Cog Wheel Raiding Club Head : Sergeant H K Kahan, 28th Battalion, AIF

Place Europe: France, Nord Pas de Calais, Nord, Lille, Armentieres
Accession Number RELAWM16073
Collection type Technology
Object type Edged weapon or club
Physical description Metal
Location Main Bld: First World War Gallery: Western Front 1916: Fromelles/Nursery Sector
Date made c 1916
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

Australian cog wheel raiding club head. An oval cast iron cog wheel with eight teeth (one chipped) designed to fit on an entrenching tool handle to be used as a trench club.

History / Summary

This cog wheel trench club head is a veteran of at least seven raids on German trenches during the First World War including the occasion of the A.I.F's first trench raid early in 1916 when elements of the 7th Brigade, after special training, successfully raided the German trenches near Armentieres and brought back considerable intelligence material and a couple of prisoners for identification. This was the famous "Black ANZACS" raid when members of the raiding party blackened their faces for the raid.