Indian Mutiny KIA Officer's 1845 Pattern Sword, Marked 'Ya Allah'

A very interesting 1845 pattern infantry officer's sword made by Wilkinson, marked to 'R.G.A.D Montmorency', and marked 'Ya Allah' in gold Arabic letters.

Robert Geoffrey Augustus De Montmorency was born on the 15th of August 1828 in Kilkenny. He joined the 49th Regiment of Foot as an ensign by purchase in 1846, and on the 25th of February 1848, he was transferred to the 24th Regiment of Foot (later known as the South Wales Borderers).

His regiment saw action during the Second Anglo-Sikh War at the Battle of Chillianwala in January 1849, where the regiment fought off the enemy with bayonets rather than rifles and 255 of its men died.

Robert G. A. De Montmorency was killed in action on the 7th of July 1857 at the Battle of Jhelum, where a column of troops led by the commander of the 24th Regiment of Foot was sent to disarm Bengal Native Infantry units believed to be at risk of mutiny. The mutinous sepoys of the 14th Bengal Native Infantry who garrisoned Jhelum resisted the disarmament attempt by force of arms, and the 24th received heavy casualties.

The sword is marked "Ya Allah" in gold Arabic letters near the ricasso, leaving room for speculation as to how and under what circumstances the inscription was made. Perhaps the sword was taken by a Muslim sepoy, and later returned to the family. Or perhaps Robert had once considered converting to Islam.

The sword is in very good condition, with a particularly crisp etching of Wilkinson quality. The scabbard is the one the sword came in with, not being of regulation pattern.