Bosleys Military Auctioneers
Lot 823
Victorian Royal Engineers Officer’s Sword of Major General Sir John William Gordon CBEThe sword is by Wilkinson of London, the blade is numbered 6526, which is repeated to the original brass scabbard. The slightly curved blade with etched decoration of crowned VR cypher and the regimental title. Cutler’s details to the forte. The hilt fitted with brass foliage pierced guard conforming to the 1857 pattern. Housed in original brass scabbard. Clean condition.It is interesting to note that the number of the blade indicates the date 1855, two years prior to the introduction of the hilt pattern. It is presumed that the General returned the sword to Wilkinson for conversion to the new pattern, this could explain the unusual feature of a numbered scabbard.Major General Sir John William Gordon KBE was born in 1814. He received a Commission in the Royal Engineers in 1833. He saw early service in Bermuda and at the time of the Crimea War had obtained the rank of Captain and was one of the first engineering officers to land with the invasion of the Crimea. He saw service at the Alma and Inkermann. In the trenches before Sebastopol, he came into his own, although still only a Captain was appointed Chief Engineer under the command of Field Marshal Burgoyne. Promoted Brevet Major in December 1854, he was always to be found in the front line trenches, he became popular with the troops earning the nickname “Old Fireworks”. He was wounded during a Russian sortie on the trenches in March 1855, but quickly returned to his duty. He was forced to return to England later that year due to his wounds. He was made a CB and appointed an ADC to the Queen. He would serve as Adjutant General Royal Engineers from 1856 to 1861 and with this post felt it important to upgrade his sword to the new regulation pattern. He was promoted to Major General in 1868 and a KCB. He was appointed Inspector General of Fortifications, however at this time he was in failing health partly due to his old wounds and stress, a fellow officer wrote that he feared he was close to a nervous breakdown. Gordon was man who had always put duty first, now felt he was letting his corps down and took his own life on the 8th February 1870.Attribution by vendor
