A Near Mint British Royal Naval Offcer's Sword King George VIth Hilt and Mounts With The Upgraded Wilkinson Sword 1952-53 Deluxe Elizabeth IInd Coronation Blade, Of Mirror Bright & Frosted Polish. With Original Geo VIth Sword Knot

Made and used in WW2, and upgraded by Wilkinson sword for the new Queen, Her Late Beloved Majesty Queen Elizabeth IInd, in 1952-53, and it is still perfectly serviceable for current service for the Royal Navy of HM King Charles. Named hilt for R. Shelley RN. also with its leather service transit storage badge monogrammed R.S.

Near mint gilt hilt bearing the King's crown, with original gilt wire binding over shark's skin grip, with a deluxe fully etched blade with King George VIth's crown surmounted traditional fouled anchor, and Queen Elizabeth's crown and cypher on the opposite side of the blade. The hilt is now the current service cypher for H.M.King Charles IIIrd.

The original Royal Naval officer's pattern sword was designed in 1805, and although most elegant in design it proved somewhat impractical and was replaced in 1827 by the more robust solid hilt variant.
In 1846 the Royal Naval blade was standardised for all Royal Naval officers, with the current lighter, straight single-edged blade being commissioned into service in 1929.

During World War I, the Royal Navy's strength was mostly deployed at home in the Grand Fleet, confronting the German High Seas Fleet across the North Sea. Several inconclusive clashes took place between them, chiefly the Battle of Jutland in 1916. The British fighting advantage proved insurmountable, leading the High Seas Fleet to abandon any attempt to challenge British dominance. The Royal Navy played an important role in securing the British Isles and the English Channel, notably ferrying the entire British Expeditionary Force to the Western Front without the loss of a single life at the beginning of the war.
The Royal Navy nevertheless remained active in other theatres, most notably in the Mediterranean Sea, where they waged the Dardanelles and Gallipoli campaigns in 1914 and 1915. British cruisers hunted down German commerce raiders across the world's oceans in 1914 and 1915, including the battles of Coronel, Falklands Islands, Cocos, and Rufiji Delta, among others

At the start of World War II in 1939, the Royal Navy was still the largest in the world, with over 1,400 vessels. The Royal Navy provided critical cover during Operation Dynamo, the British evacuations from Dunkirk, and as the ultimate deterrent to a German invasion of Britain during the following four months. The Luftwaffe under Hermann Göring attempted to gain air supremacy over southern England in the Battle of Britain in order to neutralise the Home Fleet, but faced stiff resistance from the Royal Air Force. The Luftwaffe bombing offensive during the Kanalkampf phase of the battle targeted naval convoys and bases in order to lure large concentrations of RAF fighters into attrition warfare. At Taranto, Admiral Cunningham commanded a fleet that launched the first all-aircraft naval attack in history. The Royal Navy suffered heavy losses in the first two years of the war. Over 3,000 people were lost when the converted troopship Lancastria was sunk in June 1940, the greatest maritime disaster in Britain's history. The Navy's most critical struggle was the Battle of the Atlantic defending Britain's vital North American commercial supply lines against U-boat attack. A traditional convoy system was instituted from the start of the war, but German submarine tactics, based on group attacks by "wolf-packs", were much more effective than in the previous war, and the threat remained serious for well over three years.
Warship Commands listed for Capt Richard Shelley, RN, {promoted Rear-Admiral 1944.}


HMS Erebus Capt. Monitor 11 Nov 1939 3 Feb 1940
HMS Suffolk Capt Heavy cruiser convoy service 23 Jun 1942 7 Feb 1944
Operation EV, convoy operations to and from northern Russia, convoy's PQ 18 and QP 14.
Convoy QP 15.
This convoy departed the Archangelsk on 17 November 1942

Combined convoy WS 30 / KMS 15.
This combined convoy was formed off Oversay on 19 May 1943. The convoy was divided into convoys
WS 30 and KMS 15 at sea on 25 May 1943.

Convoy CM 43.

Convoy US 22.
This convoy departed Fremantle on 30 August 1943.

Convoy US 23.  read more

Code: 25841

North Vietnamese Army Mortar KM-1 Rocket Artillery Level With Leather Pouch

Issued to the so-called Vietcong {a US army made up term for the North Vietnamese soldiers} crews for indirect fire rocket artillery weapons for adjusting their barrel toward the proper angle.

The North Vietnamese often sourced these rocket instruments from a few friendly government suppliers, mostly Soviet Russia, but the Soviet ones had screw fixings to the dial and cyrillic markings. This one has a plain dial, with no lettering, thus, possibly from a source country that was not keen for America to know it was making military equipment for North Vietnam.  read more

Code: 25840

Most Rare Original Officer's Battledress Tunic WW2 Issue, For Capt Devos Gloucestershire Regt. Special Forces and Intelligence Officer

Acquired as part of a single officer's WW2 special forces kit of Capt. Devos.

