A B & C Shovels

[rsjon]

Calling all Hotchkiss owners.....has anybody got a shovel with an A B & C manufacturers marking?
I am trying to track down how these shovels got into the system....were they originally bought for Hotchkiss jeeps?
Please see topic:

viewtopic.php?f=48&t=175762

Thanks,
Jon.

[andym201]

Shovels supplied with new M201s from the Hotchkiss factory were stamped 'Armee Francaise' both on the shovel and on the handle. The part number for the shovel was 41 S 3170 see http://www.m201.com/access/shovel.htm

The French shovel has a different profile to the US shovel which does not fit an M201 very well unless the bracket has been changed as part of 'americanisation'. The original Hotchkiss bracket that the shovel blade sits in looks the same but actually is a different profile to match the French shovel.

So the shovel you describe would not I think have been on a Hotchkiss from new. Having said all of that the French Army had a huge amount of ex US army equipment acquired with ex US army vehicles which did inevitably get mixed into the pool.

Hope this is of some help.