nests, and demolishing enemy dugouts with explosives. Keeping an active, aggressive offensive spirit in the stagnant conditions of trench warfare. Establishing tactical dominance in the dark spaces between opposing trench systems

In Germany they were called 'Shock Troops' {Sturmtruppen or Stoßtruppen} and they were sent in small groups where they infiltrated into forward enemy trenches. With Infiltration tactics, Instead of attacking every part of an enemy line, shock troopers bypassed heavily fortified strongpoints ("strongpoints") and struck at weak gaps.They pushed deep into the enemy's rear to knock out command posts, artillery batteries, and supply lines. Once the line was breached and thrown into confusion, regular German infantry moved up to clear out remaining resistance. They played a central role in the German Spring Offensive (Kaiserschlacht) in March 1918, achieving massive initial territorial gains before the army exhausted its supplies

Armed with a revolver, knives and grenades, and the American's had brass or steel hilted knuckleduster knives, but this was just in the the last year of the war, that the American's fought in the trenches in WW1. It was normally a fully volunteer position.

Code: 26402