Original Item: Only One Available. The spine is this sword is engraved with the serial number 32227, which according to Official records from WILKINSON SWORD ARCHIVE at armsresearch.co.uk , states that this sword was purchased from the Wilkinson Sword Company on July 13th, 1893 by Henry Singleton Pennell, 1st Sherwood Foresters. His Original Medals & VC are currently on display at the Sherwood Foresters Museum, Nottingham Castle, and are only shown in the first image for contextual purposes.

Lieutenant Pennell was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces, for action during the Tirah Campaign on the Indian Frontier on October 20th, 1897:

“Captain W.E. Clifton-Smith, who commanded ‘D’ Company of the 2nd Bn, Derbyshire Regiment, at Dargai had been shot. Not knowing he had been killed, Lieutenant Pennell, in face of a terrific hail of bullets, rushed to him and made two gallant attempts to carry him into shelter. With great difficulty he carried him some distance and discovering now that Captain Smith had breathed his last, Lieutenant Pennell placed the dead officer’s helmet over his face, and himself made for shelter, the enemy’s bullets whizzing around him all the time.”

The London Gazette of 20 May 1898, Numb. 26968, p. 3165.

In the 1890s a rapid succession of regulation changes happened to British infantry officers' swords. The change was to move away from a cut and thrust saber blade and towards a specialized straight thrusting sword.

The introduction of the new thrusting blade was quickly followed by improvements to the handle and guard of the hilt, intended to provide a better grip and greater protection to the hand.

This sword was originally a Pattern 1892 Sword made by Wilkinson in July 1893 for Pennell, but sometime in 1895/1896 Pennell had the sword returned to Wilkinson and had the new 1895 Pattern guard done which one will see on close examination that the tang nut changed along with the backstrap. The initials HSP are present in the etching on the blade. The sword was sharpened for active service where it proved useful for his spirited action up in the Dargai Hills where he gained his unique distinction. 

The basket is marked with the “VR” monogram for Queen Victoria. This is also seen on either side of the blade in the etching. The blade shows heavy oxidation cleaning over time. The blade ricasso has the standard 6 pointed star around a brass plug stamped PROVED, and the reverse bears the maker information:

HENRY
WILKINSON
PALL MALL
LONDON

The Shark skin grip is complete and shows moderate wear. The basket retains a fair amount of patina in some spots. The blade etching and embossing shows heavy wear from cleaning. There is very little pitting or severe wear to the blade, though there is no play in the blade at the grip.

Pennell died unexpectedly in 1907, his obituary reading: A Reuter's telegram, dated St Moritzdorf, Sunday last, said Captain Henry Singleton Pennell VC, Staff Captain of the Administrative Staff on the Southern Command, died here last night as a result of injuries sustained in an accident on the Crest toboggan run. Captain Pennell was the second son of Mr Edwin Pennell, formerly of Dawlish and at present residing in Exeter. The family of Pennells are held in much respect in this town and Dawlishians heard with extreme regret of the sad occurrence which cut short the career of a brilliant young officer. Born in 1874, the deceased as educated at Eastbourne College, and joined the Sherwood Foresters, (Notts & Derbyshire Regiment) in 1893. He served with the 2nd Battalion of his regiment in the Tirah Expeditionary Force of 1897 under Sir William Lockhart. He was present at the storming of the Dargai Heights (Mentioned in Despatches at the capture of the Sampagha and Arhanga Passes) and in the operation in the Kharki Mastura Waran and Bazar Valleys. The act for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross and India medal with two clasps, took place on the attack on the Dargai Heights. Captain W.E.C. Smith of the Sherwood Foresters was struck down, whereupon Lieutenant Pennell ran to his assistance and made two distinct attempts under what was described as 'a perfect hail of bullets' to carry and drag him back to cover, and only desisted when he found Captain Smith was dead. The late Captain Pennell also served in the South African War with the West Yorkshire Regiment and took part in several engagements including the Relief of Ladysmith, the action at Colenso, the operations at Spion Kop, the actions at Vaal Krantz and Pieter's Hill (at the latter of which he was wounded), Laing's Nek and in the Transvaal, and east and west of Pretoria, being twice Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the QSA medal with five clasps. The news was received with profound regret in Salisbury. The distinguished captain who held the appointment of staff-captain at the headquarters of Administration, Southern Command, was held in great respect by all ranks, and was a welcome guest at social functions in the city and country. He distinguished himself at the Staff College, which he passed through in 1903. A message of sympathy was sent to his parents on Monday from his brother staff officers at Salisbury. The funeral of the deceased was held at Dawlish yesterday, the sympathy of the townspeople being markedly shown. The town flag was hoisted half mast high, the blinds of business establishments and private houses were drawn and many of the head men of the place, including the chairman of the Council Mr. J. Shapter, walked in the procession. The body was conveyed from St Moritz, Canton de Grisons, to this country under the guidance of the British Consul, via Calais and Dover. The cortege proceeded from the railway station, the coffin covered with a Union Jack upon which were floral tributes, being borne by a detachment of Royal Field Artillery from Topsham Barracks, under Sergeant Skinner. Mourners were Mr and Mrs Edwin Pennell, Exeter, father and mother; Misses R and H Pennell, sisters; Mr C L Pennell, brother; Mr Lovell Pennell, uncle; Miss Pennell, Dawlish, aunt; Colonel Pennell, cousin and Miss Pennell, Mr Hill, cousin; and Mrs Landon. Amongst those who attended were Colonel H Sinclair, Assistant Quartermaster General, representing the staff of Southern Command to which the late Captain Pennell was attached; Colonel Curtis, CB, Exeter, retired; Major G Collis; and Mr Lewis, officer in charge of the coastguard station. The officiating clergy were the Reverend W P Alford, vicar, and Reverend H B Hammond, senior curate. The brass plate on the coffin bore the inscription 'Henry Singleton Pennell, VC, captain Sherwood Foresters, died 19th January 1907, aged 32 years.

