WWII era shortened T-handle shovel

[WWII_GI]

Picked this one up recently, it's pretty beat up and shows use but it's still a cut down! Photos are of it compared to a normal 1942 dated shovel, this one measures 18 inches. The shovel head is odd, its very rounded instead of pointed, is this from use or what? Rivets are consistent with the age of the shovel, definitely modified a long time ago. There is some of its original green paint left, it's a very dark green, maybe the USMC forest green? I have seen a photo or two of Marines using shortened shovels.

 

Thanks for looking!

 

-Steven

 

[WWII_GI]

[WWII_GI]

Last one is the full backs

 

[Ronnie]

Nice shovel. I think the shovel blade being shortened is more a less a modification to shorten the shovel even more. You can see the un-evenness of the cut off blade.

Ronnie

['Flage Guy]

Wasn't the rounding of the blade to help prevent it from causing damage or injury on impact of landing?

[Ronny67]

I think the blade is just worn down. Who knows how long it was a garden shovel, or whatever. It makes 0 sense to grind down the blade to make it 1.5cm shorter. Lots of effort for no real gains in performance. Besides, how long the blade is does nothing to the length when carried in the cover, because the shovel hangs down against the securing strap making it sit just like any other shovel in the carrier.

 

Cool shovel, but lets hold our horses before we begin ascribing it paratroop provenance.

[Persian Gulf Command]

Here's mine. I obtained it as an airborne modification but some questions arose because of the forest green paint pointing to a Marine piece of equipment. Hopefully this thread will generate some incite.

 

Regarding the shape of the blade, I believe it was a modification with a purpose as I have seen several other shovels with the same rounded edge.

 

Photo 1 $ 2

[Persian Gulf Command]

Photo 3 & 4

[WWII_GI]

Here's mine. I obtained it as an airborne modification but some questions arose because of the forest green paint pointing to a Marine piece of equipment. Hopefully this thread will generate some incite.

 

Regarding the shape of the blade, I believe it was a modification with a purpose as I have seen several other shovels with the same rounded edge.

 

Photo 1 $ 2

Very interesting, my shovel looks exactly like yours, the front side rivets are slightly larger than normal T-handle rivets and the backs are raised just a little.

 

Thanks everyone for the kind comments!

 

EDIT

Here's another thread with a shovel owned my robinb that has the same cut down head, also shows a photo of a marine with a shortened shovel

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/39500-short-m1910-shovel/

 

Thanks

-Steven

[dustin]

The shortening of the blade to make it even shorter doesn't quite add up because regardless of the blade length its position with the cover still sits at the same location. If attached to a pistol belt you could take 4 inches off the blade but the handle would still be at the same position.

[Ronnie]

Until post #7 there has been no mention of Airborne use. In order for that steel shovel to be worn down that much would require some massive amount of digging.....in concrete. I have only assumptions as to why they shortened them but I have seen more than a few shovels exactly like this one. Shortened handle and ground down blade.

Ronnie

[David D]

I think the blade is just worn down. Who knows how long it was a garden shovel, or whatever. It makes 0 sense to grind down the blade to make it 1.5cm shorter. Lots of effort for no real gains in performance. Besides, how long the blade is does nothing to the length when carried in the cover, because the shovel hangs down against the securing strap making it sit just like any other shovel in the carrier.

 

Cool shovel, but lets hold our horses before we begin ascribing it paratroop provenance.

Even 70+ years of gardening doesn't wear a shovel down that much lol

[robinb]

Found another one today. Same rounded point, non matching rivets, and darker OD paint. This one has lots of dried concrete on it.

So this makes 6 or 7 of these things that I've found. All are US marked, but I have yet to find one or even see one that was maker marked and dated. What does that mean? Maybe nothing. Maybe they were all dshortened before the dated ones became available? Maybe dated ones only went to the Army and the USMC only had old WW1 shovels available to cut down?

 

[Persian Gulf Command]

If anyone out there can definitively, or at least speculate, whether these rounded tip shovels were ETO Airborne or Pacific USMC it would be a great addition to this topic. I'm thinking that the forest green paint may be an important clue.

[WWII_GI]

If anyone out there can definitively, or at least speculate, whether these rounded tip shovels were ETO Airborne or Pacific USMC it would be a great addition to this topic. I'm thinking that the forest green paint may be an important clue.

 

I agree, the forest green is definitely a point of interest. Has anyone found any more photos of marines with shortened shovels? I've only seen that one photo.

 

Another great shovel robinb! All these shortened and rounded tip shovels look quite well done, maybe a factory produced variant? Definitely odd...

 

-Steven

[WWII_GI]

Just found this photo taken at Saipan, that shovel looks quite short!

 

[pararaftanr2]

Just speculating here, but I would think if digging in under fire, from a prone position, the shortened shovel would be more efficient and move more material (think sand) without raising one's profile.

Regards, Paul

[robinb]

I don't know where this was taken, but that's got to be the shortest T handle shovel ever on the guy at the right.

 

[WWII_GI]

I don't know where this was taken, but that's got to be the shortest T handle shovel ever on the guy at the right.

 

 

That's a great photo, does it have a handle? It kinda looks like a broken shovel and only the shovel head and front metal bracket are left.

 

-Steven

[Mandy]

I don't know where this was taken, but that's got to be the shortest T handle shovel ever on the guy at the right.

 

Hi everyone, this is a field modification T handle shovel from my collection. I got it from my friend twenty six years ago. Maybe it is the same on the photo.Tom

[Mandy]

Next photo.

[Mandy]

Next photo.

[Mandy]

Next photo.

[Username]

I always assumed these short shovels with the rounded blade were made for PTO use. Possibly Paramarine. They are often painted "marine green" and these rigger made camo covers look to be specifically made for rounded blade shovels. Most would agree these covers were a paratrooper item, as this kind of cover with no hook would be inconvenient to an infantryman. Shortened shovels are also attributed to paratroops for obvious reasons. Just a shot in the dark, but there could be something to it.

 

I found this pic in another thread, ( thanks 'Flage Guy )

[WWII_GI]

Hi everyone, this is a field modification T handle shovel from my collection. I got it from my friend twenty six years ago. Maybe it is the same on the photo.Tom

 

That's a very interesting modification! Thanks for sharing

 

I always assumed these short shovels with the rounded blade were made for PTO use. Possibly Paramarine. They are often painted "marine green" and these rigger made camo covers look to be specifically made for rounded blade shovels. Most would agree these covers were a paratrooper item, as this kind of cover with no hook would be inconvenient to an infantryman. Shortened shovels are also attributed to paratroops for obvious reasons. Just a shot in the dark, but there could be something to it.

 

I found this pic in another thread, ( thanks 'Flage Guy )

 

I think you're on to something there! I always wondered why those covers weren't pointed like normal shovel covers. I think that's a very possible idea. Does anyone have more information on these covers? Does a standard T-Handle fit right in it?

 

-Steven