Trench weapons, used by British soldiers on Western Front

These trench weapons were bought or made by individual British soldiers for use on the Western Front during the First World War.

The unexpected conditions of trench warfare meant that conventional modern infantry weapons like the rifle and bayonet were often of little use for the hand to hand fighting that sometimes occurred.

Some 'trench' weapons were factory produced in Britain and sold commercially, for example, the 'punch dagger' and knuckle-duster knife made by the firm of Robbins of Dudley in Leicestershire - the top and middle weapons in the picture. Others were improvised from materials available locally. The weapon at the foot of the picture (known as a 'French Nail') was made from reused metal supports for barbed wire.

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