M1910 T-HANDLE SHOVEL, M1943 FOLDING SHOVEL

The infantryman is never without his entrenching tool. It was standard procedure to dig in at every stop in the combat zone. The M1943 entrenching tool was intended to replace the pre W.W.I M1910 T-handled model. Unlike it's predecessor, the M1943 had a folding head which could be positioned at a 90 degree angle, allowing the shovel to act as a mattock. It has a wooden handle and is painted dark OD overall. The makers name and the date of manufacture is always stamped into the shovel blade on the inside near one straight edge. Be careful not to buy a Japanese copy or a postwar issue. The later can be easily distinguished by the additional folding pick head opposite the shovel blade. Always look for the date.

The M1943 was carried folded in a canvas cover with the usual wire hook for attaching it to the belt. It had a flapped cover, secured with a single lift-a-dot fastener, and reinforced with leather tabs at each corner on the inside. The earliest entrenching tool covers were of khaki cotton canvas but since the trend in 1943 was toward the darker OD #7 dye the majority of the covers are the dark green color. Either color is fine. Some dark green covers have an adjustable belt hanger. These are somewhat latter than those with the non-adjustable hanger.