Swords of the British Army: The Regulation Patterns, 1788-1914

This is a beautifully produced, and surely definitive, complete account of its subject. With over 200 annotated high quality black and white illustrations and six full-colour plates, printed on fine quality paper, it is a volume for any edged weapon or British Army enthusiast to treasure. The text encompasses technical details such as the pattern of swords, the reasons why certain types were adopted, and instructions for correctly wearing them. There are descriptions of the use of swords in battle, sometimes described by the swordsman wielding them, such as the gory account of the butchery at Waterloo by Sgt. Ewart who famously charged with the Royal Scots Greys. Here, Sir Garnett Wolseley, the celebrated Victorian General, describes chopping men down from head to the waist while serving with the Household Cavalry in Egypt in 1882. There are appendices on marking swords and chronological lists of changing sword patterns.

Condition: Second-hand ex-library, good condition. Significant tearing to dust cover.