1828 Pattern Scottish Highland Light Infantry Broadsword (Sold)

This is an 1828/31/65/68 Pattern Scottish Highland Light Infantry Officer's Broadsword dated to 1910.

This a rare Highland Light Infantry officer's basket hilt broadsword dated to 1910; I know this because the etching is marked to King George 5th whose coronation was May 1910, plus the fact the cutler (marked to blade) Morris Angell & Sons were only in business from 1900 to 1910.

The people I bought the sword from said the original owner was reputed to have died in South America. This being the case, the original owner was almost certainly Eric Erskine Loch, one of only three 2nd Lieutenant appointments to the Highland Light Infantry regiment after King George 5th's coronation in 1910. His history is documented here. He was highly decorated and died in South America from "tropical diseases" (almost certainly malaria) as a gold prospector during World War 2!

The Highland Light Infantry's regimental crest of a strung bugle above a thistle and battle honours for Assaye (with elephant) are etched into the 31.5 inch blade (slightly shorter than normal, so the original owner was likely a slight man in stature). Everything is in good order for the age, the hilt metal a little dull, the basket hilt liner a little tired. But overall this is a very nice sword with a good clean, firm blade and with an interesting story behind it. Further pictures available upon request.