The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Officer's undress black patent leather sabretache with black morocco leather foul-weather cover. The front flap is made of a stiff highly polished black patent leather applied to both sides of the flap. The flap measures 12 inches in length and 10 1/2 inches in width and is sewn along the top edge to a back flap made of a softer black patent leather. A black patent leather gussetted pouch with flap is sewn into the back flap.The pouch and flap are lined with a cream plain weave cotton fabric glued to the inside. A patent leather strip has been sewn across the lower third of the outside back flap dividing the strap into three. This is designed to take the free end of the straight-ended billet after it is secured over a brass stud on the back flap. The pouch itself has a short square-ended billet which secures over a brass stud. Three brass D-loops are sewn under leather tabs along the top edge of the sabretache for attachment to the waist belt using slings. Attached to the centre front of the front flap is a finely cast gilded brass badge of the British coat of arms. The word 'VICTORIA' lies beneath this and surmounts an 1854 pattern field gun over the motto 'AUT PACE AUT BELLO' (In Peace and in War). arms. The foul-weather cover is made of a black morocco leather which has a fine horizontal lined pattern calendared into it. The inside sufaces of the cover are lined with a deep plum-coloured velveteen. The front of the cover is cut away to display the front of the sabretache when it is inserted inside the cover. Two short leather straps with brass studs and corresponding holes along the top edge secure the cover around the sabretache.
Sabretaches for carrying documents were introduced into the British Army between 1806 and 1808. They were first used by Hungarian light horse in the 1700s. It is belived that this undress sabretache was used by officers of the various Victorian artillery units with gilt metal or white patent leather slings for both full dress and undress occasions until the more ornate full dress sabretache was adopted. Examples of the same pattern of sabretache can be seen in photographs of artillery unit officers of the day. As the motto used is 'Aut Pace Aut Bello' it would be expected that the sabretache was manufactured before 1893 when the Victorian Military Forces adopted the motto 'Pro Deo et Patria' (For God and Country). However uniform and equipment previously issued but still in good order often continued to be used well after a new pattern was introduced. It is also possible that the motto for some items of unfirom and equipment were also retained along with the new motto. It is interesting to note that the pattern of gun depicted on the badge is that of a 9 pounder field gun used at the Battle of Waterloo. This badge was introduced into the Royal Artillery in 1855. In 1871 the badge pattern was changed and modelled on the 9 pounder rifle muzzle loader field gun that was issued to the British Horse and Filed Artillery in that year. The rivets found on the metal carriage of the gun can be clearly seen in examples of the later pattern of Royal Artillery badge. The reasons for why this earlier pattern of badge were still in use for Victorian forces is not clear. The use of sabretaches was discontinued by the British Army and colonies in November 1901.
Officer's undress buff leather sword belt, of a cavalry pattern, made in three sections from 1 6/8-inch-wide leather. The sections are joined by two round gilt brass rings with an outside diameter of
Officer's undress white patent leather sword belt with sword carriages and a Victorian officer's gilt brass union locket buckle. The belt, measuring 39 inches in length, is made from three sections of
Officer's black patent leather sabretache worn by a member of the 1st Australian Horse. The front flap is made of what was once a stiff highly polished black patent leather. The back of the front flap
Officer's buff leather undress sword belt with sword slings (of unidentified cavalry pattern) with Officer's Victorian Military Forces cast and fabricated brass union locket buckle. The belt is made f
Officer's undress brown buff leather shoulder belt with brown vegetable-tanned leather pouch. The belt is not the original having been made from a buff leather belt and dyed brown. An authentic gilt
Dark blue morocco leather Royal Artillery officer's sabretache. The front flap is covered in dark blue cloth edged with gold bullion artillery pattern lace. The centre bears raised gold bullion embroi
