An 1831 pattern general officers mameluke for General George Nicholas Channer, C.B., V.C., the curved 80cm blade by Edward Thurkle, Soho, London, of flat solid section with clipped back back-edge etched with crowned VR cypher, crossed baton and scimitar, panels of foliate strap work etc., regulation copper-gilt hilt mounts the cross-guard quillons terminating in cushion finials, the ecusson filled with a baton and scimitar, back-strap engraved in a repeat zigzag pattern and Ivory grip plaques with copper-gilt floral rivet heads, retaining its original but rather worn gold and crimson bullion sword-knot, complete with its regulation brass scabbard with two hanging rings, with engraved owner’s name ‘General G. N. Channer, C.B. V.C’. neatly engraved in sloping serif capital letters just above the top hanging ring on the inside of the scabbard as worn, blade retaining much original finish with some minor edge nicks, scabbard with old crack and repair to one side and rather polished overall, ivory grips cracked and missing small section on one side by quillon £500-600

Sold with a file of research concerning General Channer, including an original cabinet portrait, several copy portraits and a photograph of his memorial, etc.

Edward Thurkle is recorded at the 5 Denmark Street, Soho, address between 1876 to 1899.

George Nicholas Channer, was born 7 January 1843 at Allahabad, India, son of Colonel George Girdwood Channer, educated at Truro Grammar School and Cheltenham College, first commissioned Ensign 4 September 1859, Lieutenant 25 May 1861, Captain 4 September 1871, Bt. Major 12 April 1876, Bt. Lt. Colonel 22 November 1879, Colonel 22 November 1883, Brig. General 22 April 1892, Maj. General 27 April 1893, Lt. General 9 November 1896 and General 12 January 1899.

Married in 1872, Annie Isabella, daughter of John W. Watson Esq. of Shooter’s Hill.

General Channer died at Westward Ho! North Devon on 13th December 1905 aged 62, he is buried in East-the-Water Cemetery, Bideford and there is a plaque to his memory in Norham Parish Church, Devon.

General Channer had a distinguished Military career his war services included the Umbeyla Expedition on the NW Frontier of India, 1863-1864, (medal and clasp); Lushai Expedition NE frontier of India, 1870-1871, (clasp); Malay Peninsula, 1875-1876, capture of Bukit Pass and Stockades, (mentioned in despatches, thanked by the Government of India and the Colonial Office, clasp to India medal, and awarded Victoria Cross); Jowaki Afridi Expedition 1877-1878, (clasp); Afghan War of 1878-1880, being at the Capture of Peiwar Kotal and in other minor affairs (mentioned in despatches, medal and clasp); NWF of India 1888, commanded the 1st. Brigade in the Black Mountain Expedition (mentioned in despatches, C.B.); Chitral Campaign 1895, commanding the Reserve Brigade (medal and clasp).

His Victoria Cross for an act of gallantry on 20 December 1875 during the Perak Expedition was gazetted on 15 April 1876, the citation reading as follows:

‘George Nicholas Channer, Brevet Major, Bengal Staff Corps. Date of act of bravery, 20th. December 1875. For having with the greatest gallantry, been the first to jump into the enemy’s stockade, to which he had been despatched with a small party of the 1st Ghurkha Light Infantry, on the afternoon of the 20th December, 1875, by the officer commanding the Malacca column, to procure the intelligence as to its strength, position etc. Captain Channer got completely in the rear of the enemy’s position, and finding himself so close that he could hear the voices of the men inside, who were cooking at the time and keeping no look-out, he beckoned to his men, and the whole party came up and entered the stockade, which was of a most formidable nature, surrounded by a bamboo palisade, about seven yards within was a log house, loopholed, with two narrow entrances, and trees laid latitudinally to the thickness of two feet. The officer commanding reports that if Captain Channer, by his foresight, coolness and intrepidity, had not taken this stockade, a great loss of life must have occurred, as from the fact of his being unable to bring the guns to bear on it, from the steepness of the hill and the density of the jungle, it must have been taken at the point of the bayonet’.