Pattern 1908 cavalry sword
Type of cavalry sword / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Pattern 1908 cavalry sword?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
The Pattern 1908 cavalry trooper's sword (and the 1912 Pattern, the equivalent for officers) was the last service sword issued to the cavalry of the British Army. It has been called[3][4] the most effective cavalry sword ever designed, although its introduction occurred as swords finally became obsolete as military weapons. In use, it, like other thrust-based cavalry swords, is best described as a one-handed lance, due to its complete lack of utility for anything but the charge. In fact, the closely related US Model 1913 Cavalry Saber was issued with only a saddle scabbard, as it was not considered to be of much use to a dismounted cavalryman. Colonial troops, who could expect to engage in melee combat with opposing cavalry frequently carried cut and thrust swords either instead of, or in addition to, the P1908/1912.
Pattern 1908 cavalry sword | |
---|---|
Place of origin | United Kingdom |
Service history | |
In service | 1908–1918 |
Used by | British Army Australian Army Canadian Army |
Wars | First World War |
Production history | |
Designer | Robert Mole & Sons |
Designed | 1903–1908 |
Manufacturer | Robert Mole & Sons and Wilkinson Sword |
Produced | 1908–present |
Variants | Pattern 1912 cavalry officer’s sword |
Specifications | |
Length | 42 in (1,100 mm) |
Blade length | 34+3⁄4 in (880 mm) |
References | Imperial War Museum[1] & Royal Armouries[2] |
In military circles, there had long been the debate over whether the use of the point or the edge was the better method of attack for a cavalryman. In the Napoleonic period, British cavalry doctrine as shaped by John Gaspard Le Marchant favoured the cut, resulting in the dramatically curved Pattern 1796 light cavalry sabre. With the introduction of the 1822 patterns, the British Army adopted a series of "cut and thrust" swords with slightly curved blades that were stiff enough for a thrust. The 1822 swords and their descendants were inevitably compromises, but the Army considered the adaptability to be of more importance.[citation needed] By contrast, the 1908 pattern was designed from the outset purely to give point (thrust) from horseback.
The sword has lived on as the ceremonial sword for the British, Canadian, and Australian cavalry units.