Entrenching Tool US

[ploughman]

During th ecurrent shut down of everything, I ventured into the garage to start a bit of dejunking.

Found this in a corner.

Approx 17 inch long by 13 across the head. Marked US Diamond Back 1945.

I am thinking an Entrenching tool isssued to Infantry bit small for a vehicle version.

 

Is there a value?

 

[Gordon_M]

Indeed, not sure how much value currently.  Airborn Pick / mattock, many people call them.

I bought a full original WW2 crate of them from the Barras in Glasgow 35 years back and sold them all to NEMVC members.  Stupidly I didn't keep the crate.

Four or so years ago I was using the only one I kept and the handle broke quite comprehensively, I may have been a little rough with it.🥵  Bemoaning the loss of such a useful tool I searched on that well known internet auction site and found someone, in Holland I think, selling original handles from a similar crate for about a tenner each.

Before I paid for my two handles  - I bought a spare ...   I had a really good look at the auction images and the label on the crate was dated 1918, so my WW2 Pick / Mattock has a WW1 replacement handle. 😀

Your find would be equally type appropriate for any WW1 or WW2 US display, though I see 1945 cast on it, and the manufacturer is DIAMOND CALK, famous originally as a horseshoe manufacturer.

( Educational this Interweb stuff, isn't it ?)

Edited March 21, 2020 by Gordon_M

[earlymb]

M1910 Pick Mattock, these were issued one or two per platoon instead of the normal shovel in both WW1 and WW2. General issue and certainly not a specific 'airborne' item. Not rare, in good but used condition I would say it's worth about £25 without cover. Those are around, dated from WW1 to Korea.

[ploughman]

Many thanks for the info.