Latest acquisition

Our latest acquisition is a fabulous officer’s pattern sword.

It belonged to Lt Col Ronald Egerton Cotton but came to us via Police Scotland following a confiscation.

The sword, which has Cotton’s name, and ‘7th Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment’ engraved on the inside of the knuckle guard was part of a collection of objects due to be disposed of by the force, but which caught the eye of keen historian, James Legge.

Luckily for us, he contacted the museum to see if we were interested, and even arranged a holiday south of the border to deliver it to us personally!

Ronald Cotton was born 8 March 1876.  He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the 7th (Service) Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment.

He fought in the Boer War between 1900 and 1901, and in the First World War, where he was wounded and mentioned in despatches three times. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1919 for action carried out whilst attached to 10th Lancashire Fusiliers…

“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When a counter-attack by the enemy threatened to envelope the right flank of 2 Bns, he went forward and restored the situation. This was the second occasion of his defeating a counter-attack, as he had previously, while reconnoitring the front line, discovered the enemy concentrating and, by promptly organising Bn HQ and a machine gun section dispersed them. His energy and courage on these occasions – both under heavy fire of all descriptions – were a fine example to his men.”

“I’m so pleased that I was able to play a part in preserving this small part of the regiment’s past,” says Mr Legge (pictured with Assistant Curator, Steve Erskine).

“It’s been great to be able to do a little bit of research about the owner, and whilst we have no idea about the details of its journey into our hands, I’m glad to have been able to place it into the museum’s care.”  Cotton died in Nairn on 3 September 1932.  The sword will now be accessioned into the museum’s collection.