Thank you Fernando and Zwielicht for your kind comments.
'Nando the guard, pommel etc is brass, with dark patination over most of them. Some areas looked to have been cleaned quite some time ago, and whilst cleaning the blade this patination was 'wiped' (not deliberately
)and is a little shinier.
There are nicks to the blade......which are very old.....perhaps these occured during the 'Great War' ....hard to say. It certainly has seen some 'action'. I have read that these swords were actually used in the trenches....some were shortened to make them effective 'trench knives', the guard making a useful 'knuckle-duster'.
I have also read that bayonets, swords and knives were often utilised in combat as the Turks often suffered ammunition supply problems, but were still expected to attack 'enemy' positions
Kind Regards David