Swords of World War I

Thank you Pellius for sharing your beautiful sabre! I remember some of these 1889 were also black painted, wonder if it was intended for field use.

Excellent idea Pino!


It is true that cavalry swords were surprisingly prolific during this conflict. However, the sword that, to me, represents WWI better than all other is the stout artilleryman's sidearm. The Germans gunners were particularly sword happy and appeared to be issued with them in droves, but the British also got in on the action too with their lovely 1896 Mountain Battery weapon. 

I have in my collection several of these, including the Prussian 1873, Bavarian 1813, and the aforementioned British 1896 mountain. I will try to put a writeup together in the coming weeks.

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I have no records to back this up, but I suspect that infantry/artillery swords would have seen much more use in the trenches than cavalry ones. The constant small-scale trench-raiding must have resulted in close-and-personal trench fighting. Given that the submachine-gun had (for the most part) not yet appeared on the battlefield, and the obvious close-quarter combat limitations of a full-sized rifle, the combination of a sword and pistol would probably have been a surprisingly effective trench-fighting weapon system. 

While I have found references to the use of clubs, shovels, knives and bayonets in trench fighting, I have yet to see an account describing the use of swords. Would be very curious to see if any such exist. 

Much of what has been said here could be said of WWII, too, at least in the early part of the war. No army in 1939 was without horses and even the Germans were more horse-drawn than mechanized. Horse cavalry still had a part to play, even if sabers were little used. Otherwise, up-to-date technology was utilized in the horse cavalry as much as in the other arms, to include large radio sets being carried on horseback.

Even though motor transport largely replaced horse-drawn transport, it might be said that horse cavalry was used in the cavalry role more in WWII than in WWI, even if swords were less used (but sometimes still carried).

Thanks guys for participating!

No big rules except I strongly believe it is best you guys introduce your patterns in short descriptive replies with some pics, like what Pellius did, you can thrown in pictures of soldiers wearing the said model if it makes you feel better too.

Just remember it has to be a sword that was around the time 1914-18, so any model made between 1900 to 1918 or older swords (re)issued for the war. Have fun!

Bfoo,

exactly, as I pointed out in my article about the German ersatz artillery sword, it was a good time to be in the artillery but also the logistics supply units. They ended up with all sorts of older swords and, unlike the cavalry, actually kept them until very late in the war!

I'm not sure to what extent these units were involved in the trenches but yea if they were caught by an enemy attack they could rely more on their sword and handgun. Judging by the number of trench knives encountered everywhere, including some made from sword parts, any sort of melee weapon was welcome in a trench.

I found on this website this particular part which is of interest: 

''Raiders sallied forth from their underground dugouts armed with various bayonets, swords, hatchets, clubs, coshes, knobkerries, truncheons, hammers, daggers, pick-axes, push-knives, staves, and steel bars. The edges of entrenching shovels were ground to razor sharpness. Trench raiding clubs were both homemade and mass produced, some of which were lead filled, had steel studs or spikes hammered into them, or had their heads wrapped in barbed wire. Men carried brass knuckles (or "knuckle-dusters") and a wide array of knifes with them. Sometimes these were combined: the US army issued trench-knives fitted with metal knuckle guards and "skull crusher" or "walnut-opener" pommels to their infantry.



Inside the trenches centuries of advancement in warfare was being discarded in favor of the older lessons of mélée combat.''

Austrian Landwher officers sabre, used by an officer of the Vienna Landwher regiment. 33" very thin blade. Service sharpened, ground only on one side of the blade.
m.imgur.com/a/Zke5c

Regarding the Swiss Model 1899, the scabbard does not look painted to me but rather blued, as does the hilt. That doesn't mean none were ever painted, of course. WKC offers black (metal) scabbards on a couple of models, which is historically correct for those models, but I don't know what form the "blacking" is. These days, there are all sorts of ways to blacken metal, as well as similar finishes, but I don't know what was available in 1914. There is also a history of original finishes, other than plated, being polished bright later in the service life of the item and not just swords.

The hilts of service swords of the Household Cavalry Regiment are described as "stove enameled black." Scabbards, too. Don't know when that practice began or what other formerly mounted regiments do, though.

This is an Austrian Model 1904 Cav Officer Saber. 

Overall, it’s in very nice shape. And it’s pretty - in a delicate doily kind of way. 

The basket and blade are plated (nickel, I’m guessing), which has done a nice job preserving them.  It does make it all extra shiny, though.  I’m told this is a functional, rather than a parade/dress sword.  If I’m honest, it does feel a bit dainty.  It is my only pipe back blade, though. Maybe that’s just how pipe back blades are?  

I dont know know for sure these were used during the war, but they would’ve been around. 

British 1908 Pattern sword: Design and Development

The British 1908 is one of the two iconic cavalry weapons from the era (the other being the 1913 "Patton"). It is a distinctive, ergonomically-shaped spike designed solely for thrusting and represents a radical departure from the archetypal cut-and-thrust weapons from the previous half-century. Sure, there was some work towards incorporating thrust-centric ergonomic grip and guard designs (see the Italian 1871 or the Prussian 1889), but nobody took the idea as extreme and as suddenly as the British. 

