The first known dress sabretache of the King’s Dragoon Guards was faced with blue velvet and had a border of gold lace that produced a gold cloud effect, inspired by the hussar regiments which had been wearing these items with similar lace since 1805. The crown is embroidered and has red cushions. Below that is a proudly displayed battle honour for WATERLOO on a red velvet scroll. George IV came to the throne on 29 Jan 1820 so this would be his reverse GR cypher.
In his booklet ’Full Dress Sabretaches of the British Army’ by Bill Carman (MHS 2000) he says that this sabretache belonged to Captain C W Blathwayt who was with the regiment from 1818 to 1825. This does not necessarily mean that the sabretache dates from 1818. Mr Carman also comments that the Waterloo battle honour looks squeezed in which suggests that this specimen pre-dates 1815. This is a likely conclusion as the Prince Regent issued an edict on 6 Jan 1812 ordering that all mounted men must have a sabretache. The cavalry were mostly on active service fighting Napoleon until 1815, and may have had undress sabretaches, but dress sabretaches, although designs were drawn, may not actually have been produced at that time.
