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Jonathan Hopkins
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 Posted: Mon 03 Mar, 2008 3:17 pm Post subject: British Pattern 1854 Scots Guards Officer's Sword |
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Prior to 1854, officers of Guards regiments would have carried the same regulation sword patterns as other infantry officers--for the Victorian era this would have been the Patterns 1822 and 1845. In 1854 a new pattern based on the Pattern 1827 Rifle Officer's Sword (basically a steel hilted version of the 1822/1845 Infantry Officer's Swords) was approved for Guards officers. The main difference between the Rifle and Guards sword is that hilt of the 1854 Guards officer's sword features the individual badges of the regiments instead of the strung bugle badge of the light infantry. At the time it was adopted, the blade of the P1854 was the same as the 1845/54 Infantry Officer's Sword (a fullered "Wilkinson" style blade). In the 1890s the 1845/54 blade was replaced by the P1892 blade (the dumbbell-shaped blade most commonly found on P1895 and P1897 Infantry Officer's Swords). The P1854 Guards Officer's Sword is still the regulation pattern for Guards regiments.
Illustrated below is a Pattern 1854 Guards Officer's Sword is by Wilkinson, and is for the Scots Guards. It has a nickel-plated steel guard and scabbard, fishskin grip with silver twist wire wrap, and a well-etched blade that includes the numerous battle honours earned by the regiment. Blade: 32 ½ Overall: 38 Ύ Weight: 1 lb. 14 oz.
The serial number is 35802, and is recorded in the sales ledger as follows:
Scots Guards Sword, nickel plated hilt and scabbard.
Made/completed on 13 May 1898.
Sold to Honourable Walter Trefusis of the Scots Guards.
Overall:
The Honourable Walter Alexander Hepburn-Stewart-Forbes-Trefusis, b. 1879, d. 1926, was the 4th son of 20th Baron Clinton. His family had quite a legacy in the Scots Guards, and he and his brothers carried on this tradition. Trefusis was educated at Eton (January 1893- July 1897) and the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. He was commissioned in the Scots Guards in either 1897 or 1898, the latter date seeming likely since this is when he purchased his sword (perhaps he was at Sandhurst between July, 1897 and May, 1898?).
According the London Times Boer War Shipping Lists, Trefusis embarked for South Africa on 15 March, 1900 aboard the Britannic, and returned home aboard the Saxon on 12 December, 1900. Upon embarking he is listed as a Second Lieutenant, and upon returning he is listed as a Lieutenant.
In 1911, Trefusis married Marjorie Winifred, the second daughter of Sir Henry John Lowndes Graham, KCB. Trefusis divorced Marjorie Winifred in 1919 and appears not to have remarried.
At some point between the end of the Boer War and the beginning of World War I, Trefusis attained the rank of captain in the Scots Guards.
Dod's Peerage for 1916 shows Trefusis as a Major in the "R[oyal] N[aval] D[ivision], late Scots Guards". According to the London Gazette for 10 November, 1914, Trefusis received a temporary commission as a major in the Royal Marines forces, and the medal rolls (which are quite difficult to read) list him as a major in the Scots Guards and in the Naval Forces. He is mentioned in Jerrold's history of the RND as being 2nd in command of the 4th (Collingwood) Battalion. The Royal Naval Division is known for its participation in many important battles in the First World War, Gallipoli being one of the most well-known.
I chanced across a thread on the Great War Forums in which Trefusis is quoted:
| Quote: | Major Walter Trefusis, Collingwood Battalion, writing from Groningen on Dec 5th. 1914
To OC 1st Brigade, RND;
Item C. Want of proper Equipment
1 Greatcoats; though the majority of the men got them at Dunkerque
2 Haversacks, mess tins & water-bottles; so that the men had nowhere to carry food, drink, or spare kit
3 Entrenching tools
4 First Aid bandages
5 Iron rations
6 Web equipment and rifle slings
I think that the natural fatigue of the men was much increased by want of some of the above articles.
Perhaps I may be permitted to remark here that although the sending of untrained troops to Antwerp may have been fully justified by the military situation, it does not seem easy to justify the sending of badly equipped troops.
[quoted from RND No.16, Mar 2001]
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/lofi...25587.html |
The Honourable Walter Alexander Trefusis reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel by the time he retired from the Army. Having survived the Boer War and World War I, Trefusis died in 1926 at age 47.
As you can see, there are some rather significant gaps in my knowledge regarding Trefusis' service. I have mailed a query to the regiment to request any additional information they might have on Col. Trefusis' service.
Hilt:
Hilt detail:
Blade details:
   
