Dilemma, cutlass or mountain artllery?
This conundrum as can be seen remains perplexing, and I wanted to revisit to see if any further information or ideas might bring us closer to answer.
This cutlass pictured in OP (2008) has the markings WIDC , which can only refer to West India Docks and the security forces who guarded materials in transit to and from vessels.
This has a brass stirrup hilt, no langet, and extra guard bar. Robson (1975, p.163) pictures one of these same style hilts was given to Army Hospital Corps in 1861. It is noted that these were IDENTICAL to those issued to the Coast Guard (no date of these noted but probably early in the century).
These IMO may be deemed 'cutlasses' despite the fact that they have cavalry type blades typically around 29-30" blades.
In about 1850 the Indian Army began mountain artillery units with the Hazara mountain train, followed by Peshawar mountain train in 1853.
By 1889 there were 8 mountain train batteries.
In 1896, a pattern sword was issued for these units, with the same ribbed iron grip, and a brass stirrup guard for Indian units, iron for regular British.
The guard on these was fuller than the stirrup guard forms earlier in the century, and like all if these, there were NO langets.
I have had the sword I am posting here for at least 45 years, but have never been clear on what it is. My presumption has always been that it is likely one of the Indian mountain artillery swords of the mid 19th century. It has the simple brass stirrup hilt, ribbed iron grip, and what appears to be the M1796 light cavalry saber blade. These 1796 sabers were so ubiquitous, they seem to have appeared everywhere, especially after end of Napoleonic campaigns when they became surplus .
What is unusual with this saber is the LANGETS. The Coast Guard cutlasses had the extra bar on the guard and NO langets. It seems langets were absent of either cutlasses, and the later mountain artillery swords.
With the seemingly consistent pattern overall with these swords with ribbed iron grips and brass hilts, typically M1796 blades.......these langets are a distinct anomaly.
Could this be a private purchase cutlass? There are no ordnance marks, unit stamps or any sort of markings. Would the langet suggest earlier issue perhaps in accord with the extant M1796 cavalry saber? and perhaps private purchase cutlass ?
Photos and of Robson illustration 1896 sword
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