THE FOOT GUARDS 1881-1902
OFFICER'S SWORDS, BELT & ACCOUTREMENTS
UNIFORMS, ARMS & EQUIPMENT - FOOT GUARDS
The Foot guards carried the standard infantry pattern sword with steel hilt with a regimental device or badge in the guard. It had a black fish-skin grip bound with silver wire. The blade was etched or embossed with battle honours. In 1882, all three Guards regiments had the same battle honours, which were : Tangier 1680, Namur 1695, Gibralter 1704-05, Blenheim 1704, Ramillies 1706, Oudenarde 1708. Malplaquet 1709, Dettingen 1743, Lincelles 1793, Egmont-op-Zee 1799, Corrunna 1809, Pensinsula, 1808-09, Barrosa 1811, Nive 1813, Waterloo 1815, Alma 1854, Inkerman 1854, Sevastopol 1855. By 1900 they had added Tel-el-Kebir 1882, Egypt 1882, Suakin 1885, Khartoum 1898. The Irish Guards added their first honours in 1902 after the Boer War. Many more have been added by all the Guards regiments up to the present day. An example of the distinctive arrays on the sword blade is shown in the illustration below
The gold lace sword belt worn for state occasions is shown on the previous plate on the major of the Grenadier Guards. The standard Belt worn was of buff leather stained white.
The sword slings were attached to the rear and front with studs. Each Guards regiment had their own regimental waist clasps.
The Field officers and the adjutant were often mounted and wore the standard belt with extra slings for the sabretache. Each of the Guards regiments had their own devices on the face of the sabretache as shown below
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Officer's Undress Uniforms
