Royal Marines sword possibly owned by Colonel Frank V. Temple CMG, RMLI (active 1897-1934). The hilt involves a fretted half-basket steel guard, nickel-plated, leading to an upturned tongue. The reverse edge is turned up to prevent chafing the uniform. The fretting involves a design of interwoven foliage and the Royal cypher 'V R' with the appropriate crown above. The plain domed pommel is decorated with two threads. There is a prominent tang button in one with the back-piece which is diamond-hatched overall and which has a flattened piece for the thumb at the top. This part is also nickel-plated steel, as is the straightened ferrule at the top of the grip. The black fish-skin grip is bound with three gilt wires. There is a sword knot of flat gold lace tape with a basket-weave pointed terminal.

The blade is straight, flat-backed and of near even taper to the double-edged point. Upsharpened for nearly half its length, the blade has a 114mm false edge and a broad shallow fuller 343mm long starting 46mm from the guard. The obverse is inscribed with a brass proofmark within a Shield of David, foliated initials 'F V T', foliage and scrolls,'ROYAL/MARINE/LIGHT/INFANTRY/ GIBRALTAR'/ a Globe/'PER MARE PER TERRAM', a crown with rays above, and foliated and scrolls. The reverse is inscribed with, 'E THURKLE MAKER SOHO LONDON' on a romantic shield, foliage, a wreath of laurel and palm, an ornate foliated cypher 'V R I' or 'R M L I' ?, a crown with rays above, foliage and scrolls. The nickel-plated steel scabbard has two steel bands, each with a suspension ring, and a steel shoe. There is an ornamental throat with two horizontal grooves secured by two screws, one on each edge, to the top of the scabbard.

This is basically the 1896 infantry officer's sword designed for use by the Royal Marines. In spite of the fact that the crowns engraved on the blade are incorrect in design, this sword can be fairly accurately dated as coming some time between the introduction of the pattern and the year in which E. Thurkle ceased business in Soho (1899). Although the owner's initials are not easy to read, the 'F V T' referred to above may be those of Frank Valiant Temple whose career was briefly, as follows: 2nd Lieutenant 1 September 1897; Lieutenant 1 July 1898; Captain 8 September 1904; Major 21 October 1915; temp Lieutenant-Colonel and acting Briggadere-General 1 January 1917; CMG 3 June 1919; Lieutenant Cololonel 21 October 1927; Colonel 17 May 1934; died 3 April 1937. This sword was captured in Egypt during the Suez operation of 1956 - it was apparently being worn by an Egyptian Army officer.