He served in the war in France and Germany {possibly elsewhere} and was promoted through to Lt. In 1944, and Capt. in early 1945. His officer's tunic denotes he was in the Gloucestershire Regt. His tunic is named, as are all his special forces, secret intelligence, and weapons training manual etc. plus his other kit and FS commando knife.. Also it came with an early war Brodie helmet with Div. Flash tricolour of red whit and blue. His tunic is a super piece, {with some old past mothing} with all his wartime patches etc.

We also had his Sam Browne with a .45 cal holster that has been cut and customised for quicker draw. Plus his '42 dated canvas belt and '43 dated holster. Compass pouch dated '42.

We are selling all as separate lots as not all collectors collect all things. His intelligence service document portfolio is shown in the gallery {now sold}

Most of his kit is now sold, only this tunic remains and has been offered for sale last.  read more

Code: 25839

A Really Scarce WWI US Army 'Doughboy' Canvas Webbing Grenade Vest Pack Dated 1918. In Superb Condition.

Made by the Troy Carriage Sunshade Co. May 1918. 11 flap pockets in excellent condition. US inspector stamped.
Original American Army service kit of WW1 is really rare in the UK, and this is a superb example.

"Doughboy" was a popular nickname for US infantry soldiers, particularly during World War I. The origin of the term is debated, but it's widely believed to stem from the Civil War, possibly referencing the large brass buttons on uniforms or a practice of using clay to whiten uniform piping. Regardless of the exact origin, "Doughboy" became the common nickname for American soldiers in WWI, especially those serving in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).

According to the "Manual for Hand Bombers and Rifle Grenadiers", published in July 1918,

The number of grenades which can be carried by each man will be determined by the distance he has to travel, the condition of the ground and the general physique of the man. These points demand the most careful consideration, as the overloading of the men has frequently had disastrous results.

The following approximate numbers are given as a guide:

Hand Bomber Section

(a) Scouts, throwers and N.C.O.'s, each man 7 grenades

(B) carriers, each man 14 grenades



Rifle Grenadier Section

(a) Rifle grenadier, each 7 grenades

(B) Rifle grenadier carrier, each 14 grenades

All other infantrymen taking part in the

attack, each man 2 Rifle or hand grenades

Carrying parties, each man 14 grenades  read more

Code: 17220

A Very Fine Napoleonic, Ist Empire, General Staff Officer's Sabre. Three Bar Hilt with Deluxe Imperial General Staff Officer's Scabbard. Another Museum Grade Historical Piece We Are Privileged To Offer

A fabulous Ist Empire deluxe quality Light Cavalry pattern staff officer's sabre with three bar guard hilt, called in France the "Hunter-style".

Overall in excellent plus condition for its age, with original wire bound leather grip.

During the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars the French armies had approximately 2,000,000 plus serving soldiers, of those there were around 2000 generals commanding them in the armies of France, directly under their commander-in-chief, the Emperor Napoleon. However, for example, at the Battle of Borodino, Napoleon lost 1928 of his officer's including 49 Generals, in just one day!

This sword would have been used and carried in combat by one of those officer's on Napoleon's general staff. Napoleon was, and remains, famous for his battlefield victories, and historians have spent enormous attention in analysing them.

Napoleon had numerous general staff officer's. However, a general in the field would have a relatively smaller cadre of officers supporting them.. Whether they were on Napoleon's staff or the staff of a general, their function was the same, to gather reports from field officers, précis them and ensure Napoleon and the generals have the right information. Then take Napoleon's or the general’s high level orders and ensure they get to the correct field officers, which may mean encoding them by hand.
Manage all the logistics, ensure that all the units are supplied with food, equipment and munitions.

In 2008, Donald Sutherland wrote:

The ideal Napoleonic battle was to manipulate the enemy into an unfavourable position through manoeuvre and deception, force him to commit his main forces and reserve to the main battle and then undertake an enveloping attack with uncommitted or reserve troops on the flank or rear. Such a surprise attack would either produce a devastating effect on morale, or force him to weaken his main battle line. Either way, the enemy's own impulsiveness began the process by which even a smaller French army could defeat the enemy's forces one by one.

After 1807, Napoleon's creation of a highly mobile, well-armed artillery force gave artillery usage increased tactical importance. Napoleon, rather than relying on infantry to wear away the enemy's defences, could now use massed artillery as a spearhead to pound a break in the enemy's line. Once that was achieved he sent in infantry and cavalry. The Napoleonic Wars brought radical changes to Europe, but the reactionary forces returned to power and tried to reverse some of them by restoring the Bourbon house on the French throne. Napoleon had succeeded in bringing most of Western Europe under one rule. In most European countries, subjugation in the French Empire brought with it many liberal features of the French Revolution including democracy, due process in courts, abolition of serfdom, reduction of the power of the Catholic Church, and a demand for constitutional limits on monarchs. The increasing voice of the middle classes with rising commerce and industry meant that restored European monarchs found it difficult to restore pre-revolutionary absolutism and had to retain many of the reforms enacted during Napoleon's rule. Institutional legacies remain to this day in the form of civil law, with clearly defined codes of law an enduring legacy of the Napoleonic Code.

