Officer's dirk to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Silver mounted fittings. Double edged blade with etchings on both sides. On one side, engraved foliage, sun rays, Edward VII crown, regimental crest of a cat (badge of the Sutherlands) and regimental motto 'Sans peur' and foliage. On the other side of the blade, etchings of foliage, sun rays, Edward VII crown, regimental crest of a boar's head (crest of the Argylls) and regimental motto 'Ne Obliviscaris', foliage and maker's name S.J. Pillard/31 Gerard St/ - Soho - /London. Carved ebony handle with carved basketwork. Elaborate repose silver mounts and chape with mythological serpentine design incorporating regimental symbols of a boar, a cat, a crown and the motto 'Sans Peur' superscribed the cat's head on one mount and Ne Obliviscaries superscribed the boar's head on another mount. Cairngorm pommel. Matching knife and fork ensuite. With original red leather and silver brocade hanger.
Ref 6. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
1900 - 1907
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1881 until amalgamation into the Royal Regiment of Scotland on 28 March 2006.
The regiment was created under the Childers Reforms in 1881, as the Princess Louise's (Sutherland and Argyll Highlanders), by the amalgamation of the 91st (Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot and 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot, amended the following year to reverse the order of the "Argyll" and "Sutherland" sub-titles.
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was expanded to fifteen battalions during the First World War (1914–1918) and nine during the Second World War (1939–1945).
The 1st Battalion served in the 1st Commonwealth Division in the Korean War and gained a high public profile for its role in Aden during 1967.
As part of the restructuring of the British Army's infantry in 2006, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were amalgamated with the Royal Scots, the King's Own Scottish Borderers, the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment), the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) and the Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) into the seven battalion strong Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Following a further round of defence cuts announced in July 2012 the 5th Battalion was reduced to a single public duties company called Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders).