British 1856/79/91 Pattern Naval Officers’ Dirks

THE UNIFORM REGULATIONS of 4th April 1856 required Midshipmen and naval cadets to wear a dirk “according to pattern”, although no actual specifications of the pattern were provided.  Fortunately, sufficient surviving examples can give us a idea of what they looked like.  The design was based on the 1827 Pattern Naval Officer’s Sword and had a lionshead pommel and white sharkskin grip.  The hilt also exhibited acorn finials to the crossguard.  The blade was straight and etched with typical naval motifs of fouled anchor and royal crown.  In the Uniform Regulations of 1879, when the pattern was updated, we have a more detailed description:

“Gilt mounted with white fishskin grip; hilt five and a quarter inches long, and fitted the cross bar with oval medallion and anchor, and with spring to hold the blade to the scabbard; blue and gilt blade…”

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

Taken from The British Sword – From 1600 to the Present Day – An Illustrated History by Harvey J S Withers – 12,000 full colour photographs – 884 pages

For more details please click on the images.