While Napoleon is best known as a master strategist and charismatic presence on the battlefield, he was also a tactical innovator. He combined classic formations and tactics that had been used for thousands of years with more recent ones, such as Frederick the Great's "Oblique Order" (best illustrated at the Battle of Leuthen) and the "mob tactics" of the early Levée en masse armies of the Revolution. Napoleonic tactics and formations were highly fluid and flexible. In contrast, many of the Grande Armée's opponents were still wedded to a rigid system of "Linear" (or Line) tactics and formations, in which masses of infantry would simply line up and exchange vollies of fire, in an attempt to either blow the enemy from the field or outflank them. Due to the vulnerabilities of the line formations to flanking attacks, it was considered the highest form of military manoeuvre to outflank one's adversary. Armies would often retreat or even surrender if this was accomplished. Consequently, commanders who adhered to this system would place a great emphasis on flank security, often at the expense of a strong centre or reserve. Napoleon would frequently take full advantage of this linear mentality by feigning flank attacks or offering the enemy his own flank as "bait" (best illustrated at the Battle of Austerlitz and also later at Lützen), then throw his main effort against their centre, split their lines, and roll up their flanks. He always kept a strong reserve as well, mainly in the form of his Imperial Guard, which could deliver a "knockout blow" if the battle was going well or turn the tide if it was not.

Overall the condition is stunning . The scabbard's inner and outer side has just a very few surface contact bruises. In the 20th century generals plotted campaigns and were not often in the thick of combat. In the Napoleonic wars era general staff officers fought, more often than not alongside their men in hand to hand combat, hence, Napoleon lost so many of his general staff officers.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's most famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.  read more

Code: 25315

A Fabulous, Original, High Middle Ages, Museum Piece. A 13th Century Medieval Knightly Sword of the Henry IIIrd and Simon de Montfort Period, Made And Used By a Knight of The IInd Baron's War Era, the Battle of Lewes in 1264. Oakshott Typology Type XII

What a fabulous, original, High Middle Ages Medieval ‘statement piece’ for any collection or decor. In the world of collecting there is so little remaining in the world from this highly significant era in European and British history. And to be able to own and display such an iconic original representation from this time is nothing short of a remarkable privilege.
A wonderful example piece, from the ancient knightly age, of the IInd Baron’s War era between Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and King Henry IIIrd.

The battle site is still not completely agreed upon, but part of the conflict was recorded at Offham hill, and this is was just 4 miles south of our farm, Thousands of the protagonists soldiers were supposedly camped within our grounds, but at present it is not certain for which side they fought. Our farm was originally part of Earl Godwin’s estate, later more famously known as King Harold, who also supposedly camped here on our land immediately before his disastrous Battle of Hastings in 1066 {actually fought inland in the town, that is now called Battle, and not at Hastings at all}. A Canadian funded documentary was filmed here recently.

Effectively, from this time of around eight hundred years ago, from a collectors point of view, nothing else significant survives at all, only the odd small coin or very rarely seen, and almost impossible to own, carved statuary. Medieval 'Oakeshott type XII' Single-Handed Sword
13th century. Oakeshott is the standard that describes and by which defines Medieval swords, their types, and periods of use. A superb original knightly double-edged iron sword with broad, flat, evenly tapering blade, the blade tending to widen perceptibly below the hilt, and the fullers are well defined, extending from below the guard for more than half of the blade's length, the blade's cross-section is of of straight lenticular design, the style of guard one of the most common of the category, i.e. a not exaggeratedly long and straight, with flattened cross-section, the pommel is a handsome thick rhomboid piece, fitted with fastening central rivet. The blade has been broken in combat and lost around quarter of its original length.
See Oakeshott, E., The Sword in the Age of the Chivalry, London,1964 (1994).

A fine example piece, from the ancient knightly age, from almost 800 years past. Although this sword is now in an obvious ancient, and historical, russetted condition, with some elements lacking, every item made of iron from this era, such as the rarest of swords and daggers, even in the Royal Collection, are in this very same state of preservation.

Henry III (1 October 1207 - 16 November 1272), also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death. He was the fourth king of the House of Plantagenet. The son of King John and Isabella of Angouleme, Henry assumed the throne when he was only nine in the middle of the First Barons' War. Cardinal Guala declared the war against the rebel barons to be a religious crusade and Henry's forces, led by William Marshal, defeated the rebels at the battles of Lincoln and Sandwich in 1217. Henry promised to abide by the Great Charter of 1225, which limited royal power and protected the rights of the major barons. His early rule was dominated first by Hubert de Burgh and then Peter des Roches, who re-established royal authority after the war. In 1230, the King attempted to reconquer the provinces of France that had once belonged to his father, but the invasion was a debacle. A revolt led by William Marshal's son, Richard Marshal, broke out in 1232, ending in a peace settlement negotiated by the Church.
Later on the Henry's reign came The Second Barons' War (1264-1267) it was a civil war in England between the forces of a number of barons led by Simon de Montfort against the royalist forces of King Henry III, led initially by the king himself and later by his son, the future King Edward I. The war featured a series of massacres of Jews by Montfort's supporters including his sons Henry and Simon, in attacks aimed at seizing and destroying evidence of Baronial debts.

