Artifact of the Month: WW1 Trench Knife

Just over 100 years ago, World War I saw dramatic changes in military tactics including the introduction of large-scale trench warfare. The conventional weapons issued by most of the involved armies at the beginning of the conflict were not suited to hand-to-hand combat in close quarters between soldiers wearing heavy protective gear. At first, soldiers improvised with what they had or fashioned their own weapons. Recognizing the need for a new type of weapon, the U.S. Army commissioned the Model 1917 Trench Knife that is our Artifact of the Month.