326:
The blade tapers in both width and thickness and, with the substantial guard, has a hilt-biased balance, aiding agility at the expense of concussive force in a cut. The guard gives comprehensive protection to the hand, but does not restrict wrist movement. The length of the front edge, at 17 inches (430 mm), is quite significant, suggesting that some cutting capability was maintained, even if the blade design is clearly intended as a thruster.
31:
287:
gradual transition, the blade becomes a wedge-section with the main cutting edge towards the front. The last 17 inches (430 mm) of the front edge was sharpened when on active service (and a few inches of the false edge, at the back near the tip, to aid penetration). The blade ends in a sharp stiff spear point.
219:
In 1895, a new pierced steel hilt pattern was introduced, replacing the earlier Gothic hilt with a three-quarter basket hilt. The new pattern was short-lived due to the edge of the guard fraying uniforms, and in 1897 the final pattern was settled on, being simply the 1895 pattern with the inner edge
325:
The sword shows a number of features that indicate its intent as a thrusting weapon. The stiff tapering narrow point aids penetration. The blade, whilst quite narrow, is thick and its dumbbell section gives it good weak-axis buckling strength whilst maintaining robustness in bending for the parry.
232:
in March 1915. That June, Army Order 68 prohibited the carrying of swords by infantry on the battlefields of the
European theatre of the war, in an effort to prevent officers making themselves conspicuous to the enemy; however, at least one sword was carried in the assault on the first day of the
286:
The blade is straight and appears symmetrical in shape (though in cross-section is a wedge, with the edge towards the front). The thick blade has a deep central fuller on each side and is rounded on both its edge and back towards the hilt, giving a “dumbbell” or “girder” cross section. Through a
223:
By the time of its introduction, the sword was of limited use on the battlefield against rapid-firing rifles, machine guns and long-range artillery. However, the new sword was regarded, when needed, as a very effective fighting weapon. Reports from the Sudan, where it was used in close-quarters
334:
In common with earlier patterns, the 1897 pattern was sometime produced in “picquet” weight, i.e., a lighter weapon with a narrower blade and correspondingly scaled-down guard for use in levées and other formal occasions when not on active service.
194:
282:
inches (830 mm) long and 1 inch (25 mm) wide at the shoulder, with the complete sword weighing between 1 pound 12 ounces (0.79 kg) and 1 pound 13 ounces (0.82 kg).
241:
advanced with his 1897 pattern sword drawn during a counteroffensive in
October 1914; having never received any training on how to use it. The actual sword he carried is exhibited in the
597:
238:
1055:
741:
558:
105 British military swords, dating from the 17th century to the early 20th century from the Cyril
Mazansky Collection, on permanent display at the Annmary Brown Memorial.
201:
197:
infantry swords, although elegant, had been criticised by some as fighting swords. In common with
British cavalry swords of the era, they were cut-and-thrust swords.
1050:
590:
293:
The guard is a three-quarter basket of sheet steel. It is decorated with a pierced scroll-work pattern and (usually, see variation, below) has the
204:, the curved blade was abandoned in favour of a straight, stiff blade optimised for the thrust. Credit for the design has been given to Colonel
583:
213:
567:
383:
224:
fighting during the reconquest of the Sudan (1896–1899) were positive. Officers carried swords into battle in 1914 at the start of the
425:
395:
442:
517:
503:
489:
248:
The design of the 1897 pattern has remained unchanged to the present day, and is now manufactured by various companies, including
249:
338:
Some regiments carried variations on the standard pattern, generally consisting of variations of the royal cypher on the guard.
1045:
1030:
1025:
415:
680:
200:
In 1892, a new, straight, blade was introduced, mated to the existing Gothic hilt. Presaging the introduction of the
708:
670:
1040:
260:
by escorts of the accused and if the accused was an officer, he would lay his sword on the table for judgement.