The Battle of Lewes was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War. It took place at Lewes in Sussex, on 14 May 1264, just around fourteen miles from our Brighton shop, and four miles south of our farm North of Lewes. It marked the high point of the career of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and made him the "uncrowned King of England". Henry III left the safety of Lewes Castle and St. Pancras Priory to engage the Barons in battle and was initially successful, his son Prince Edward routing part of the baronial army with a cavalry charge. However Edward pursued his quarry off the battlefield and left Henry's men exposed. Henry was forced to launch an infantry attack up Offham Hill where he was defeated by the barons' men defending the hilltop. The royalists fled back to the castle and priory and the King was forced to sign the Mise of Lewes, ceding many of his powers to Montfort. After a rule of just over a year, Montfort was killed by forces loyal to the King in the Battle of Evesham.

The swords of this era have the following characteristics. The fuller is well-marked and occupies two-thirds to three-quarters of the blade-length. It often starts on the tang within the hilt, and may be double or treble. The grip is a little longer than in the preceding types XI, X etc, averaging about 11.5cm. The tang is generally flat with almost parallel sides, or swelling a little in the middle. The cross can be of almost any style, though a short, straight one is most common, like in this case. The pommel, too, can be of any type though the thick disc with strongly bevelled edges (Type I) predominates. Here however the specimen shows similarity with a sword represented in a sculpture from the cathedral of Bamberg, dated at 1250 AD Douce Apocalypse, c. 1265-70. The dragon, who is Satan, comes forth again (Rev. 20:7). One contemporary painting in the gallery is of the rebel Earl of Gloucester, depicted with his alleged ally, Satan. Among the flags of the host of Satan is that of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, who had opposed Henry III. Usually the type XII presents a broad, flat, evenly tapering blade, generally with a good sharp point and tending to widen perceptibly below the hilt.(Oakeshott, 1964 (1994), p.42). Weight 1.2 kg, 73cm (28 3/4" inches long overall).

The Oakeshott typology is a way to define and catalogue the medieval sword based on physical form. It categorises the swords of the European Middle Ages (roughly 11th to 16th centuries1) into 13 main types, labelled X through XXII. The historian and illustrator Ewart Oakeshott introduced it in his 1960 treatise The Archaeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of Chivalry.

The system is a continuation of Jan Petersen's typology of the Viking sword, which Petersen introduced in De Norske Vikingsverd ("The Norwegian Viking Swords") in 1919. In 1927, the system was simplified by R. E. M. Wheeler to only seven types, labelled I through VII. Oakeshott slightly expanded the system with two transitional types, VIII and IX, and then he started work on his own typology.

Among the many reasons for his typology, Oakeshott found date classification unreliable during his research. He wrote that the weapons' dates of manufacture, use, and retirement have been greatly obscured by trade, warfare, and other various exchanges combined with the weapons' own longevity.

The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the period of European history between c. 1000 and c. 1300; it was preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended c. 1500 according to historiographical convention. Key historical trends of the High Middle Ages include the rapidly increasing population of Europe, which brought about great social and political change from the preceding era, and the Renaissance of the 12th century, including the first developments of rural exodus and urbanization. By 1350, the robust population increase had greatly benefited the European economy, which had reached levels that would not be seen again in some areas until the 19th century. That trend faltered in the early 14th century, as the result of numerous events which together comprised the crisis of the late Middle Ages—most notable among them being the Black Death, in addition to various regional wars and economic stagnation.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.
As is always usual, the wooden grip section perished centuries past. As almost every iron weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a similar russetted condition, just as this one, because only the swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections are today still in a relatively good state and condition. We will include for the new owner a complimentary wooden display stand, but this amazing ancient artefact of antiquity would also look spectacular mounted within a bespoke case frame, or, on a fine cabinet maker constructed display panel. Our artisans can accomplish this if required.  read more

Code: 22937

A Very Fine .36 Calibre Colt Navy London Revolver, 1851 Model Navy Manufactured in 1855, Probably The Most Iconic Revolver of the 19th Century. A Fine, Original, "Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Calibre."

An absolute beauty. All matching serial numbers, good spring action, holds and fires on first cock. Bright and very clear surface polish overall with no pitting to the surface visible. Some small age losses to the wooden grips and a small steel loss at the very top of the blackstrap screw housing. One of the 42,000 superb revolvers made in the London factory, used in all the major conflicts of the day, from the Crimean War, Indian Mutiny to the American Civil War and beyond in the American Wild West era.

