Officer's undress sword belt with sword carriages : Victorian Military Forces

Officer's undress white patent leather sword belt with sword carriages and a Victorian officer's gilt brass union locket buckle. The belt, measuring 39 inches in length, is made from three sections of 1 1/2 inch-wide leather. The sections are joined with 2-inch-diameter brass rings. The proper left end has a buckle with running loop to adjust the length of the belt. The proper right end has a tapered safe sewn to the belt which lies underneath the buckle. The locket (tongue) of the buckle, which is fabricated in two parts, depicts the cross of St George with a five-pointed star at each corner and at the centre.The circular surround has the words ‘AUT PACE AUT BELLO VICTORIA’ (In Peace and in War). An ornate scroll forms part of both halves of the buckle indicating that the belt was worn by an officer. Two sword carriages are attached to the belt and have been made from 1-inch wide white patent leather. The longer carriage measures 27 1/2 inches, the shorter 13 1/2 inches. The top ends of the carriages are sewn to themselves after passing through the brass rings joining the sections of belt. At the other end, a buff leather loop with a brass buckle is fastened to the carriage. The brass ring holding the shorter carriage has a brass sword hook secured to it. Three 'D' loops for taking sabretache slings lie along the centre back of the belt, sewn under white patent leather tabs. All lines of stitiching are of four rows. A gilt stamp with the Royal coat of arms and the words 'MOUBRAY ROWAN & HICKS MELBOURNE' has been made on the back of the safe.

The unit which was associated with this belt has not been able to be identified. White patent leather sword belts worn as part of the undress uniform of officers of the Victorian Field Artillery, including the Victorian Nordenfeldt battery, are noted in the 1893 Dress Regulations. The motto 'AUT PACE AUT BELLO' was replaced by 'PRO DEO PRO PATRIA' (For God and Country) in 1893. However, belts with the earlier motto continued to be worn after this date.