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From: Fredriksson_Urban_NOK@kista.relay.nokia.fi
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Use of SHOVEL as weapon taught?
Message-ID: <1991Jun25.024419.27437@cbnews.cb.att.com>
Date: 25 Jun 91 02:44:19 GMT
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From: Fredriksson_Urban_NOK@kista.relay.nokia.fi

In a cutlery magazine, in an article on swords, the author
discusses the ability to use 'anything handy', and mentions an
occasion in the 1950's when someone successfully used a shovel
against multiple opponents. He then goes on to say: "Certainly
the use of a shovel as a formal weapon wasn't (and isn't) taught
during Advanced Infantry Training". I assume he is talking about
conditions in the USA.

That statement surprised me, since at least here in Sweden the
shovel has a reputation of beeing a most effective weapon in
close quarters. I've always had the impression that the use of a
shovel in hand-to-hand combat has been a part of such a training
program. Now I'm curious: What about other countries?

[mod.note:  I can't say that it was taught, but I've read numerous
accounts of German troops fighting with their entrenching tools 
during WWII.  Sometimes, one edge of the blade was sharpened for this
purpose. - Bill ]

--
Urban Fredriksson, Stockholm, Sweden (who ONLY speaks for himself!)
urban@kista.relay.nokia.fi
"A weapon is a device for making your enemy change his mind."