Club!

This is coolbert:

Came across a web site for savate’. The French form of “kickboxing”. A martial art discipline totally indigenous to France. Developed without outside influence.

Found an item on that web site pertinent to a previous blog entry on the World War One [WW1] tactic of the trench raid.

"Of the trench club I am not sure of all the details?! Some sort of baseball like club with metal spikes hammered through it?"

Weapons are a part of the savate’ martial art form. Of particular interest here is the truncheon. A club. Was based upon the belaying pin used by sailors in the age of the wooden sailing vessel. Savate’ was a popular fighting form used by French sailors for recreation purposes and also used when ashore and off-duty [bar fights and such undoubtedly!].

"Now classified as a truncheon this compact weapon is highly efficient in confined spaces especially indoors."

"Sailors used them as a weapon because they could easily be carried in their clothing

It may well be that the “trench club” wielded by soldiers of World War One engaging in a trench raid maybe have been the truncheon [belaying pin] as taught to savateurs’ [a savate’ practitioner is called in French a savateur’.].

Trench knife, trench club, revolver, grenade, bare hands, a heavy boot kicking away! That is all you need for the trench raid. Get in and get out quick. NO excessive impedimenta. The less the better. Hand-to-hand close quarters combat. Brutal cave man warfare of the simplest and most deadly type.

coolbert.