Description
Physical description
Black-painted fixed metal spade with a short wooden shaft, fitted within a brown leather harness. The spade shows evidence of much use, 80% of its paint finish remaining and one edge shows that it has been used as a cutting tool, being slightly bent. The harness features a strap and buckle arrangement at the opening where the spade head is secured (the shaft pointing vertical) but the apex of the harness features the unique belt fixing, comprising a single leather strap and buckle that is fitted via a metal 'O' ring.
History note
The Czechoslovakian Army, before 1938, was 1,500,000 strong and one of the biggest in Europe. Following Hitler's ultimatum, a threat that unless the Slovaks declared independence, the Nazis would ensure that Hungary would invade, independence was declared on 14th March, 1939. The former Czech army was dissolved and the new state became a German satellite. Slovakia was permitted its own army and inherited the arms and equipment of the former Czech formations but the six divisions were placed under German supervision.
Participating in the attack on Poland, 3,500 Slovak troops were later involved in the invasion of Russia with more troops committed to the East as part of the 'crusade against Bolshevism'. Taking heavy casualties, the Slovak formations were later withdrawn from 1943. Participating in security operations, many deserted with some joining the partisans. By February 1945 all that remained of the Slovak forces under arms was one infantry regiment, a flak regiment and one battery of artillery.
This is the standard rifleman's personal entrenching tool used by Czech and later Slovak soldiers. Although the belt fixing is unusual and peculiar to the Czechs, the system is designed along the conventional lines of those used by Austria and Germany.