Pictures Please (Sikh Sword)

[Jens Nordlunde]

Compared to all the other soldiers in the armies, I believe there were relatively few artillerymen. I don’t think they had canons enough.

I did not, by briefly looking through the Marlborough House book, find the sword Robert Elgood refers to, but I found another one, which Heldley calls a tulwar, but from the description, and from the picture, it is clear that it must be a kirach. The Maharaja of Jaipur presented #163 to prince Edward during his visit to India.

[Rick]

Thank you for the picture Jens !
Too true; if they really were the weapon of an Artilleryman then there would be relatively few examples of the form .

[Sikh_soldier]

Hello all,

What Jim said is absolutely correct; for a skh any weapon is highly regarded.
however, the khanda and the tulwar are firm favourites!

Here is a picture (bad quality ) of antique weapons of Sikhs which are said to be part of the collection of sri Guru Gobind Singh ji (10th Guru)

[spiral]

Originally Posted by Rick

Too true; if they really were the weapon of an Artilleryman then there would be relatively few examples of the form .

Indeed. According to Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith, baronet of Aliwal on the Sutlej, G.C.B.. in 1839 it was estimated by the British Army that the Sikhs had.

120,000 Regular Infantry,40,000 Cavalry, regular and irregular & 400 pieces of cannon ready to take the field, So not that many artillary men in comparison indeed.

Although of course after the first Sikh war there numbers were seriously reduced & over 50% of thier cannon captured.

Large numbers of sword trophys were also brought back by individule & indeed regiments to England at that time.

I have a sikh lilly leaf kukri with tulwar grip captured in the first Sikh war, sadley most such bring back items have lost thier provinance over the years.

Spiral