The designation "Colt 1851 Navy" was designated by collectors, though the popular name "Navy Revolver" is of early origin, as the gun was frequently called the "Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber." The cylinder was often engraved with a scene of the victory of the Second Texas Navy at the Battle of Campeche in May 16, 1843. The Texas Navy had purchased the earlier Colt Paterson Revolver, but this was Colt's first major success in the gun trade; the naval theme of the engraved cylinder of the Colt 1851 Navy revolver was Colt's gesture of appreciation. Despite the "Navy" designation, the revolver was chiefly purchased by civilians and military land forces. Famous "Navy" users included Wild Bill Hickok, William Buffalo Bill Cody, John Henry "Doc" Holliday, Richard Francis Burton, Ned Kelly, Bully Hayes, Richard H. Barter, Robert E. Lee, Nathan B. Forrest, John O'Neill, Frank Gardiner, Quantrill's Raiders, John Coffee "Jack" Hays, "Bigfoot" Wallace, Frederick Townsend Ward, Ben McCulloch, Addison Gillespie, John "Rip" Ford, "Sul" Ross and most Texas Rangers prior to the Civil War. Usage continued long after more modern cartridge revolvers were introduced in 1873. Wild Bill Hickok was a legendary character in the Old West and a great exponent of the Colt Navy 1851. Wild Bill arrived in the West initially as a stage coach driver and later became a Lawman in the territories around Kansas and Nebraska. He fought during the American Civil War on the side of the Union Army and achieved renown afterwards as a scout, gambler and gunfighter. During his time as a Lawman Wild Bill engaged in many shootouts, and with his Colt Navy 1851 he was a very accurate and deadly shot, more so as he always remained calm, cool and collected in a shoot out, whilst the other party was nervous and scared. Hickok's guns were inscribed they also had ivory handles and were quite special pieces. Apparently they were both engraved with the words J.B. Hickok 1869. He was presented the guns in 1869 by Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts for his services as scout for a hunting trip. It was said to have been remarked by a Colt Navy owner "A Gentleman would not want to appear armed, but would not be so foolish as to go unarmed.

However, the most famous gunman who favoured the Navy above other arms was James Butler (“Wild Bill”) Hickok. He was fast and deadly, and long before he was murdered in Deadwood, Dakota Territory in 1876, he had acquired the title “Prince of Pistoleers.”
The 1851 Navy is believed to have been Sam Colt’s personal favorite. The evidence is derived from the only image of Colt with a weapon. The revolver that is in that picture is the Navy. Colt’s personal revolvers seemed to have been an engraved pair of Navies with ivory grips displaying a horse head. In addition to the portrait, Colt favored the Navy for presentation to individuals who could help his business. Among the many recipients of these beautifully engraved gifts were President Franklin Pierce, Secretary of War John B. Floyd, Sam Houston, Czar Nicholas, and Colonel Thomas Lally.

42’000 were produced in London, England, with state-of-the-art machines and dedicated production lines; back then the most technologically advanced factories in the world. The designation "Colt 1851 Navy" was designated by collectors, though the popular name "Navy Rev." is of early origin, as the gun was frequently called the "Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Calibre."

As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.  read more

Code: 24708

A Superb, Rare, Museum Piece. An Original, French Napoleonic Wars Deluxe Grade Historical Sabre of a French General of Napoleon's General Staff, a Wonderful & Most Beautiful Sabre of Napoleon's Grand Armee. Consulate to Ist Empire Period

A general officer's 'blue and gilt' sword, with deluxe scabbard, that is very similar indeed to Napoleon's *Austerlitz Sword's scabbard, supposedly presented to Napoleon after Austerlitz, with the 'Cartouche médian au trophée avec tambours et piques' including classical figure panels of Victory standing and a portrait bust of the face of Minerva. the scabbard chape bears what the French called 'a la toile d'araignee sur les armes est anterieur a l'empire'. It is a spider's web, that was as a symbol used on superior arms in the Consular period. The spider symbolised the Biblical 'son' and the link that exists between the 'creator', and the 'creature', is the web that allows the second {the son} to reattach itself to the first {the creator} and, thus to get closer to it. In more simple terms the thread of the web constitutes the canvas which becomes a symbol of loyalty. The scabbard, amazingly has much of its remaining, original, mercurial gilt finish, that due to constant combat handling though, is no longer present on the hilt.

During the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars the French armies had approximately 2,000,000 plus serving soldiers, of those there were around 2000 generals commanding them in the armies of France, directly under their commander-in-chief, the Emperor Napoleon. However, for example, at the Battle of Borodino, Napoleon lost 1928 of his officer's including 49 Generals, in just one day!

This sword would have been used and carried in combat by one of those commanding generals of the general staff. Napoleon was, and remains, famous for his battlefield victories, and historians have spent enormous attention in analysing them.
In 2008, Donald Sutherland wrote:

The ideal Napoleonic battle was to manipulate the enemy into an unfavourable position through manoeuvre and deception, force him to commit his main forces and reserve to the main battle and then undertake an enveloping attack with uncommitted or reserve troops on the flank or rear. Such a surprise attack would either produce a devastating effect on morale, or force him to weaken his main battle line. Either way, the enemy's own impulsiveness began the process by which even a smaller French army could defeat the enemy's forces one by one.

