rorkesdriftvc.com :: View topic - Sword Variations Issued to Infantry Officers, Lancers, etc

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:32 pm

How many different sword types were in use during the AZW by the British units - infantry officers,
lancers, etc., including the navy 'cutlass', and could someone tell me the specific names of these weapons ?

Thanks

Coll

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:55 pm

Coll,

There were obviously a number of different pattern swords in use by the the British & Colonial forces
during the Anglo-Zulu War.

1831 Pattern General Officers' Sword, with its Mameluke hilt.

1856 Pattern Heavy Cavalry Officers' Sword, used by the officers of the 1st (King's) D.G.'s.

1822 Pattern Light Cavalry Officers' Sword, used by the officers of 17th (D. of C. Own) Lancers.

1864 Pattern Cavalry Troopers' Sword.

1822 Pattern Infantry officer's Sword, used by all infantry of the line units in the campaign,
and with a minor variation for the 60th Rifles. There was also a variation for Staff-Serjeants.

1865 Pattern Highland Regiments' Broadsword, also referred to as the Claymore.

1871 Pattern Highland Staff-Serjeants' Claymore.

1871 Pattern Highlanders' Dirk, see L. of C.'s 2299, the Dirk was worn by Pipe-Majors, Pipers,
Band & Drummers of Highland Regiments.

1855 Pattern Royal Artillery Officers' Sword.

1859 Pattern Royal Artillery Staff-Serjeants' Sword.

1856 Pattern Royal Engineers Officers' Sword.

1872 Pattern Royal Engineers Staff-Serjeants' Sword.

1856 Pattern Royal Navy Officers' Sword.

The Midshipman's Dirk.

1871 Pattern Naval Cutlass.

Together with local-produced swords carried by the various mounted volunteers & local-raised forces,
which for the most part would have confirmed to the sealed patterns.

John Y.

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:33 pm

1831 Pattern General Officers' Sword:

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:45 pm

John

Thanks very much for the information and photograph.

Coll

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:03 pm

Coll,

No problem, more images to follow hopefully to show most of the patterns mentioned above.

Starting with an officer of the Natal Native Pioneers, with his sword.

John Y.

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:12 pm

1822 Pattern Infantry Officers' Sword, as carried by 2nd Lt. A. T. Bright, 90th Light Infantry, mortally wounded at Khambula.

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:08 pm

Can we have some ideas as to what the officers in John's photograph could be saying to each other.
Just for a bit of fun
Clive

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:50 pm

Bartle Frere tried to get swords issued to the mounted infantry of the 24th - nicknamed 'Carrington's horse'
- for the Xhosa war but the Duke of Cambridge refused the issue on the grounds that it would turn
them into Cavalry. Cambridge suspected Carrington was doing a bit of social climbing!
I don't think that Carrington fought in the AZW but he was just about everywhere else fighting
against Xhosa, Basuto,
Tswana and eventually as part of the Bechuanaland Field Force 1885.

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:53 pm

Second officer through the door: "Sorry to be a bother, Old Chap, but could you get on with it?
You're not the only officer on this post with a problem you know."

Sorry, couldn't resist. Excellent photos, John, and only a Philistine like myself would make
vulgar humor from them.

Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 6:59 pm

Damian,

Certainly elements of the mounted infantry of the 24th were indeed issued with swords; those men
from the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, who served in No. 2 Squadron Mounted Infantry, under
Brevet Major Percy Barrow, 19th Hussars.

See the accounts of the Battle of Gingindlovu, 2nd April 1879, The Illustrated London News &
The Graphic produced engravings of the Mounted Infantry in action with their swords.

Here's the engraving from the latter.

John Y.

Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:05 am

Far right general: By the way Richard, loved you in 'My Fair Lady'

Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:58 am

,\0\0\0\0\0 images John. Although they do appear to be getting looked upon as something other than
for information and the visual depiction of the weapons in question Sad

. Hope it doesn't deter you
from adding more should you wish to do so Wink

Coll

Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:20 pm

Coll,

I forgot one the 1857 Bandsman's Hanger or Sword, I think I've got a photograph of one to add.

John Y.

Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:24 pm

Alan,

Don't you know a Field Marshal from a General Question

(No, I don't John. Alan)

That's H.R.H. George, Duke of Cambridge, the then Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, how did
a man who only fought in one campaign become a Field Marshal Question

I suppose it helps if your
cousin is the Monarch Exclamation

John Y.

Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:47 pm

Could I ask that anyone posting an image on the forum limits the width to
a maximum of 650pixels as text becomes too wide to read in one view.