EL6968 - A good Wilkinson Rifles officer's sword (numbered 16301 for 1869). Attributed from the Wilkinson records to Frederick Carr Swinnerton Dyer (1837–1896), 75th Regiment of Foot and then Kent Rifles. Dyer had served with the 75th Regiment in the Crimean War, being present at the Siege and Fall of Sebastopol in July 1855, and took part in the assault on the Redan on 8th September 1855, and the surrender at Kinbourn/Kinburn in 1855. Received the Order of Medjidie. He also served in Canada and India, and there is plenty of research to do there. In 1869 Dyer was appointed as adjutant of the 3rd Battalion of the Kent Rifles, and that is why and when he must have purchased this sword. The sword is in good condition, with some patina to both blade and hilt, but still relatively bright. The blade is firm in the hilt, and curiously has been service sharpened near the tip. The grip has lost a couple of strands of the silver wire, but is otherwise in quite good condition, with everything solid, with no movement. Sadly there is no scabbard. A top quality sword to a very interesting officer, with lots of research potential.
