ELC1080 - A very rare Honourable East India Company Cadet's presentation sword, given in 1838 to Colonel Alexander David Turnbull (1819-1864), who would go on to serve in the Indian Mutiny. Alexander David Turnbull (1819-1864) who, despite being an HEIC officer, was temporarily attached to the British Army during the Mutiny, and became a permanent Royal Engineers officer after the HEIC officers were absorbed into the British Army after the Mutiny.
The inscription reads:
"A. D. Turnbull. Gentleman Cadet. This sword presented to him at the public examination on the 9th April 1838 by the Hon' Court of Directors of the East India Company, as a mark of the Court's approbation of his General Good Conduct while at the Company's Military Seminary"
Assigned upon graduation to the Bengal Army with the Bengal Engineers. He served during the Indian Mutiny with the famous 'Moveable Column', commanded by Lt-Colonel G.V. Maxwell, who praised the accurate shooting of the battery that then-Captain Turnbull commanded against the town of Calpi in April 1858. Turnbull was mentioned again as part of Brig-General Napier's Division for his gallant conduct with the artillery, and in exploring the route intended for the attacking force against Gwalior in August 1858. Turnbull subsequently received the rank of Lt-Col in the Royal Engineers on 29/04/1862. He was promoted to Colonel on 17/11/1863. He sadly died on 30/8/1864. The sword comes with further research documents.
The 32.5 inch blade, marked to retailer Bond of Cornhill, is pipe-backed and regulation, in bright finish and with crisp and detailed etching. It is firm in the hilt. The guard and backstrap are in regulation gilt brass, with the HEIC lion emblem. The grip is not in such good condition, having lost about 70% of the shagreen, leaving bare wood in those areas, though the grip wire is complete. Complete with its matching steel scabbard. The blade has been service sharpened, so this was presumably the sword that he took on campaign in 1857-58. An amazing and very rare piece of history.