After 1807, Napoleon's creation of a highly mobile, well-armed artillery force gave artillery usage increased tactical importance. Napoleon, rather than relying on infantry to wear away the enemy's defences, could now use massed artillery as a spearhead to pound a break in the enemy's line. Once that was achieved he sent in infantry and cavalry. The Napoleonic Wars brought radical changes to Europe, but the reactionary forces returned to power and tried to reverse some of them by restoring the Bourbon house on the French throne. Napoleon had succeeded in bringing most of Western Europe under one rule. In most European countries, subjugation in the French Empire brought with it many liberal features of the French Revolution including democracy, due process in courts, abolition of serfdom, reduction of the power of the Catholic Church, and a demand for constitutional limits on monarchs. The increasing voice of the middle classes with rising commerce and industry meant that restored European monarchs found it difficult to restore pre-revolutionary absolutism and had to retain many of the reforms enacted during Napoleon's rule. Institutional legacies remain to this day in the form of civil law, with clearly defined codes of law an enduring legacy of the Napoleonic Code.

While Napoleon is best known as a master strategist and charismatic presence on the battlefield, he was also a tactical innovator. He combined classic formations and tactics that had been used for thousands of years with more recent ones, such as Frederick the Great's "Oblique Order" (best illustrated at the Battle of Leuthen) and the "mob tactics" of the early Levée en masse armies of the Revolution. Napoleonic tactics and formations were highly fluid and flexible. In contrast, many of the Grande Armée's opponents were still wedded to a rigid system of "Linear" (or Line) tactics and formations, in which masses of infantry would simply line up and exchange vollies of fire, in an attempt to either blow the enemy from the field or outflank them. Due to the vulnerabilities of the line formations to flanking attacks, it was considered the highest form of military manoeuvre to outflank one's adversary. Armies would often retreat or even surrender if this was accomplished. Consequently, commanders who adhered to this system would place a great emphasis on flank security, often at the expense of a strong centre or reserve. Napoleon would frequently take full advantage of this linear mentality by feigning flank attacks or offering the enemy his own flank as "bait" (best illustrated at the Battle of Austerlitz and also later at Lützen), then throw his main effort against their centre, split their lines, and roll up their flanks. He always kept a strong reserve as well, mainly in the form of his Imperial Guard, which could deliver a "knockout blow" if the battle was going well or turn the tide if it was not.

Overall the condition is very good for age and considering its service. The scabbard has inner side surface contact denting, and the throat mount rim is lacking. In the 20th century generals plotted campaigns and were not often in the thick of combat. In the Napoleonic wars era generals fought, more often than not alongside their men in hand to hand combat, hence, Napoleon lost so many of his generals.

* The Sword given to Napoleon after his victory at Austerlitz appeared after 80 years in private hands in 2010, but hasn't been seen since.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.  read more

Code: 25287

Early 17th to 18th Century Sikh Khanda Hilt Firangi Long Sword

Long double fuller straight firangi blade, single knuckle bow and double plate guard. overall in nice condition for age. Early swords appear in the archaeological record of ritual copper swords in Fatehgarh Northern India and Kallur in Southern India. Although the Puranas and Vedas give an even older date to the sacrificial knife. Straight swords, (as well as other swords curved both inward and outward), have been used in Indian history since the Iron Age Mahajanapadas (roughly 600 to 300 BC), being mentioned in the Sanskrit epics, and used in soldiers in armies such as those of the Mauryan Empire. Several sculptures from the Gupta era (AD 280-550) portray soldiers holding khanda-like broadswords. These are again flared out at the tip. They continued to be used in art such as Chola-era murtis.

There is host of paintings depicting the khanda being worn by Rajput kings throughout the medieval era. It was used usually by foot-soldiers and by nobles who were unhorsed in battle. The Rajput warrior clans venerated the khanda as a weapon of great prestige.


Goddess Durga wielding khanda sword, 7th century.
According to some, the design was improved by the Great Rajput Emperor Prithviraj Chauhan. He added a back spine on the blade to add more strength. He also made the blade wider and flatter, making it a formidable cutting weapon. It also gave a good advantage to infantry over light cavalry enemy armies.

Rajput warriors in battle wielded the khanda with both hands and swung it over their head when surrounded and outnumbered by the enemy. It was in this manner that they traditionally committed an honourable last stand rather than be captured. Even today they venerate the khanda on the occasion of Dasara.

Maharana Pratap is known to have wielded a khanda. The son in law of Miyan Tansen, Naubat Khan also wielded khanda and the family was known as Khandara Beenkar. Wazir Khan Khandara was a famous beenkar of 19th century.

Many Sikh warriors of the Akali-Nihang order are known to have wielded khandas. For instance, Baba Deep Singh is famous for wielding a khanda in his final battle before reaching his death, which is still preserved at Akaal Takhat Sahib. Akali Phula Singh is also known to have wielded a khanda, and this practise was popular among officers and leaders in the Sikh Khalsa Army as well as by Sikh sardars of the Misls and of the Sikh Empire. The Sikh martial art, Gatka also uses khandas.

