Trench shield

[Chris Boonzaier]

The little flap I got closing with some oil and a few bangs with a wooden mallet. The leg of mine was rusted stiff though. There I had to coat it in oil, get one of those heating guns used to strip paint and apply heat for about 5 minutes... then a bang with a wooden mallet... now it turns like it did the day it left the factory.

[Chris Boonzaier]

An old thread up to the top... Verdun at the end of the week... I see a half a dozen new shields on the horizon !!!! Yeah... right...

Anyway, this is an old old thread... thought Mr murphy would enjoy it as it was before his time...

[Daniel Murphy]

Chris,

If you meant this "Mr. Murphy" then thank you and please, call me Dan. I have wandered the battlefields in Begium and France the few times I have had the chance to get there and have never found anything as nice as a trench shield. I suppose the best was a schrapnel pierced German "Gold Saba" cigarette tin from the crest of the Dead Man in Verdun that I found in '91. Amazingly, you can still read the lithography on it after 80 years in the ground. Still, that does not mean I have not acquired some nice "trench trash" through other means. Here is some of it at the last living history event I participated in. The grabenpanzer, stirnpanzer and various grenaten are mine and are all originals.

Dan

Edited September 16, 2006 by Daniel Murphy

[Daniel Murphy]

Here is another view. Did I say we won first place?

Dan

Edited September 16, 2006 by Daniel Murphy

[dwmosher]

Daniel:

Very cool pictures!

Dave

[Chip]

I read this thread the first time around and didn't think I had anything to add. Now that Chris has resurrected it, I remembered a photo in my collection that might help to answer Tony's questions about his shield with the handles. I thougt it was German and got to thinking that I had a few photos of trench shields in use. Bingo! One of the photos is of a fairly nice trench in an open field with four such shields being shown lined up with sandbags between them. I have zoomed in on one of them. I think you can make out the handles and the distinctive side "wings". This was a group of infantrymen from the 14.b.I.R., 5.b.I.Div. and the card was mailed in November of 1915. These "improved" postitions don't look like they have seen much action, so I suspect they were in the Woevre, where the division spent nearly all of 1915. I didn't show it, but they have even built in grated drains on the ground below each shield, which I assume was to keep the rain from pooling on those long nights at the watch.

 

I suppose there is a chance that these could be captured shields that the Bavarians have just recycled, but I doubt it.

 

Chip

Edited June 8, 2015 by Chip

[Tony]

Thanks for that Chip.

I've seen a lot of these on the Somme, mainly in the back garden and trench system at Tommy's Cafe.

Tony

[Daniel Murphy]

I suppose there is a chance that these could be captured shields that the Bavarians have just recycled, but I doubt it.

I doubt it as well. If just one was like that, it is possible, but all four the same? Not likely. Perhaps this was a Bavarian manufactured piece versus the Prussian with the folding leg. By the way, the hook on the ones like Chris has is for help carrying the shield. The leg normally swivels side to side. Turning the shield on end with the slot up. One opens the firing slot and lays the leg in the hook. Then one can carry the shield by placing placing the hand through the open slot and lifting. The hook keeps the leg from swiveling 90 degrees and hanging up on things while you carry it.

Dan

[Chris Boonzaier]

A brief description of the fighting for the pics below...

http://www.kaiserscross.com/40047/41321.html

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here are the pics... shields built on on Hartmannsweilerkopf.

[Chris Boonzaier]

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[Chris Boonzaier]

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[Chip]

Thanks for the interesting pictures Chris.

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

I had often thought the little flap to close the shooting hole was a waste, especially if used out in the open, or the edge of a tzrench, but the last photo shows that of cemented into a bunker it would be useful.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here is a new one from a collector at Verdun.

Has a terrible light powder green color, but it is the original repaint/Camo color.

[Chris Boonzaier]

3

[Chris Boonzaier]

shrapnel holes in the left hand side plate.

[Naxos]

Grabenschild in situ 1915

[JensF.]

Good morning. Sure that this photo is from 1915? The official name for this type of shield is "Infanterieschutzschild 16".

[Naxos]

Good morning. Sure that this photo is from 1915? The official name for this type of shield is "Infanterieschutzschild 16".

just reading what is on the back; - Schutzengraben Russland, April 1915

[JensF.]

Interesting! Thank you for posting.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here is a bunch, all lined up.....

[Hoss]

The vast majority in the US are from the Somme front GWM imported them thirty odd years ago Rick had to suffer the shipping costs, I bought one dented from round hits can't imagine soldiers carrying them I forget the weight, the Allied ones are a lot lighter.

Eric

[Chris Boonzaier]

I have 2 like the ones pictured above, both from freinds who live at Verdun. They really stand the test of time these things!!

[Chris Boonzaier]

I have 2 like the ones pictured above, both from freinds who live at Verdun. They really stand the test of time these things!!