[Paul Hansen]

Weapons have always evolved and adapted to new design requirements.

Nowadays, swords are, as a rule, no longer considered as practical weapons, either in the military or for self-defence. But the time that they were in use as such, is not THAT far behind us.

I think it would be interesting to create in this thread an overview of these "late" swords, focusing on "Western" sword types in the approximate period 1900-1950. I would like to focus on swords that were actually used (or intended to be used), as opposed to purely ceremonial weapons. Besides military swords, it would also be interesting to see some late small-swords and dueling swords.

Maybe, if this thread receives enough input, it would be interesting to summarize it into an article.

[Michael Murphy]

Paul here is the model 1913 U.S. Cavalry saber, the last saber to be issued to and used by the U.S. Cavalry. Designed by George S. Patton Jr.

[Paul Hansen]

Name: Klewang
In active use: 1898 - 1962
In ceremonial use: 1898 - present
Description: Short cutlass, in use as a sword for infantry.
Initially intended for use in the Dutch East Indies, against native irregular troops for which indigenous short swords were the main armament. Various pre-regulation models existed from the period 1850-1898, which were a combination of European sabre hilts and Indonesian blades. In 1898, these models were replaced by a new klewang which had an European cutlass blade and a sabre-like hilt. Due to the short length, the klewang proved to be very effective in jungle warfare. In the interbellum, the klewang was also issued to Dutch Army troops in the Netherlands and were used against the Germans in 1940. Perhaps obviously, the klewang was much less effective in this environment. After WW2, the klewang was again used to good effect in the East Indies, first during the "Police Actions" of 1945-1949, and after the Indonesian independence, also in New Guinea until 1962. After this last piece of the Dutch East Indies was lost, the klewang was also retired from active use, although it remains in use as a ceremonial weapon.