The fine collection of attributed British Officers' Swords formed by Hal Giblin

Lieutenant Guy Staniforth Wemyss St. George, 1st K.G.O. Gurkha Rifles, mortally wounded near Ypres 26th April 1915

A scarce 1827 pattern Rifle Regim ent officer’s sword of the 1st Gurkha Rifles, blade 83cm by Henry Wilkinson (No 42982) etched with GRI cypher, 1st Ghurka Rifles amidst foliage, and within a cartouche the owner’s monogram ‘G St.G’, plated steel guard with strung bugle, solid patent tang, composition grip, chequered back strap, with silver wire binding, in its steel scabbard, blade neatly sharpened for field service, retaining most of original finish, minor service wear, otherwise very good £300-350

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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Sword sold by Wilkinson to G. St. G. George, 6th April 1911.

Guy Staniforth Wemyss St. George was born on 1 July 1888, son of Lt.-Col. H. H. St. George. Educated at Wellington College and Sandhurst, where he passed out 5th, being 3rd for the Indian Army, he was first commissioned into the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1907, and in 1908 entered the Indian Army, joining the 1st Ghurka Rifles at Dharmsala. When war broke out in 1914 he was first sent to Egypt, and in November 1914, to France, where he was appointed brigade machine gun officer. He took part in the fighting at Festubert and Neuve Chapelle, becoming Adjutant on the death of Captain Kennedy. He was shot in the chest on 26 April 1915, during fierce fighting near Ypres and was taken to Hazebrouck hospital, where died the following day.

His Commanding officer wrote, “His death is a great shock to me, he was a most capable soldier, and a first rate adjutant, and he will be very great loss to the regiment.” And a brother officer, “ He was one of the best officers the regiment has ever had...’ Lieutenant St George is buried in Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, France.