Sword belt and slings: Quartermaster-Sergeant H Looney, Victorian Horse Artillery

Sword belt of dark blue worsted webbing with black leather reinforcements. Attached to the belt are two white-coated buff leather slings. The metal fittings and belt buckle are of plated steel while the buff leather strap fittings are brass. Stamped on the belt's black leather tongue are the letters 'V.H.A'. Stamped in brown on the inside of the worsted belt are 'No 7 VHA'.

Worn by Quartermaster-Sergent (QMS) Harry Looney. QMS Looney was born circa 1847 and entered into the service of Sir William Clarke, a Victorian landowner, in 1868. He became head coachman at Rupertswood, the Clarke family estate at Sunbury, Victoria, and Sir William's trusted retainer. In 1884 Sir William fostered a militia corps called the Victorian Nordenfeldt Battery, also known as Rupertswood Battery or the Sunbury Regiment of the Victorian Horse Artillery. Looney was appointed as the battery's first sergeant and 12 1/2 years later was promoted to the rank of quartermaster-sergeant. He served with the battery until it was disbanded in June 1897, shortly after the death of Sir William. During his period of service Looney won numerous military contest medals and awards. He was also part of the Rupertswood contingent which competed in a Royal Military Tournament in England in 1893, where his team came second in the riding and jumping section of the competition. At the age of 60 he qualified as a veterinary surgeon. This belt and other memorabilia was displayed in the waiting room of his surgery in Sunbury, Victoria. Looney died in 1930.