rcmodel
Member in memoriam
While not weapons as such, I hope you will indulge me for posting this here.
There is no doubt in my military mind both these were used occasionally as weapons of last resort during fighting in WWI, WWII, and Korea.
And either of them would be devastating if you got smacked upside the head with one.
M-1910 Shovel
Every WWII infantryman was issued one and carried it strapped to his M-1928 Haversack.
It weighs about 1 ½ pounds and is 21 ¾” long.
The blade was reasonably sharp for a shovel when issued, but could be sharpened to a knife edge with just a little effort.
The blade and handle are U.S. marked, but there is no manufactures stamp on this one.
M-1910 Pick-Mattock
It was generally carried on the web pistol belt, one to three per rifle squad, depending on battlefield conditions.
And shared with other squad members for fending off those pesky rocks, tree roots, and frozen ground when you were ordered, or forced to dig in.
It weighs about 2 ½ pounds, the head is 13”, and when assembled is 17” OAL.
This one is handle & head marked U.S. 1944 Diamond Calk Horseshoe Company.
Both the T-handle shovel and pick-mattock was replaced by the M1951 folding Entrenching Tool, which featured a pick blade on the opposite side of the shovel head, and folded for carrying on the web belt.
As a weapon, a desperate Doughboy in WWI, or a GI in WWII or Korea could have made good use of either of them in hand-to-hand combat I betcha!
And I am confident they did.
But the pick-mattock especially, makes todays Tactical Tomahawk seem like a child’s toy!
rc
There is no doubt in my military mind both these were used occasionally as weapons of last resort during fighting in WWI, WWII, and Korea.
And either of them would be devastating if you got smacked upside the head with one.
M-1910 Shovel
Every WWII infantryman was issued one and carried it strapped to his M-1928 Haversack.
It weighs about 1 ½ pounds and is 21 ¾” long.
The blade was reasonably sharp for a shovel when issued, but could be sharpened to a knife edge with just a little effort.
The blade and handle are U.S. marked, but there is no manufactures stamp on this one.
M-1910 Pick-Mattock
It was generally carried on the web pistol belt, one to three per rifle squad, depending on battlefield conditions.
And shared with other squad members for fending off those pesky rocks, tree roots, and frozen ground when you were ordered, or forced to dig in.
It weighs about 2 ½ pounds, the head is 13”, and when assembled is 17” OAL.
This one is handle & head marked U.S. 1944 Diamond Calk Horseshoe Company.
Both the T-handle shovel and pick-mattock was replaced by the M1951 folding Entrenching Tool, which featured a pick blade on the opposite side of the shovel head, and folded for carrying on the web belt.
As a weapon, a desperate Doughboy in WWI, or a GI in WWII or Korea could have made good use of either of them in hand-to-hand combat I betcha!
And I am confident they did.
But the pick-mattock especially, makes todays Tactical Tomahawk seem like a child’s toy!
rc
Last edited: