WWI patriotic dexterity game - 'Trench Football'

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R Farmer & Sons

c. 1915

Overview

WWI era framed and glazed patriotic pitfall dexterity puzzle entitled 'Trench Football'.
It requires the player to manipulate a steel ball bearing around a recessed playing course, avoiding the strategically placed holes. To win, the ball must reach the printed goal behind the final elongated hole without dropping into it.
There are two playing surfaces. The lower level is made from buff-coloured card, the only printing on which is 'Kick off' at the start and a caricature of 'The Kaiser' at the end.
The upper playing board is made from thin plywood, onto which is pasted green printed paper featuring caricatures of prominent German (and one Turkish) military commanders, placed to coincide with the holes. and the graphic of a football goal behind the Kaiser.

The reverse features a printed label with the rules of the game. The manufacturer's initials (R.F.& S.) appear at the end

Historical information

This First World War pitfall dexterity game required the player to carefully move a small ball through the trenches and reaching the ‘goal’ without falling into the many traps on the way. The traps are ‘guarded’ by caricatures of German and Turkish military leaders. The final trap is the largest, consisting of Kaiser Wilhelm’s mouth, which guards the goal.
Designed and made in England, this puzzle was available for sale in Australia by late September 1915.
The maker, R Farmer & Sons had previously released a similar propaganda game called 'Silver Bullet or the Road to Berlin'.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00063

Item type

Themes

Leisure > Games
War and Conflict
War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Width

165 mm

Height or length

240 mm

Inscriptions and markings

"TRENCH FOOTBALL"
"BRITISH DESIGN BRITISH MADE"
"REGISTRATION APPLIED FOR"

From start of course, text next to each hole reads:

"LITTLE WILLIE" (OUTSIDE RIGHT)
"VON TERPITZ" [sic] (CENTRE FORWARD)
"VON KLUCK" (OUTSIDE LEFT)
"VON BULOW" (INSIDE LEFT)
"VON HINDENBERG" (INSIDE RIGHT)
"VON DER GOLTZ" (RIGHT HALF)
"VON MOLTKE" (CENTRE HALF)
"ENVER PASHA" (LEFT HALF)
"COUNT ZEPPELIN" (RIGHT BACK)
"VON SANDERS" (LEFT BACK) and
"THE KAISER" as the goal mouth.

Either side of the "Goal" are two final holes, simply labelled "BEHIND" with no associated illustration.

Transcripts

The rules state:

"TRENCH FOOTBALL
THE GREAT INTERNATIONAL GAME
(Registration applied for)
By the Markers of the Sensationally Successful
War Game' 'THE SILVER BULLET.'
MODE OF ATTACK
You have a feeble opponent in 'Little Willie' at
'Outside Right'. Loot Ball is his speciality and passing the
outsider with the contempt he deserves, you negotiate the
skulkier Von Tirpitz (notorious for his foul play) on his
first ever appearance in the open as 'Centre Forward'.
Having downed (or drowned) him you pass to your
'Outside Left' and although Von Kluck is now used to being
'left outside' he is an honest thruster but is not clever, and
in an important match of recent date he lost his nerve and
broke down badly when within shooting distance of goal.
Von Bulow at 'Inside Left', talkative and tricky, can be
swept aside with an honest rush.
Von Hindenburg at 'Inside Right' has not been played
regularly of late, the Grand Duke having badly shaken his
confidence. Competent critics are of opinion that he was
greatly overrated, and is not likely to re-gain his form or to
give trouble on this or any future occasion.
Von der Goltz, stiff and stodgy at 'Right Half' has
never been able to think clearly since the Belgian International
outwitted him.
Von Moltke, a poor imitation of the Great Von Moltke
has greatly subsided since his quarrel with the goal keeper,
and it is unlikely that he will in any way retard the attack.
Enver Pasha of doubtful sanity, at 'Left Half' is, on a
pinch, more than likely to attack his own colleagues.
Von Sanders at 'Left Back' is a comparatively new man
of unproved merit.
Count Zeppelin at 'Right Back' is the gas-bag of our
opponents, he has been badly pricked of late, and is far less
dangerous than he appears on paper.
'Lord High Everything, Canting Bully Bill' in 'GOAL'
you must keep your eye on, he holds the record for mouth,
and foul play.
To obtain a goal you must dodge his mouth, it is the chief
difficulty. He has proved himself mentally incapable of un
derstanding the rules of the game or the meaning of fair play.
Many complaints have been lodged against him, and it is
probable that he will in the near future be 'suspended
indefinitely.
Vigour and decision is necessary in dealing with him."