The fine collection of attributed British Officers' Swords formed by Hal Giblin

Lieutenant Frederick Henry Norris Lee, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, mortally wounded 18th June 1916

1854 pattern Irish Guards officer’s sword, blade 83cm by Henry Wilkinson (No 50707) etched with regimental badge, GVR cypher ( the battle honour scrolls empty, as sometimes found on swords of this period, perhaps a wartime expedient ) plated steel guard with regimental device, fish-skin covered grip bound with silver wire, with it’s leather covered field service scabbard, blade retains all original finish, plating on hilt dulled but overall very good condition £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The fine collection of attributed British Officers' Swords formed by Hal Giblin.

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Sword sold by Wilkinson to F. H. N. Lee, 19th October 1915.

Frederick Henry Norris Lee was the second son of the Vicar of Broad Oak, Essex. He entered the Cape Colony civil service at the age16 in 1902, and was assistant magistrate at Umtata when war broke out in 1914. Joining the Tembuland Mounted Rifles, he fought against the rebels in the Orange Free State and,having been transferred to the Kalahari Light Horse, he took part in the expedition which, starting from Kimberley, took the German’s in the rear and compelled them to give battle to Mackenzie’s forces at Gibeon. This trek ended at Windhoek extending in all to 1,500 miles. At the close of the campaign in G.S.W. Africa, the Civil Authorities extended his leave to enable him to serve in France.

Returning to England , he was commissioned into the Irish Guards in October 1915, and shortly afterwards left for the front. On 18 June1916, he was wounded in the leg whilst leading a night patrol to look at the enemy’s wire. He was carried back by Corporal Redmond, but the wound proved fatal and he died of gangrene on 4 July 1916. Lieutenant Lee is buried in Bologne Eastern Cemetery, France.