The Sikh Presentation Sword

Something often ignored or even just not thought about is the British pattern swords carried by British-Indian soldiers throughout the period of Empire in India. For most of the time Indian soldiers served in British regiments they famously and devestatingly used weapons brought from home territories such as the native tulwar or sirohi, whilst I have seen some examples of other weapons being carried usually it was the more conservative sword and dagger. This even extended to British officers who served in India, many ``going native`` and carrying the swords of their environs rather than their army.

Then there is the wonderful mix of the Anglo-Indian swords, most commonly the Indian blade on British hilt but also the Indian manufactured in the British style (usually for regional troops or guards) or vice versa such as the Mole cavalry swords carried into WW2.

Lastly and least talked about is the swords carried by mandate or by preference depending on whether you were a NCO or Officer which were the British patterns, the example I will use here is interesting one as it was carried by regulation, the owner was a Sikh Halvidar who was awarded this sword for gallantry in Burma, an interesting choice but at the time I believe his cavalry unit were largely involved in policing which would have made him mounted infantry rather than cavalry.