Solid half-basket hilted sword. The hilt consists of a gilt solid half-basket guard, with folding flap on the inside, raised bars and a crown and anchor badge. There is a lion's-head pommel and back-piece, the mane extending all the way down the back and a white fish-skin grip bound with three gilt wires. The slightly curved, flat-backed blade has one deep groove running half the width of the blade to within 254mm of the double-edged spear point. There is a proof mark on the shoulder on the obverse. Inscribed on the obverse is a floral and scroll decoration running for 508mm from the hilt and, in the centre, the Royal arms with supporters and crown above. On the shoulder of the reverse is 'C. WEBB & CO., Old Broad Street; LONDON'. The remainder of the decoration is as on the obverse with, in the centre, a crown over a foul anchor. The black leather scabbard has two gilt lockets and rings with gilt chape.

This sword is in accord with the Admiralty Dress Regulations for 1860, as for a commissioned naval officer below flag rank. A chief officer of HM Coast Guard wore the uniform of a lieutenant, RN. Engraved on the obverse of the top locket: 'PRESENTED TO / MR. GEORGE READ, R.N. / in charge of/ Lytham Coast Guard Station,/ by the inhabitants and friends on his leaving/ PRESTATYN, SEPTR, 1862, / in recognition of his private worth/ and noble bravery'.

Career of Chief Officer George Read, HMCG as follows. Born 1821; joined Royal Navy 1839 and served in the fleet under Admiral the Hon. Sir Robert Stopford and Commodore Charles Napier in the Syrian campaign in 1840. In the war with Russia he was in the PRINCESS ROYAL, 91, Captain Lord Clarence Paget, with the fleet in the Baltic, under Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Napier, and in 1855-1856 in the Black Sea and Sea of Azof, being present at the fall of Sebastopol and the taking of Kertch. On the conclusion of the Russian War he transferred into the Coast Guard service and in 1862 was Chief Boatman in charge at Lytham, Lancs. On 29 October in that year a violent gale of hurricane force struck the coast and wrecked on the Horse Bank, off Lytham, an American merchantship, the Anne E. Hooper. In the absence of the regular lifeboat, at Liverpool for repairs, he took charge of the naval services and rescued twenty-one members of the crew of the wreck. For his gallant services he received a gold medal from the United States Government. In 1863 he was promoted to Chief Officer and appointed in charge of the Coast Guard at Deal. Here he remained until he retired in 1876, at the age of 55.

This sword was presented to him, as stated on the scabbard, on his leaving the Coast Guard Station at Rhyl, near Prestatyn, Flintshire, for Lytham, Lancs. It is not now known when this sword was presented to the museum of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich and thence passed to the NMM, but it was probably the gift of Mr. Read's son, James Read, and presented by him about 1928.