The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Imperial German Army entrenching tool. The spade-like tool has a fixed wooden handle ending in a ball finial, and a square tipped steel blade.
This entrenching tool is thought to have been brought to Australia as a souvenir by Brigadier Sydney Charles Edgar Herring AIF, who served throughout the First World War, temporarily commanding 13 Battalion before becoming the the first CO of its daughter unit, 45 Battalion. In 1918 he was promoted to command 13 Infantry Brigade, before returning to Australia in May 1919. Herring stood unsuccessfully as a Nationalist candidate for the Senate in 1924, and served again in Australian Military Forces during the Second World War. He died at his Killara home in 1951.
Imperial German Army infantry shovel. The shovel has a short (350 mm) wooden handle ending in a ball finial like the German Army issue entrenching tool. The steel blade has a smoothly rounded tip, and
Imperial German Army infantry shovel. The shovel has a short (350 mm) wooden handle ending in a ball finial like the German Army issue entrenching tool. The steel blade has a smoothly rounded tip, and
The spade-like tool has a fixed wooden handle ending in a ball finial, and a 'V' head steel blade. The lower half of the handle is encased in a metal sleeve secured by a steel collar. The blade is sec
1898 Model steel bladed spade (entrenching tool) with wooden shaft housed in leather Model 1909 cover. Spade could be attached to belt or knapsack using the leather carrier. Entrenching tool used b
Rusted cast iron 1908 pattern entrenching tool head. Both the spade and pick ends have been damaged by shrapnel. The ferrule, also damaged and distorted by shrapnel damage, is wedged into the entrench
Standard German entrenching tool constructed with a main blade rivetted to a strengthening shank, with a ball-topped wooden handle. There is mud and chalk still jammed into the rolled top of the blade
Corroded British pattern 08 cast iron entrenching tool head. The spade-like tool is intact, but the helve (wooden handle) is missing. An entrenching tool was issued to each Australian infantryman a
