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Boer War Sword

Rob Derry

Rob Derry

master brummie
One of my grandad's uncles Robert Jones fought in the Boer War and brought back with him a sword that has the number F2 82 8H19 inscribed on it. I have not been able to find his war record as there are simply too many Robert or R Jones listed on ancestry but wondered if this inscription might help. Any ideas anyone how to proceed?
 
Rob Derry said:
One of my grandad's uncles Robert Jones fought in the Boer War and brought back with him a sword that has the number F2 82 8H19 inscribed on it. I have not been able to find his war record as there are simply too many Robert or R Jones listed on ancestry but wondered if this inscription might help. Any ideas anyone how to proceed?
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Hallo Rob,
It sticks in my memory that the sword manufacturers, Wilkinsons, keep records going way back.
This sword your relative had is more likely to have been a battlefield find though. The British army were never inclined to let soldiers keep their personal weapons !
 
Don't know how we would have got it otherwise as none of us have ever been to South Africa and it's always been in the family ... re Wilkinson I thought they made razors !!!! Lol
 
have you got a picture you can put on, and is the sword straight or curved....
 
The sword is most likely part of his dress uniform and may not even have been used in battle. My great uncle, Henry Longmore, was a sergeant cook with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who served in South Africa during the Boer War and for some years afterwards. His dress uniform and sword were kept for many years by one of my uncles, but upon his death, were sold by his widow in the 1960s without the knowledge of other members of the family.

Maurice
 
sospiri said:
The sword is most likely part of his dress uniform and may not even have been used in battle. My great uncle, Henry Longmore, was a sergeant cook with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who served in South Africa during the Boer War and for some years afterwards. His dress uniform and sword were kept for many years by one of my uncles, but upon his death, were sold by his widow in the 1960s without the knowledge of other members of the family.

Maurice
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Did it have a large protective piece around the hand like the old fashioned cutlass
 
Bob,

Yes, though I only caught a glimpse of it once and that was nearly 53 years ago, when I didn't have much interest in those sorts of items!

Eric,

Nice selection there!

Maurice
 
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Here's the picture for anyone who is interested in such things :)
 

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Bingo ... looks like a private 4586 R Jones was in the 19th Hussars! The net is closing in on great uncle Bob !
 
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