Hari Singh Nalwa was the commander-in-chief of the Sikh Empire (Sarkar Khalsa) under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Times of London wrote an article in 1881 where they not only noted his battlefield prowess but also his success as an administrator and foresight. The article went onto state that "had he had the money and resources of available to European states, it would have been entirely possible that he could have reached the border of Europe."

Despite reaching lofty heights, Hari Singh Nalwa had humble beginnings. Born in 1791 as Hari Singh Uppal, the youngster, like so many others on this list, lost his father at an early age. In 1804 his mother sent him to the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh to resolve a property dispute. While there Hari Singh explained that his father and grandfather had both fought under Ranjit Singh's Sukerchak Misl for both his father Maha Singh and his grandfather Charat Singh. The Maharaja decided the arbitration in Hari Singh's favour and impressed by his skill as a musketeer gave him a job as a personal attendant. Hari Singh's climb to fame began later that year during a hunt where his party was attacked by a tiger. In one of the most famous stories in Sikh history, Hari Singh killed the tiger by ripping it apart using his hands, this earned him the nickname Baagh Maar, or Tiger Killer. As his reputation grew from the story, he was commissioned as a Sardar and given 800 horses and footmen under his command.

Hari Singh led his first independant contingent into battle in 1807 at Kasur under the leadership of the Maharaja, Jodh Singh Ramgharia and Akali Phula Singh Nihang. Hari Singh's performance was rewarded by a jagir (land based revenue) and his fame continued to grow. A year later Hari Singh led his first command of an army at the Battle of Sialkot where the 17 year old defeated Jiwan Singh.

The young Hari Singh fought numerous battles over the coming years in Attock, Kashmir and Mahmudkot. During the Battle of Multan in 1818, Hari Singh Nalwa led a division of Sikhs against Muzzaffar Khan. The Muslim ruler put up one of the strongest fights the Sikhs had encountered and although instrumental in the victory, Hari Singh Nalwa was badly burnt from a firepot thrown from the fort, putting him out of action for a number of months. However, he was fully recovered by 1819 to lead the reaguard of the Sikh conquest of Kashmir. The victory ended 5 centuries of Muslim rule and the cities of Lahore and Amritsar were lit up in celebration for three nights.

The conquest of Kashmir ushered in a decade of rapid Sikh conquest, and Hari Singh Nalwa was involved in or led most of the major battles. The 1827 Battle of Saidu was one of the most comprehensive. Sayed Bareli had proclaimed himelf to be a messenger of the Prophet Muhammed tellling all his tribesmen that he would deliver the Muslims from Sikh rule As local Muslim rulers began to heed his call, he eventually managed to command an army of over 15,000 Muslims, ready to raise Jihad against the Sikhs. On 23 February, the Sikhs under Hari Singh and Budh Singh Sandhanwalia met the self proclaimed messenger in battle and routed his army. They then pursued the enemy for 6 miles, plundering and pillaging as they went. By 1834 the Sikhs occupied Peshawar. At this point Hari Singh's reputation had become so widespread that Afghan women used to scare their children to sleep by mentioning that if they stayed awake "Hari Singh and his Sikhs would get them".

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.  read more

Code: 25837

Original British Army Paras Issue, 1959 Pattern, Parachute Regt. Warrant Officer's Denison Smock. Made For Government Contract By B.M.C. 1964. Operation Banner & Falklands War Period

One of two smocks from the same Para. Named to the WO who served between 1964 into the 80's. The first smock we sold immediately, and this we are offering was his second.

For campaign service used from Northern Ireland, in Operation Banner, to the Falklands War,

Operation Banner was the code name for the British military operation in Northern Ireland, lasting from 1969 to 2007, during the period known as the Troubles. It was the longest continuous deployment in British military history, involving over 300,000 personnel. The operation aimed to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in maintaining law and order amidst sectarian violence and political instability.

In 1982, the battalion was part of the force sent to the South Atlantic in Operation Corporate, as part of 3 Commando Brigade during the Falklands War. The battalion's men were the first troops from the main assault body to land on the Falkland Islands. The landing was on the shore at San Carlos Water (codename: Blue Beach). The battalion's first battle was the Battle of Goose Green on 28 May. This was followed by the Battle of Wireless Ridge and then the recapture of Port Stanley.

The Battle of Goose Green (Spanish: Batalla de Pradera del Ganso) was fought from 28 to 29 May 1982 by British and Argentine forces during the Falklands War. Located on East Falkland's central isthmus, the settlement of Goose Green was the site of a tactically vital airfield. Argentine forces were located in a well-defended position within striking distance of San Carlos Water, where the British task force had positioned themselves after their amphibious landing.

The main body of the British assault force was composed of the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment (2 PARA), commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Jones. However, the BBC Radio broadcast news of the imminent attack on Goose Green, and the assault had to be urgently brought forward. Some, thus believe the BBC consider news more important than British service personnel’s lives. The BBC informing the world that the Argentine bombs were failing to detonate against UK ships due to wrong timing settings within the bombs was another subjective confirmation of this belief, once the Argentine forces changed their settings accordingly, and they then sunk our vessels successfully. Needless to say the BBC denied their assistance to Argentina brought about any unnecessary slaughter to our armed forces.