1035:
938:
257:
229:
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803:
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172:
971:
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529:
991:
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65:
917:
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904:
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848:
835:
827:
819:
777:
736:
575:
242:
234:
178:
205:
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inches (130 and 150 mm) long to suit the hand of the owner, is generally covered in ray or
513:
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963:
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225:
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1019:
953:
843:
790:
769:
764:
445:. pp. Infantry and Corps and Royal Marines Warrant Officer Sword. Archived from
349:
319:
535:
British
Infantry Officers' Swords of the 1890s and the 1895 Infantry Sword Exercise
999:
756:
690:
555:
411:
294:
253:
182:
30:
1004:
723:
474:
Sword, Lance & Bayonet. A record of the arms of the
British Army & Navy
981:
782:
647:
561:
539:
348:'s Ceremonial uniform as well as the 1897 Canadian Infantry Sword used by the
746:
731:
209:
181:
that has been the regulation sword for officers of the line infantry of the
547:
315:
169:
88:
Various; currently made by
Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co., Germany
530:
http://www.fioredeiliberi.org/antique-swords-uk/articles/1892-1897/
344:
The sword pattern also influenced the ceremonial sword used by the
618:
143:
482:
Swords of the
British Army, The Regulation Patterns 1788 to 1914
154:
579:
556:
Anne S. K. Brown
Military Collection, Brown University Library
220:
of the guard turned down, and the piercings becoming smaller.
542:
Good images of the modern markings on the 1897 Pattern Sword.
341:
An unetched blade variant is available for warrant officers.
472:
Ffoulkes, Charles John; Hopkinson, Edward
Campbell (1967).
498:, First Edition 2003, Studio Jupiter Military Publishing
496:
British Military Swords 1786-1912 The Regulation Patterns
322:
wire. The grip is straight, with no offset to the blade.
297:
of the reigning monarch set over the lower knuckle bow.
290:
The blade is usually decoratively etched on both sides.
563:
87-year-old shares secrets of making UK military swords
256:
of the UK. Until 2004, swords of this pattern would be
540:
Modern British Infantry Sword - Also Canadian Pattern
510:
British Military Swords From 1800 to the Present Day
990:
962:
929:
755:
722:
689:
656:
617:
566:, YouTube video about Pooley Sword by Forces News,
153:
142:
129:
121:
113:
108:
100:
92:
84:
76:
71:
61:
53:
48:
40:
21:
228:, and some were still being used in action at the
212:, who was also influential in the design of the
268:The blade is described in the pattern as being
591:
484:, Revised Edition 1996, National Army Museum
8:
1056:Victorian-era weapons of the United Kingdom
598:
584:
576:
125:83 centimetres (2 feet 9 inches)
104:Light (picquet) weight, ceremonial version
18:
420:. Oxford University Press. p. 339.
778:Nos. 3, 20, 24, 35 Hales rifle grenades
637:Short Magazine Lee–Enfield (SMLE) rifle
366:
699:Pattern 1897 infantry officer's sword
417:The Oxford Book of Military Anecdotes
7:
1051:World War I British infantry weapons
177:is a straight-bladed, three-quarter
149:Steel, pointed, partially two-edged.
568:British Forces Broadcasting Service
195:Gothic-hilted 1822 and 1845 pattern
14:
632:Magazine Lee-Enfield (MLE) rifle
552:Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co.
250:Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Cie
29:
666:Webley .455" Revolver Mk. IV–VI
681:Smith & Wesson Triple Lock
390:. Harper Collins. p. 60.
185:from 1897 to the present day.
