Sword belonging Lieutenant Colonel W.A.W. Crellin of Andreas

Date made: early 20th century

Maker: unknown

Description: This sword belonged to W.A.W. Crellin of Ballachurry, Andreas. At the outbreak of the First World War, Crellin was an officer in the Sherwood Foresters, and travelled to France in 1914 with the original British Expeditionary Force. This sword would have been with him, and would have had more than a ceremonial role. At this time, British officers carried their swords into battle, and used them for directing their men in the attack, and on occasion to kill the enemy. Of course the sword also marked officers out as targets for snipers, and by mid-1915 they were no longer carried in the front line.

Object name: sword

Collection: Social History Collection

ID Number: 2012-0015

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