Pattern 1897 Infantry Officers Sword & Scabbard: Lieutenant Colonel C W D Daly, 6 Battalion, AIF

Place Europe: Western Front
Accession Number REL37330
Collection type Technology
Object type Edged weapon or club
Physical description Chamois, Leather, Nickel-plated steel, Oil skin, Steel
Maker Wilkinson Sword Company
Place made United Kingdom
Date made c 1897
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

British Pattern 1897 Infantry Officer sword. The hilt has a nickel plated three quarter 'scroll' pattern pierced sheet steel guard with the GVR royal cypher and has a leather sword knot attached to the slot near the pommel. The grip is wire bound black fishskin. The straight blade is etched half way on both sides with a foliage design having the royal cypher of George V in the centre. There is a single fuller on each side for half of the length. The ricasso is etched with the interlocking triangle symbol on the right. A buff leather washer is attached to the blade where it meets the hilt and the back edge is stamped 5567. A chrome plated steel scabbard comes with the sword. A leather sword scabbard cover is made of black oilskin and has a chamois lining.

History / Summary

Clarence Wells Didier Daly was born on 5 May 1890 in Hobart, Tasmania and matriculated to Melbourne University. From about 1910 he served as a captain with 64th (Melbourne) Infantry Regiment, a unit of the Commonwealth Military Forces. On the outbreak of the First World War he transferred to the Australian Imperial Force, enlisting on 19 August 1914 as captain of D Company, 6 Battalion. He sailed from Melbourne onboard HMAT Hororata on 19 October. On 25 April 1915 Daly led his men during the initial landings on Gallipoli, receiving a gunshot to his thigh. He was admitted to hospital five days later, but recovered to rejoin his unit on the peninsula in May. Daly was promoted to major that same month. He served with 6 Battalion in France from March 1916, temporarily commanding the unit in August. On 6 October he was recommended for the Distinguished Service Order which was recorded in the London Gazette on 1 January 1917. In January 1917 the London Gazette recorded that he had been Mentioned in Despatches, which would occur twice more, in December that year and again in October 1918. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 25 February 1917 and took command of 6 Battalion. He temporarily commanded 2 Infantry Brigade from 16 to 24 July that year. Daly was killed about 5 am on 13 April 1918 near La Motte. After seeing his men settled in position he rode ahead in the darkness with one of his officers to reconnoitre further. He received a shell wound to the abdomen and according to eyewitness accounts dismounted from his horse before collapsing. He was collected by stretcher bearers but quickly lost consciousness. He died soon after reaching the casualty clearing station. He was buried in Hazebrouk Cemetery.