British marked ice axe?

[Andrew S Gordon]

This is a British broad arrow marked axe, I think its an ice axe.
Maker marked "WGD" and dated 1943, with /l\
proof. Unit marked RP28?

Anybody know anything about this?




















Anybody know the maker, ansd its official use?
Thqankyou, Andy G

 

[Steve284]

Don't know about the maker but having used an ice axe before in climbing (mine is Austrian-made) , I am not sure the design of your British axe would work very well for that purpose. Most ice axes I've seen (German, Italian, French, mostly) have the handle end flush with the head and smooth in that area to make a comfortable grip for your hand as you use the axe for support/balance in walking. A handle that extends upward would rub your palm in walking. Also, every ice axe I've seen has a "pick" or point at the far end of the handle to allow it to easily penetrate into ice/packed snow, rather than a flattened wedge end. Just a thought, but maybe your axe was designed as a long-handled digging & prying device, for dirt rather than ice/snow.

 

[Erasmus]

I'm gonna say that it is probably not an ice axe. The adze part is aproximately right, but:

the "pick" part needs some serrations on its underside, with a lot thinner pick, certainly not one square in cross section.

Also, there should be a short spike on the other end of the shaft from the head.

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I'm going to guess that it is a thing called a "pick mattock". This is a companion tool for your "E-tool" shovel, in case one needs to dig in, in hard earth. The pick breaks the ground up, and the E-tool shovels it away.

CHEERS

Am I right? What did I win?:thumbup:

 

[Andrew S Gordon]

The British have another E-tool more like a pick-mattock, mines made by Brades Ltd, in 1944.
It takes the #4 spike bayonet on the end, as a mine probe.
I think this one serves a different purpose.