Knowing that this had likely forewarned the Argentinian defenders, the broadcast resulted in immediate criticism from Jones and other British personnel.

After the attack began in the early hours of 28 May, the 2 PARA advance was stalled by fixed trenches with interlocking fields of fire. Jones was killed during a solo charge on an enemy machine-gun post. The Argentinian garrison agreed to a ceasefire and formally surrendered the following morning. As a result of their actions, both Jones and his successor as commanding officer of the battalion, Major Chris Keeble, were awarded medals. Jones received a posthumous Victoria Cross, and Keeble received the Distinguished Service Order.

Just some of the history of the Parachute Regiment;
The 1st Battalion can trace its origins to 1940, when No. 2 Commando trained as parachutists. In 1941, the battalion was assigned to the 1st Parachute Brigade which also included the 2nd and 3rd battalions. The 1st Parachute Brigade was part of the 1st Airborne Division and remained with it throughout the war.

The battalion took part in operations in Tunisia in late 1942 to May 1943, suffering heavy casualties. The battalion and the brigade took part in Operation Fustian, when the Allies invaded Sicily and, again, suffered heavy casualties and was withdrawn to England in late 1943 to train and prepare for the Allied invasion of France. The battalion wasn't used in the initial invasion on 6 June 1944, D-Day, but was held back in the UK in reserve in case any of the five invasion beaches encountered serious difficulties and needed support. The plan turned out not to be required. During the fighting in Normandy numerous plans to drop the 1st Airborne were formed, none of which came to fruition. Finally, in September 1944, the battalion dropped into Arnhem the Netherlands with the rest of the 1st Airborne Division, as part of Operation Market Garden, where they suffered extremely heavy casualties and never saw combat again for the rest of the war.

After the war the battalion was reconstituted in 1946, and affiliated to the Brigade of Guards and served with the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine. It was disbanded in 1948, only to be reformed by the renumbering of the 4th/6th Battalion. The battalion was part of Operation Musketeer in 1956.

In the 1970s, the battalion first deployed to Northern Ireland in Operation Banner.

The battalion was involved in the NATO operation in Kosovo in 1999, Operation Agricola. In 2003, they were deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operation Telic in Iraq where despite overwhelming odds, two multiples of No. 8 platoon managed to fight their way out of the town of Majar al-Kabir. The Denison smock (or Smock, camouflage on later garments) remained on inventories in Commonwealth and other militaries after the Second World War, and was popular with troops in Korea. It remained standard combat dress for the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment until the mid-1970s . 1959 Para Smock Denison parachutist smock fish tail flap date 1964 size 1 knitted cuffs Beginning in 1959 the Denison smock was redesigned and the brushstroke pattern reconfigured. The 1959 pattern smock camouflage (and those produded thereafter) has a distinctively different look to it than the earlier Denisons, with a lighter and more prominent background, incorporating only two additional colours (usually brown and green) to create the basic brushstroke overprint. (WW2 era Denisons were darker and often appeared to incorporate more than two colours due to the blending and mixing of dyes that occurred during the application process.) These smocks were produced into the 1970s, and despite the standardization in manufacturing and printing technique, they still show much variation in colour and hue depending on when they were produced. The 1959 pattern Denison smock was worn primarily by members of the Parachute Regiment in theatres such as the Suez and Ulster (Northern Ireland), although there is evidence to suggest it was also issued in limited quantities to the Royal Marines (RM). and worn by British Special Forces , and US Special Forces in vietnam war too. The Denison smock (or Smock, camouflage on later garments) remained on inventories in Commonwealth and other militaries after the Second World War, and was popular with troops in Korea. It remained standard combat dress for the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment until the mid-1970s (see below), and changed little from the wartime issue. A full length brass zip had become standard - with no cloth flap to cover it - and the ever-popular knitted cuffs (deleted on the 2nd Pattern smock, but often imitated by sewing woollen sock tops to the cuffs), were reintroduced. The base colour of the camouflage pattern was now a lighter khaki shade. The "Newey" press studs changed from brass/copper to nickel-plated versions.

The 1959 Pattern Denison Smock.
The Denison was significantly modified in the 1959 Pattern. This had a higher hem line, and was much less baggy. This was because wearing it over the personal carrying equipment (but under the parachute harness) while parachuting was no longer the practice. The '59 Pattern retained the full length zip and knitted wool cuffs, but the flannel lining of the collar was changed from khaki to light green. The most obvious difference to the eye, however, was the change in pattern and colours of the camouflage. The pattern became less random, more defined, with broad, vertical brush-strokes, and greater contrast between the base light khaki and the overprinted tones. The green was much darker than previous versions, and the brown was now chocolate, rather than brick. Where green and brown overlapped, they formed a fourth, darker, olive brown colour.

The name of its wearer is confidential but will be passed to the next owner.  read more

Code: 23664