British Pattern 39 entrenching tool

[Austrian]

This very nice P39 shovel has just arrived.
It is the first one I have seen with 1939 marking.
Almost all of them are from 1940.

[Kohima]

Fabulous find, Austrian!
Exceedingly jealous.
Rob

[Austrian]

Thanks!
Here is the younger brother from 1940 with an interesting perforation.
This rectangular hole was already made at the factory.
Is there any knowledge or conjecture on the purpose?
My guess would be some tool function or maybe an alternative strap mount, but I don't know.
Best regards,
Austrian

[vegetius]

Bottle opener!

Just a Squaddies opinion, (it's what I'd use it for).

[Watchdog]

Bottle opener!

Just a Squaddies opinion, (it's what I'd use it for).

Hahaha,

Like the 'Victor' style stable belt buckle?

It looks to me like it could be used to turn the spade into a kind of lever to rotate something put through the hole but that is total speculation.
The strap idea sounds good.

Mark

[Austrian]

I noticed that this hole is to find on a few Brades 1940 shovels only.
So it could also be Brade's own invention that came to nothing very quickly.

Here is an other example to see: Feltspade -
Norsk Industriarbeidermuseum /
DigitaltMuseum