15th King’s Hussars, Victorian Officer’s, Regimental Mameluke and Scabbard Sword by Hawkes & Co, London

*15th King’s Hussars, Victorian Officer’s, Regimental Mameluke and Scabbard Sword by Hawkes & Co, London*

A dress sword / levee sword for an officer of the 15th Hussars.

The 15th Kings Hussars Mameluke Sword, produced by “Hawkes and Co. in London, manufacturers to the Queen” and bears the spine number 406. It features an 83cm blade without a fuller, with a clipped back point adorned with foliage and a crown above the regimental title “King’s Hussars.” This particular sword is an early example, as it does not include the Roman numeral XV. The hilt is gilded and includes a cross guard intricately cast with foliage that ends in leaf-shaped buds. The sword has a two-piece ivory grip and comes with a scabbard made of fish skin-covered wood, which is adorned with engraved gilt metal stylized leaves and three open work panels on each side. The suspension mounts of the scabbard are also decorated with foliage, and it features two suspension rings and an acorn dress knot.

Louis Nolan, the officer who gained notoriety as the bearer of the ill-fated order precipitating the Charge of the Light Brigade was part of the 15th Hussars.

*Condition*
This mameluke is in excellent condition with some fading to the engraving and light tarnishing to the blade. The grip is in good condition with a small chip to the ivory near the crossguard. The dress knot is good though slightly worn condition. The scabbard fits snugly and is in good condition. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.

~ Regimental History during the 19th Century ~

Napoleonic Wars

The regiment was reconstituted as a hussar regiment in 1807 as the 15th (The King’s) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Hussars). It landed at Corunna in November 1808 for service in the Peninsular War and defeated two regiments of French cavalry at the Battle of Sahagún in December 1808. At the battle two French lieutenant colonels were captured and the French 1st Provisional Chasseurs à cheval, who lost many men captured, ceased to exist as a viable regiment. However, the commanding officer of the 15th Hussars, Colonel Colquhoun Grant, was wounded in the battle. The regiment embarked at Corunna for their journey home in January 1809.

The regiment were ordered to support Sir Arthur Wellesley’s Army on the Iberian Peninsula and landed at Lisbon in February 1813. It took part in the Battle of Morales in June 1813 and the Battle of Vitoria later in the month. It then pursued the French Army into France and supported the infantry at the Battle of Orthez in February 1814 and at the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814. It returned to England in July 1814. The regiment was recalled for the Hundred Days and landed at Ostend in May 1815: it took part in a charge at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815 and returned to England in May 1816.

The Peterloo Massacre, August 1819

Officer of the 15th King’s Hussars mounted on his Charger, c.1830
The regiment played a pivotal role in the notorious Peterloo Massacre in August 1819, when a 60,000 strong crowd calling for democratic reform were charged by the Yeomanry. Panic from the crowd was interpreted as an attack on the Yeomanry and the Hussars (led by Lieutenant Colonel Guy L’Estrange) were ordered in. The charge resulted in 15 fatalities and as many as 600 injured.

Victorian Era

The title of the regiment was simplified in 1861 to the 15th (The King’s) Hussars. It was stationed in Ireland between July 1824 and May 1827 and between April 1834 and May 1837. It was then stationed in India between spring 1840 and 1854. The regiment returned to India in 1867 and moved on to Afghanistan in 1878 for service in the Second Anglo-Afghan War before being deployed to South Africa in January 1881 for service in the First Boer War.

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