This is a phenomenal example fully identified to a Victoria Cross recipient that comes more than ready for further research and display. His Original Medals & VC are currently on display at the Sherwood Foresters Museum, Nottingham Castle.

Towards the end of August 1897 the Pathan Revolt spread to the Afridis and on 23 August the British lost control of the Khyber Pass, not regaining it until December. In September the Orakzais attacked British positions on the Samana Range. Between them the tribes could field almost 50,000 men. That same month Lieutenant General Sir William Lockhart was given command of a Field Force of over 10,000 British and 20,000 native troops to march into Tirah, south-west of Peshawar, and bring the two tribes to heel. His advance guard left Kohat on 11 October to cross the Samana Range into Tirah by way of the Chagru Kotal. This pass was dominated by the Dargai Heights which had been scaled by the British on 18 October but not occupied. This proved a costly miscalculation and by the time the British came to reoccupy them on the 20th, they were in the hands of over ten thousand hostile tribesmen. A battalion of Gurkhas and two companies of the Dorsetshire Regiment were pinned down while attempting to cross the exposed ground to the base of the Heights. Another company of Dorsets and a company of the Derbyshire Regiment had little more success. It was the Gordon Highlanders and the 3rd Sikhs who eventually took the position. On being ordered to advance and clear the ridge the Gordon Highlanders moved forward at 2.30pm but suffered heavy losses. The first line reached the shelter of some rocks, where Piper G F Findlater, though shot through both feet and unable to stand, propped himself against a boulder and continued to play the regimental march, Cock o’ The North. Inspired by the tune and the urgings of their officers, about 400 men ran up the path leading to the crest and took the Heights.

The Colonel of the Gordon Highlanders, Lieutenant Colonel Mathias, was also recommended by Brigadier General Kempster for a VC for leading the final assault but this was turned down by the C-in-C India. Instead, Mathias was promoted to Brevet Colonel and appointed ADC to the Queen. With the route into Tirah secure, Sir William Lockhart marched through its five chief valleys, skirmishing and destroying villages. It was during the withdrawal of Brigadier General Kempster’s column from the Waran Valley on 16 November 1897 that Private Vickery again distinguished himself. He and Private Harris were separated from their company, Vickery limping from a sword-cut to the foot. They were attacked as they retreated down a steep nullah where Vickery fought off and killed three of the enemy. He and Harris took refuge in a village for the night before returning to camp the following morning. Lockhart finally left Tirah in December, when winter set in, but made it clear he would return if the tribes did not submit. By April 1898 most of the tribesmen had done so.