German Knuckle Duster: Lieutenant Colonel James Heane, 1 Battalion, AIF

Place Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Albert Bapaume Area, Pozieres Area, Pozieres
Accession Number REL/00464
Collection type Technology
Object type Edged weapon or club
Physical description Steel
Location Main Bld: First World War Gallery: Western Front 1916: Weaponry
Maker Unknown
Place made Germany
Date made Unknown
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

German steel knuckle dusters with spaces for four fingers and thumb. There are raised points on the rings of the four fingers.

History / Summary

Knuckle dusters used by the German infantry during trench raids. They were picked up by Lieutenant Colonel James Heane, 1 Battalion, AIF in a German trench at Pozieres on 23 July 1916.

Heane was born in Sydney, NSW, in 1874, and served enthusiastically in the cadets as a young man. In 1899 he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the militia, serving with 3 Australian Infantry Regiment and 2 Light Horse Regiment. On the outbreak of war in 1914, he joined the AIF, becoming a captain with 4 Infantry Battalion. By the time of the landing at Gallipoli, he had been promoted to major and placed in command of D Company.

He quickly earned the nickname 'Cast Iron Jimmy' amongst his men for his coolness and apparent invulnerability to enemy fire, and in May 1915 was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. During the attack on Lone Pine on 6 August 1915, Heane was wounded. His wounds caused Heane to be evacuated to hospital in Egypt, and he was not fit to rejoin his unit before the evacuation of Anzac in December.

In early 1916, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and placed in command of 1 Battalion, which was about to move to the Western Front. He proved a successful leader on the Western Front, rising to command 2 Australian Infantry Brigade as colonel, and being appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) and Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). He was also awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre and seven times mentioned in despatches. Between the wars, Heane was a successful orchardist, and was also leader of the secretive far right wing 'Old Guard' movement in NSW. During the Second World War, he held command of the state Volunteer Defence Corps units, but retired in 1942. 'Cast Iron Jimmy' Heane died in Sydney in August 1954.