Lieutenant-Colonel Eden Vansittart, D.S.O., Ghurka Rifles, Commanding 8th Battalion, Royal West Kents, wounded and taken prisoner at Loos 26th September 1915

1822 pattern Light Cavalry officer’s sword, blade 84cm by Henry Wilkinson, Pall Mall, London (No 21565) devoid of any decoration with the exception of owner‘s name & family crest within cartouche, steel 3-bar guard, fish skin covered grip bound with copper wire, in a leather field service scabbard, scabbard probably associated, grip covering worn, service wear overall £200-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The fine collection of attributed British Officers' Swords formed by Hal Giblin.

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Indian Army officers favoured swords with plain blades and certain Ghurka regiments, the light cavalry hilt. Possibly re-hilted in 1902, upon his taking up command of the 8th Gurkha Rifles.

Eden Vansittart, first commissioned into the Indian Army on 10 September 1877, Madras Staff Corps and 8th Madras Light Infantry, commanded the 8th Gurkha Rifles upon their being raised in 1902. His war services included the Mahsud-Waziri Expedition 1881, the Hazara Expeditions of 1888 and 1891, operations on the Samana and the Kurram Valley, and in Tirah, 1897-98, during which he was wounded in the operations against the Khani Khel Chamkannis. Retired by 1914, he offered his services on the outbreak of the war and was appointed to command the 8th Battalion Royal West Kents. On 26 September 1915, the 8th Battalion was thrown into the line on the second day of the desperate fighting at Loos, advancing into the wood at Bois Hugo. They were met by concentrated machine-gun fire and by the end of the day only 250 men remained from the original 800. This was the battalion’s first action, Colonel Vansittart being among those reported killed in action, but later, as wounded and prisoner of war. He was repatriated in 1917, and after the Armistice was awarded the D.S.O. as a tribute to his gallant personal leading of his Battalion during the Loos fighting.