EL6494 - The Wilkinson-made sword (blade numbered for 1900, with updated hilt for Edward VII) of Lt. Col. John Arthur McQueen, Royal Engineers, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross during WW1. McQueen was born on 15 December 1882, in Lahore, Bengal, India, and died on 19 April 1965. He is registered on the Census of 1901 as age 18, at Woolwich, Gentleman Cadet (training as a Royal Engineers officer). This tallies with the date of the sword. In May 1907 he rescued an Indian worker who fell into a river. He saw active campaigning service in India and on the North West frontier in 1908, and the Zakka Khel Expedition (Medal and clasp). Returning home on leave in 1910, then with the 1st Prince of Wales's Own Sappers & Miners, he got married, and by November 1913 McQueen is recorded as a Captain and being made Adjutant of the Northumbrian Divisional Engineers (London Gazette, 11 Nov 1913). He was promoted to Major in 1916, during the Great War. He retired a Lieutenant Colonel in 1922. What I have NOT been able to identify are the citations for his DSO or Military Cross. This leaves plenty of meaty research for the future owner of this fantastic piece of history. The sword and scabbard are in very good condition, with wear commensurate to age and service life, but no flaws really worth mentioning aside from missing a bit of the grip wire. Everything is clean and bright, just a few small pits, the etching is wonderful and it is all rock solid. A stunning example of the pattern with great history.