1:
208:, Inspector of Gymnasia at
1072:
709:Pattern 1908 cavalry sword
214:pattern 1908 cavalry sword
202:1908 pattern cavalry sword
671:Webley .455" Pistol Mk. I
373:Ffoulkes, Hopkinson, p.25
137:
133:25 mm (0.98 in)
41:Place of origin
28:
939:Vickers 1.57-inch mortar
508:Wilkinson Latham, John:
300:The grip, between 5 and
230:Battle of Neuve Chapelle
443:"Warrant Officer Sword"
1046:Modern European swords
1031:British Army equipment
1026:British service swords
346:Hong Kong Police Force
258:used in courts-martial
117:790–820 g (1 lb 12 oz)
972:Leach trench catapult
949:Garland trench mortar
494:Withers, Harvey J.S:
954:3-inch Stokes mortar
944:2-inch medium mortar
900:No. 32 "Spherical E"
714:Pattern 1913 bayonet
704:Pattern 1907 bayonet
642:Pattern 1914 Enfield
388:Shots from the Front
66:British Commonwealth
895:No. 32 Night Signal
737:Vickers machine gun
512:, 1966, Hutchinson
243:Imperial War Museum
235:Battle of the Somme
179:basket-hilted sword
23:1897 Pattern Sword
854:No. 21 "Spherical"
609:small arms of the
449:on 22 January 2012
239:Bernard Montgomery
72:Production history
35:1897 Pattern Sword
1013:
1012:
964:Grenade launchers
890:No. 31 Day Signal
318:and wrapped with
164:
163:
1063:
1041:European weapons
742:Hotchkiss Mark I
676:Colt New Service
600:
593:
586:
577:
551:
550:
548:Official website
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96:1897–present day
33:
24:
19:
1071:
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1066:
1065:
1064:
1062:
1061:
1060:
1036:European swords
1016:
1015:
1014:
1009:
986:
977:West Spring Gun
958:
925:
920:Steuart Pattern
880:No. 28 Chemical
783:Nos. 5, 23, 36
751:
718:
685:
652:
613:
611:First World War
604:
570:, October 2022.
546:
545:
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480:Robson, Brian:
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384:Holmes, Richard
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252:of Germany and
226:First World War
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54:In service
49:Service history
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22:
17:
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5:
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607:British Empire
605:
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524:External links
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521:
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492:
478:
468:
467:
461:
460:
441:wkc-solingen.
433:
427:978-0195205282
426:
414:, ed. (1986).
403:
397:978-0007275489
396:
375:
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237:in June 1916.
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109:Specifications
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44:United Kingdom
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861:Newton-Pippin
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772:Hales Pattern
768:
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757:Hand grenades
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691:Edged weapons
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518:0-09-081201-8
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504:0-9545910-0-3
501:
497:
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491:
490:0-901721-33-6
487:
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412:Hastings, Max
407:
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359:
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350:Canadian Army
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329:
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320:German-silver
317:
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168:1897 pattern
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1000:.303 British
919:
906:
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784:
771:
724:Machine guns
698:
573:
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495:
481:
473:
466:Bibliography
451:. Retrieved
447:the original
436:
416:
406:
387:
378:
369:
343:
340:
337:
333:
324:
299:
295:royal cypher
292:
289:
285:
267:
254:Pooley Sword
247:
222:
218:
199:
193:The curved,
192:
183:British Army
167:
165:
85:Manufacturer
62:Used by
57:1897–present
1005:.455 Webley
627:Lee–Metford
453:31 December
160:Basket hilt
1020:Categories
992:Cartridges
982:Sauterelle
885:No. 29 Gas
796:Nos. 8, 9
648:Ross Rifle
356:References
330:Variations
245:, London.
157: type
146: type
838:Opera hat
747:Lewis gun
732:Maxim gun
361:Citations
316:sharkskin
210:Aldershot
206:G. M. Fox
869:Sangster
658:Sidearms
386:(2008).
173:officers
170:infantry
101:Variants
93:Produced
77:Designed
931:Mortars
918:No. 39
905:No. 34
867:No. 25
859:No. 22
836:No. 17
828:No. 16
820:No. 15
814:Pitcher
812:No. 14
804:No. 13
798:Jam Tin
309:⁄
277:⁄
189:History
175:’ sword
913:No. 37
875:No. 27
849:No. 19
844:No. 18
806:Battye
770:No. 2
619:Rifles
516:
502:
488:
424:
394:
264:Design
122:Length
16:Weapon
791:No. 6
785:Mills
765:No. 1
644:rifle
144:Blade
130:Width
830:Oval
822:Ball
514:ISBN
500:ISBN
486:ISBN
455:2011
422:ISBN
392:ISBN
166:The
155:Hilt
114:Mass
80:1897
907:Egg
1022::
352:.
270:32
216:.
599:e
592:t
585:v
476:.
457:.
430:.
400:.
311:4
307:3
304:+
302:5
279:2
275:1
272:+
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
