This shovel is from the Italian Army and dates to the WW1 era. It is a rough one, but hey, you don't see them very often, so let's take a look!
These shovels are a "one-of-a-kind" design that was only officially used by the Italian Army. They were first issued during the WW1 years and continued in Italian service through WW2 and even through the the early post-war 1950's.
If you look close at some of the old German Afrika Korps photos from WW2 North Africa, you sometimes see some of the German soldiers carrying these shovels as well. Since the Germans fought alongside their Italian allies in the desert, it makes sense that they were adopted. Often it is the German sappers that tend to be seen using these. It is my guess that the folding shovels would tend to get sand and grit in the blade hinge and tightening nut on the German folders, so a straight spade would have definite benefits in that regard. The sappers were often laying landmines, so a sturdy, straight handled shovel would have been the perfect tool.
This particular shovel has a natural wood handle which would indicate that it was never re-issued after WW2. In the late 1940's and 1950's these old shovels were painted green when they were reissued. The wood handle is warped from the inclusion a very large knot in the wood. I have found that many Italian shovels and military tools did not use the best wood, and warped and "wonky" handles are quite common.
You can read about two of my old Italian pick axes that I posted a page on a few years ago. One of the axes has the "typical" poor wood that is commonly seen on these old Italian tools!
https://sharky-fourbees.blogspot.com/2017/09/italian-army-pick-axes-circa-1950s-to.html
There are also a number of small holes in the handle, most likely from powder post beetles. This is quite common on very old tools that have been stored for decades in a pile, in an old warehouse. I think it would be safe to say that may have been the fate of this particular shovel.
The blade has half of the rivets sheared off. I am guessing that this shovel had some pretty hard use and abuse before relegated to the warehouse.
The two slots in the blade are for strapping the shovel to the field pack or to the combo-frog that held both the rifle bayonet and the shovel. As far as I know, Italy was the only country to use this carrying method.
I have located another shovel of this type that is on its way to my bunker as I type! So, while we're waiting for that new shovel, let's take a closer look at this old veteran. Enjoy.
*UPDATE 2-17-19: You can read about the new shovel in my next blog post, or click this link:
https://sharky-fourbees.blogspot.com/2019/02/italian-army-shovel-entrenching-tool.html
UPDATE 7-23-19: you can read about the Italian Navy shovel cover that fits this shovel here:
https://sharky-fourbees.blogspot.com/2019/07/model-1925-regina-marina-shovel-cover-m.html
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