George V RN Flag Officer's Sword, For Sale

In overall very good condition, the George V Royal Navy Flag Officer's Sword of Vice Admiral Everard John Hardman-Jones CB OBE.

Bought by Everard John Hardman-Jones on his promotion to Rear Admiral in the 1930's. Everard John Hardman-Jones was the commanding officer of several important warships including the aircraft carriers HMS Furious and HMS Courageous, before eventually becoming a Vice Admiral and Commander-in-Chief for the Coast of Scotland in 1933. The blade bears the Jones / Johnes family crest.

The 31 3/8 inch blade us is in very good condition, some slight brown oxidization around a few raised etching sections, but nothing too much. Blade form in the hilt. The hilt overall very good, as are the white fishskin grip and twisted grip wire bindings. The leather and gilt metal fittings scabbard has oak leaves to those fittings for a flag officer rank; the leather is a little aged and has lost its upper most layer but is overall very sound. The folding guard section with engraved name "E. J. Hardman-Jones" works and locates as it should on the scabbard's top locket retaining pin. The sword know is aged and worn but clearly the original. Sword etched at ricasso to make Gaunt. This is a dress weight (slender / piquet) blade of course.

There is only one in the world, so one of our best ever bargains at £? (too late, now sold). Please quote item reference R17 (0488). Further / full sized images available upon request.

Everard John Hardman-Jones was born in 1881, the son of a barrister, Richard Jepson Hardman-Jones of Woodlands, Binfield, Buckinghamshire, and entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet in Britannia in 1897.

Sub. Lieutenant April 1901, Lieutenant April 1903, he was granted permission to accept and wear the 5th Class insignia of the Portuguese Order of St. Avis in April 1909, following a period of service in H.M.S. Exmouth, flagship of Admiral Sir A. G. Curzon-Howe, R.N. He was also granted permission to accept the Turkish Imtiaz Medal in silver in 1910.

Lieutenant-Commander April 1911, he was serving on the battleship Iron Duke, Jellicoe’s flagship, at the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. In December 1917 he was promoted to Commander, and commanded the cruiser Dublin until the war’s end. He was the Officer’s grade of the Italian Order of St. Maurice & St. Lazarus, and received his O.B.E. for his service in the Baltic on the cruiser Caledon in 1919.

Captain December 1920, Hardman-Jones commanded the training ship Erebus 1927-29, returned to sea as captain of the aircraft carriers Furious and Courageous 1929-30 and served as S.N.O. Harwich 1931-33, when he was appointed A.D.C. to George V. Having then been promoted to Rear-Admiral, he served as S.N.O. in Scotland 1933-35 (C.B.), prior to being placed on the Retired List at the rank of Vice-Admiral in June 1937. Recalled on the renewal of hostilities, he served as S.N.O. Newhaven 1942-44. The Admiral retired to Hursley in Hampshire, where he served as Chairman of the Winchester Rural District Council from 1945-56, and died in June 1962.