EL6632 - The Wilkinson 1845 pattern 39th Regiment of Foot officer's sword of Captain Charles Greenway. Greenway commissioned into the 39th Regiment in 1880 (while the regiment was stationed in Bengal, India), the year this sword was made by Wilkinson and gifted to him (see the dedication etched on the blade in the photos). He became adjutant of the regiment in 1884 and was promoted to Captain in 1885. In 1890 he is recorded as being a Staff Captain based in Egypt. Sadly, Greenway died in Alexandria, Egypt, on 5 November 1892. The sword has been extensively service sharpened, presumably for serving in Egypt, which had been a hazardous posting since the rise of the Mahdi, the Sudan wars of 1884-85 and invasion of Egypt by Britain in 1882. Over than the original sharpening, the blade is in good condition, with medium patina, but crisp etching, showing the officer's initials, the dedication of the giver, and the heraldic crest for Greenway. The guard is a little bent, and there is some movement in the hilt. The grip is in good condition, but missing some of the wire wrap. A very nice service sword, with lots more research potential.
Additional information thanks to Jay Cassidy's research: Greenway was serving on secondment to the Egyptian Military Police (a dangerous job in that part of the world at the time - probably explaining the serious service sharpening. He died of enteric fever/typhoid.
