An 1854 Pattern Rifles Sword. 38 ½” overall, 32 ½” dumbbell blade with trailing foliage & Crown over strung bugle & ‘South India Railway Vols. Rifle Corps’ to one side, the other with trailing foliage & ‘ERI’ & ‘Hobson &Sons, 1,3,5, Lexington St, London W’. Steel Gothic hilt with crowned strung bugle with stepped pommel & chequered back strap. Fish skin grip with three strand silver wire. Black leather acorn sword knot. In its original brown leather Field Service scabbard with nickel plated steel shoe.
Circa 1901-10
A rare sword in good condition, blade with much original polish.
The South Indian Railway Volunteer Rifle Corps were raised in August 1884, comprising of railway workers and staff. The railway company was established in the year 1874 by the amalgamation of the Great Southern of India Railway and the Carnatic Railway. In 1901, the headquarters of the battalion was set up in Negapatam (Nagapattinam in the state of Tamil Nadu). The troops wore formal khaki drill uniform. The detached companies of the South Indian Railway Battalion were posted at various military camps at Pakala, Nellore, Madras (Chennai), Tuticorin, Madurai, Villipuram, Cuddalore, Trichinopoly and Tanjore (Thanjavur).The South Indian Railway Battalion was re-designated as the 29th South Indian Railway Battalion on 1st April 1917. Eventually it was titled as the South Indian Railway Battalion on 1st October 1920. The regiment was disbanded, on 14 August 1947.
Hobson and Sons, Established 1873, closed 1967, At 1,3&5 Lexington Street, 1887-1967.