During WWI the fighting often took place in the enemy’s trench as it was overrun. In this close quarter hand-to-hand combat a knife was a valuable back-up. The original that this knife was copied from was handmade in the trenches from a cut down GEW 98 Mauser bayonet. Includes leather scabbard. This knife can be seen in the book “Fighting Knives” by Frederick J. Stephens.