BACKGROUND: Personal field equipment for all EM/NCO personnel included a standard issue entrenching tool that was issued with a carrying case to be suspended from the individual’s load carrying waist belt. Originally the non-folding entrenching tool utilized by the Germany army in WWII was a carryover item from WWI. During the Weimar Reichswehr era a new, slightly modified, non-folding entrenching tool with a pointed tip was introduced and saw limited production and issue. On November 12^TH 1938 a new improved, folding shovel was introduced to replace the earlier non-folding pattern entrenching tool. Although the new folding shovel proved more practical and popular with the troops the earlier entrenching tool was utilized right up until the end of the war. The entrenching tool was a very valuable piece of kit enabling the individual soldier to dig in for protection as required and was also utilized as a close combat weapon. The entrenching tool carrying case came in two patterns with an early "opened" pattern that was to be replaced with a "closed back" second pattern although the early pattern continued in use through-out the war. Of Note: In an attempt to conserve leather, regulations of January 26^TH 1938 dictated that all newly manufactured entrenching tool carrying cases were to produced in, Presstoff, a simulated leather made from condensed, pressed cardboard with a protective rubberized or lacquered finish and it appears that the regulation applied to the later introduced, folding shovel carriers.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Second pattern, simulated, ordnance tan, grained leather, pressed cardboard, (Presstoff), construction, "closed-back", entrenching tool carrying case with leather and steel fittings. The roughly, 7 3/4" tall, 6 1/2" wide, case features a triple layered, closed back frame in the shape of the entrenching tools head with machine stitched, outer edge seams. The top edge of the case has two, vertically extended, blackened leather, belt loops designed to secure the case to the individual’s load carrying waist belt. The bottom edge of the case has a single layered, horizontal presstoff panel with a diagonally angled, blackened leather closure strap to the right hand side and a corresponding leather reinforced, pronged, steel, roller buckle to the left hand side. The closure strap would be wrapped around the handle of the entrenching tool to secure it in the case. The case is well marked with the impressed manufacturer’s three letter code and date, "eue/44", indicating manufacture by Otto Reichel & Rudolf Fischer Lederwarenfabrik of Lengefeld in 1944. The case is in overall very good, condition with light chafe wear and minor surface cracking to the leather fittings and heavy surface spotting to the roller buckle.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $668.00