Queen Mary first accompanied King George V on a visit to the Western Front between 3 and 14 July, 1917. She picked up this entrenching tool, still in its original khaki canvas pouch, and pebble on the Somme on 9 July, a visit the Queen made alone as her husband had fallen ill.

Entrenching tools were carried by all non-commissioned ranks as personal equipment. They consisted of a metal spade and wooden handle (missing here) and were crucial for trench warfare, used for tasks such as digging defensive positions, latrines and graves.