In Their Words

Trench & Bolo Knives

Hand to hand combat was a grueling reality in the trenches of World War I. The close proximity of enemy trenches forced soldiers to often rely less on firearms and instead on knives, bayonets, and similar edged weapons. A variety of edged weaponry was used by the soldiers of the A.E.F. While the bayonet was perhaps the most familiar, trench and bolo knives were also found strapped to the side of many American serviceman.

Trench knives, like the one pictured at the top of the photograph, were relatively short knives often with diamond, triangular or rounded blade cross-sections attached to a metal hilt that had been shaped in the form of brass knuckles. The trench knife was a versatile weapon and allowed for a soldier to strike with nearly any part of the knife instead of attacking with the blade alone. When sheathed, the trench knife was worn towards the front of a soldier’s equipment belt for ready access. Trench knives were commonly used in raids where some degree of silence was desired.

Bolo knives, seen at bottom, were large and intimidating weapons, just like the machetes which they resemble. Originally used by the U.S. Army during the Philippine Insurrection of 1899 to 1902 as a tool to clear dense jungle underbrush, these knives were used once again in World War I both as a weapon and a tool. Bolo knives possessed wide blades that could be used for digging as well as fighting. In fact, the 1917 U.S. Army Infantry Manual refers to the Bolo knife simply as a tool rather than a combat weapon.

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