Last edited by Jonathan Hopkins on Sat 08 Mar, 2008 1:10 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Jonathan Hopkins
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| Posted: Tue 04 Mar, 2008 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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Trefusis could very well be pictured in this photo of Collingwood Battalion, Royal Naval Division:
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Shahril Dzulkifli
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject: British Pattern 1854 Scots Guards Officer's Sword |
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Jonathan, is this sword used in parades today?
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Jonathan Hopkins
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2008 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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Shahril,
Yes, this sword is still the regulation pattern for officers of the Scots Guards.
Jonathan
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Ken Speed
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2008 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Jonathan,
What a beautiful sword! Do you know what the significance is of the six pointed star on the blade?
Thanks,
Ken Speed
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Jonathan Hopkins
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Ken Speed wrote: | Hi Jonathan,
What a beautiful sword! Do you know what the significance is of the six pointed star on the blade?
Thanks,
Ken Speed |
Hi Ken,
Thanks for taking the time to look and read! I have seen it referred to as the Star of Damascus, Star of David, or simply the six pointed star. I am not sure what its origins are exactly although it was commonly found--starting in the mid 1800s--surrounding the brass proof slugs on many Victorian and early 20th century British swords. Here is one theory, which links to some other material that is controversial and off-topic to this site: Arms2Armor Six Pointed Star Theory. Overall, however, I think it just became a commonly used device that was supposed to indicate quality, much like the name of Andrea Ferara on Scottish and English blades of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Jonathan
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Jonathan Hopkins
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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Interestingly, several months after purchasing the sword of W.A. Trefusis, his brother's sword came onto the market. Unfortunately it was sold before I had the chance to pounce. Here is the sword of the Hon. Henry Trefusis--I could not resist saving the pics.
 
 
 
 
And the dealer description (NOTE: the medals listed by the dealer were not awarded to Henry Trefusis, but to the owner of my sword, Walter Trefusis.):
| Quote: | | Pattern 1854 Scots Guards Officer's Sword. Owned by Lt. Colonel The Honourable Henry Walter Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, the second son of Charles Henry Rolle (Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes) Trefusis, the 20th Baron Clinton. 33" slightly curved blade with Wilkinson address, proofmark, center of percussion arrow on back, Prince of Wales "By Appointment", serial # 26455 (made 1885), etched in panel with owner's initials "HWT" . This was Henry Walter Trefusis - his actual basic name, as the Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes names were assumed by his father through Royal Licence in 1867 as the result of his becoming heir to the Barony of Invermay. The blade is professionally sharpened - HWT was to see active service - and is otherwise devoid of any other etching except as noted. This was fairly commonly seen on Scottish officers' swords, perhaps because these men intended to use them and have them sharpened as often as necessary (a process that partially effaced conventional regulation etching patterns); or perhaps through an aversion to having the Hannoverian Cypher appear on their blades..... One thing is certain, it was not a question of keeping the cost down in this case, as we shall see later. The Wilkinson ledger records # 26455 as being sold to Lt. Col. Honourable G. Windsor-Clive, who was married to the Hon. Gertrude Albertina Trefusis, daughter of the 19th Baron Clinton (HWT's grandfather). Young HWT was commissioned a lieutenant in the Gordon Highlanders in 1886, and transferred to the Scots Guards in 1887, where it was clearly intended he should be from the outset, considering his family's status in society. The hilt is of nickel plated steel, incorporating the device of the Scots Guards, the shagreen grip bound with twisted silver wire. Original field service scabbard with hanger for Sam Browne rig. Amongst considerable documentation with the sword is a copy of the "2nd Battalion Scots Guards Roll of Individuals Entitled to the South African Medal and Clasps". On it appears the Hon. W. Trefusis, and that he is entitled to clasps for the (Queen's) Medal for Transvaal, Cape Colony, and Wittebergen. Wittebergen was the battle honour name for a series of engagements and battles in July of 1901 that pretty much finished the Boer field army, though guerilla operations were to continue the war for many months. Reflecting the blue-blooded nature of the Guards Regiments' officers, the 19 officers on the above-mentioned roll include five "Honourables" , one Earl and two Lords. Other documentation records that HWT went to Eton, married Lady Mary (daughter of the 6th Earl Beauchamp) and Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Mary - the Queen later acting as sponsor for their son - and that in later life he became the High Sheriff of Cornwall, amongst other positions. In 1883, "The Great Landowners of Great Britain and Ireland" listed the Clinton holdings in Devon, Cornwall, Aberdeen, Perth and Kincardine at 34,776 acres with annual income of 32,613 Pounds Sterling (it took but a minimum of 3000 acres to be in the "Great Landowners" category; no, the blade does not lack further etching because HWT's grand uncle could not afford it). Sword is in overall fine condition, bright blade with good clear markings, only very small areas of light staining. Grip shagreen and wire wrap completely intact. Scabbard and hanger in fine shape also. |
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Ken Speed
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| Posted: Sat 08 Mar, 2008 10:54 am Post subject: |
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Jonathan,
Thanks, I noticed the same mark on a sword shown here previously and sort of shrugged it off but when I saw it a second time I had to ask.
Ken Speed
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Jonathan Hopkins
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| Posted: Sat 08 Mar, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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I just realized that I forgot to include measurements in my initial post, so I have edited to include the sword's stats in the second paragraph.
Jonathan
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