WW1 British / Australian Patt. 1908 Cavalry Mark I Sword Light Horse Pattern

AN ORIGINAL FIRST WORLD WAR BRITISH & COMMONWEALTH PATTERN 1908 MARK I CAVALRY TROOPERS SWORD AND SCABBRD MANUFACTURED BY ENFIELD (EFD) IN DECEMBER 1915 AND DISPLAYING OWNERSHIP MARKINGS FROM BRITISH, CANADIAN AND COMMONWEALTH UNITS INCLUDING. AND A SQUADRON 34th FORT GARY HORSE. A good original First World War British & Commonwealth Pattern 1908 Mark I Cavalry Troopers Sword and Mark I Scabbard manufactured by ENFIELD in December 1915. The sword is stamped with British, Canadian and Commonwealth ownership marks as well as the unit marks of A Squadron, 34th Fort Garry Horse and the Royal Military College. The Sword, Cavalry, Pattern 1908, Mark I, as it was officially called, is universally recognised as the finest sword ever produced for British and Commonwealth mounted troops.

As Brian Robson in his excellent reference work Swords of the British Army writes: Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, it is gratifying to note that the United States Cavalry Sword Model 1913 which was perfected by General George S. Patton as a junior officer was very similar in form to the British Pattern 1908.

The Pattern 1908 also holds the distinction of being the last pattern of sword to be adopted by the British Army. The weapon was designed for function not form and caused uproar in certain quarters as a consequence of its utilitarian and practical appearance. The grip, designed by Colonel Fox with its rounded rectangular section chequered grip and semi pistol configuration was made from a rubberized plastic substance called Dermatine and was revolutionary in that when it was held it automatically brought the sword into the thrust position. This was important as the Pattern 1908 had very limited cutting effect and was optimized for thrusting in line with the common wisdom of the time, which stated that the point will always beat the edge.

With regard to Australian service, this. Very good Pattern 1908 Cavalry Sword is the type issued to 2 regiments of the Australian Light Horse (the 4th and the 12th ALH) in mid 1918. Gullett the official Australian correspondent in Palastine wrote after the Turkish rout was complete, our men were armed with swords, but there was little opportunity to use them. The Pattern 1908 swords issued to the Australians in the Middle East during WW1 were weapons stripped from British and Empire mounted regiments being employed out of role on the Western Front and elsewhere and none are known to have been Australian marked at the time. After WW1 some ALH regiments were issued with Pattern 1908 swords on an ad hoc basis although Brigadier General Elliott in his statement to the Senate at the time stated that: the Light Horse are not likely to adopt it finally without a great deal of criticism. The sword was of little use to the British cavalryman in South Africa: it was of less use to to him in France and its critics contend that if it is not a powerful weapon of offence, either in guerilla tactics or in a "war of attrition, " it is not likely to be of much service to the Australian soldier. A very good picture of a trooper of the Light Horse Regiment with a P1908 attached to his horses saddle is attached to this listing for reference.

This particular example is unit marked on both guard and scabbard to a number of British and Commonwealth mounted units. The guard is stamped 2.21 FGH A 196 (overstamped over a now unreadable mark that may be 13) indicating that in February 1921 the sword was issued to A Squadron, 34th Fort Gary Horse as weapon number 196. The guard is stamped R. 11 which indicates that the sword was subsequently issued as weapon number 11 to the Royal Military College. Both sword and scabbard are marked with War Department broad arrow ownership marks and with cancelled Canadian C opposing broad arrow ownership marks.

This is a good original example of a. Pattern 1908 Cavalry Troopers Sword. Steel scabbard and hilt, hilt mounts and pommel, the locking nut of which is heavily impact marked. The ferrule at bottom of grip is of malleable cast iron.

Grips: Dermatine light red brown plastic with a large depression for the thumb, grip length 172mm (6.75 inches). Guard: sheet steel bowl with beaded edge; sword knot slot near the pommel and a large pear shaped reinforcing piece on outside near blade shoulder. The patinated and stained blade is straight tapered with a single fuller on each side to within 204mm (8 inches) of the spear point and double edged for the last 153mm (6 inches). The patination is, characteristically, most evident toward the tip and a third of the way up the blade.

The small pin driven through the blade to secure the original buff piece (sword stop), now missing, indicate that this is a Pattern 1908 Mark I manufactured after 1912. The scabbard is tapered sheet steel with two fixed strap loops 57mm (2.25) inches from mouthpiece which is now missing one of the two original fixing screws. One blade ricasso is stamped with the. (Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield). Blade proof mark and the War Department Broad Arrow ownership mark as well as the RSAF Enfield inspectors mark of a Crown over 75 over E. The other ricasso is stamped with the December 1915 date of manufacture 12 15 and a couple of Enfield inspectors marks of a Crown over 7A over E (see pictures). The handguard and grip are in good original condition. The cast iron ferrule is broad arrow marked and the back edge of the blade is pattern marked P08. The Pattern 1908 Mark I scabbard, which is tight, is marked with an EFD. Manufacturers mark, dated 1914 (14) and an RSAF Enfield inspectors mark on body below the RH strap loop. The scabbard is also marked with War Department Broad Arrow ownership marks and re-inspection marks from 1916.

The scabbard throat is 1915 (15) dated and was manufactured by the Wilkinson Sword Company as evidenced by the WSC mark. Overall, this sword is good, with an aged patina on the grip, blade and scabbard.

An Australian sourced, unit marked, First World War British and Commonwealth Sword, Pattern 1908 Mark 1 in very good original condition and a first class example of its type. It has everything you look for in a Pattern 1908; condition, patina, and provenance. The item "WW1 British / Australian Patt.

1908 Cavalry Mark I Sword Light Horse Pattern" is in sale since Thursday, September 08, 2016. This item is in the category "Collectables\Militaria\1914 - 1918 (WWI)".

The seller is "anzacblade" and is located in Griffith, ACT. This item can be shipped worldwide.

Authenticity: Original
Country: Britain / Australia
Campaign: World War I
Product Type: Sword
Era: 1910s