Hello! I am almost completely new to this period, I have only recently became interested in it and researched it a bit here on myArmoury and some other websites.
I would like to buy either a 1796 heavy cavalry sword (I already made a topic about it recently here, but only about its weaponedge reproduction) or a 1814 household cavalry officers sword. Now I'm interested in which of these swords have seen more action historically. I know both patterns were used at Waterloo but I don't know how many action have 1796 seen before and after Waterloo and 1814 after Waterloo (and of course units that carried them... ;) )
I like the 1814 looks more but I got an impression that 1796 was used longer and more units carried it...
I am eager to heat your impression and comments of usage and popularity of both of these swords! :)

And here are pictures of both swords reproduced by military heritage:

http://www.militaryheritage.com/images/swords...rd%201.JPG

http://www.militaryheritage.com/images/1796%2...word_1.jpg

the 1796-styl hcs has seen more action if you want so, as it is a copy of the austrian m1769
http://eaukce.antiques-auctions.eu/en/archivDetail/20/2228/

Luka,
I can scan the relevant information on the so-called 1814 pattern from Robson's Swords of the British Army. Just send me a PM. Basically this sword pattern was copied from a Prussian sword (the Kurrasierpallasch, Model 1797). Robson does not state whether or not this sword was a dress or undress (service) sword. He points out that the National Army Museum has a P1796 HC officer's sword engraved "Worn at Waterloo by Capt WT Drake R H Gds", and that the dress regulations specify that the 1796 HC officer's dress sword was also the dress sword for Household Cavalry regiments. Again, I am paraphrasing and Robson's own words will be much more useful to you.

The P1814 would have only been used by a very small number of officers, while the P1796 HC trooper's sword would have been used by other ranks and would therefore have been the more common HC sword used by the British at Waterloo. For further reading on the P1796 HC officer's sword I recommend this excellent article:

http://www.swordsandpistols.co.uk/research/up...b2a07f.pdf

All the best,
Jonathan

So even in Life Guards and Royal Horse Guards soldiers would have 1796 pattern swords and only officers maybe 1814?

I believe they had their own troopers' patterns, but it has been ages since I studied these. :blush: I will include the section on Household Cavalry troopers' swords when I send you the scans. And yes, the P1814 was only for officers.