Straight Shovel Cover with Solid Back

This is the early pattern cover for the straight shovel with the solid leather backing. Later the cover was adapted to save leather and did away with the leather backing, otherwise know as the open back carrier. in 1942/43 the shovel was again redesigned to have a folding head and could be used as a pick, this design again required a redesign of the carrier. Throughout the war a wide mixture of straight and folding shovels with different carriers were used and older shovels continued their use as the folding shovels were introduced throughout the forces. Features two leather belt looks to the rear and a large buckle strap to secure the bayonet sheath to the shovel handle.