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Originally Posted by sirupate
My pleasure Fernando.
Anyone have any thought on the possibility of the 17th still retaining the 1796 LCS during the Crimea War?
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An absolutely fascinating topic in British military history, and most intriguing question. Actually as a very young collector my fascination with the Charge of the Light Brigade became an obsession (probably from the much dramatized Errol Flynn Hollywood version) and compelled me to collect British cavalry swords. Like many such widely popularized historic events which became heavily filtered through literature and later movies, ongoing research has always questioned many often distorted and sometimes fanciful notions.
The 17th Lancers, probably the most well known of the famed 'Light Brigade' due to their distinct uniforms and lances in the front line of the charge, had indeed been in India from 1817 until 1823. While in India they had been reassigned as 'lancers' , I believe one of the first British units so designated, influenced by Napoleons Polish lancers (hence the distinct 'chapka' headgear).
The M1796 light cavalry sabre was being supplanted by the new model 1821 cavalry sabre with three bar guard rather than the stirrup hilt of the M1796, and by 1823 there had been some issuance of the new swords. However with certain production issues if I recall correctly, the renewed production in scale did not begin until 1829, and there has often been classification disparity in whether these were M1821 or M1829.
In any case, while the 17th were in India, they of course would have been armed with the M1796, and that sabre indeed remained in service in India long after the introduction of the M1821/29 and was much favored by native regiments. In fact, these sabres remained so popular in India they were still being produced privately for the native regiments as late as end of the 19th century.
The fabulous prints by R. Caton Woodville are of course often key icons for students of militaria, however like other artistic renderings of military units and historic events, a degree of artistic license existed. While it is known that during the issue of the new M1821/29 sabres a long transition period ensued, we know that the 17th were back in England by 1823, and were being outfitted with unique new uniforms to accompany their new designation as lancers.
It seems highly doubtful that a unit with this much attention to fashion in addition to key designation would not receive the new sabre forms straightaway, but perhaps a lag until 1829 could have plausibly occurred.
It is now known that at the Charge of the Light Brigade, the primary sword of issue to the units was the M1821/29 light cavalry sabre. However new evidence has revealed that a considerable number of the troopers of all units carried the newly issued M1853 pattern, a much heavier sabre. There has been no evidence of the older M1796 patterns in the Charge .
I would submit however that in later years, reunions and events honoring survivors were celebrated in England through the latter part of the century. Apparently a number of presentation sabres of the M1796 pattern were inscribed and presented to some of these survivors. It seems there have only been a couple I know of which have come up in auctions. I know they caused quite a stir when they appeared and revived that very question.
I would conclude that the M1796 was not present at the Charge .