While browsing the internet, I found some interesting information on the Royal Armouries Collection website concerning the history and development of the 1908 pattern. It is really quite a nice read. In an effort to share this information, I have paraphrased this article below as I believe it to be of particular interest.

The Royal Armouries also has some other nifty articles and features for those whom are interested. 

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Design and Development of the 1908 pattern
(information and images courtesy of Royal Armouries Collection)

The 1899
The preceding pattern of sword (1899) was apparently not a very big hit (please read the linked review for more in-depth discussion on the sword and it's shortcomings).


Early "improved" 1899 prototype 

The move to thrusting weapons
In 1903, a special committee for the design of an improved sword pattern was convened. The committee determined that this new sword would have a T-backed, thrusting blade, which emerged as the 1904 trials pattern. T


1904 trials pattern 

The traditionalists strike back
The 1904 Trials pattern was apparently quite well-received, but it irked some traditionalists including big names such as Alfred Hutton. There was a brief return to the 1899-style cut-and-thrust weapons, but I guess the troops on the ground liked what they saw with the 1904 and they kept coming back to that one. 

 
1905 trials pattern (one of several prototypes)

Towards the 1908: the 1906
The 1904 experimental pattern was succeeded by the 1906 one before landing on the 1908 pattern we all know and love


1906 experimental pattern 

As Britain was and still is a proud monarchy, the new 1908 sword had to receive royal approval from Edward VII, who (being monarchy and therefore of a more traditional nature) famously declared it "ugly". It took intensive pleading and reasoning from his generals before he could be convinced to approve the pattern. 


1908 sword and scabbard 

Information and images from the Royal Armouries Collection (UK). 

Links:
Improved 1899 prototype (1901-1902): collections.royalarmouries.org/object/rac-object-52323.html
1904 pattern: collections.royalarmouries.org/first-world-war/type/rac-narrative-90.html
1905 pattern: collections.royalarmouries.org/object/rac-object-277065.html
1906 pattern: collections.royalarmouries.org/object/rac-object-15379.html

Comparison with contemporaries

I thought I'd add a bit of information comparing the 1908 to some of its other cavalry stablemates (pun intended) which I own, or have owned in the past. This is purely a brief commentary to put the 1908 design into a broader perspective of sword development in other nations. Most of these other swords deserve their own bespoke writeup. I have pictures, but it is late (2AM) and I am lazy tonight. 

NB I have not owned a trooper's 1908, but I have had an 1912 officer's (EIIR). I consider the latter to be representative of the former. 

Spanish 1907

The 1908/12 handling is defined by three key characteristics: 1) T-back thrusting blade, 2) ergonomic handle and 3) weighted pommel at the back. Most contemporaries lack some or all of these features (ex. the French 1896 lacks the hefty pommel, the 1913 "Patton" and 1889 Prussian lacks the blade). The 1907 Spanish is the only other sword which has all three. Consequently, I consider this to be the closest equivalent. 

The 1907 was overall much lighter to wield than the 1908/12. I attribute this to the much more aggressive fullering which extends all the way to the tip. The 1908/1912 foible is ovoid, which adds unnecessary mass at the end. I regard the 1907 as handling much like a rapier or even a smallsword, whereas the 1912 had a more of the shock-action heft that we saw with the heavy French cavs. 

Of the two, the 1908/12 would probably be much more stable and would impart more shock in a cavalry charge; the 1907 is much more fun to wave around on foot or to be used in a melee. 

Italian 1871

The Italians loved their pipebacks. Italian sword design started to evolve along similar lines to the 1908 with their 1909 experimental model, but this was ultimately not adopted. Consequently, they fought with their old 1871 pipebacks. Apparently, the hilts and scabbards were blued for service in WWI, so if you find one with a fine blue finish, that's where it came from. 

I have one in my own collection (not blued, though). These were of variable quality: my current 1871 is of German manufacture and it is very nimble, almost rapier-like. I used to have a second one which was unmarked. Much heavier. 

A "good" 1871 handles very lightly. Despite outward appearances, it is a fine point weapon, and not the big heavy bruiser we are accustomed to from other pipeback designs (cough cough German 1852). In conjunction with the thumb-tab, this handles not unlike the 1908/12 despite the drastically different appearance.


Blue 1871 (Sailor in Saddle)

1913 "Patton"

I often hear the 1913 being described as a "thrusting" sword. I do not think this is true. While the thumb-tab and heavy hilt (which serves somewhat as a pommel) does help with point-control, I group it closer in handling to basket-hilt broadswords that has been updated to permit use of the point. The long blade and slightly ergonomic grip bears passing resemblance to the 1908/12, but I consider these to be distinct based on the blade. Unlike the 1908/12 I rate it as effective in the cut as well as the thrust.