The Sabretache of the 3rd Hussars

This page is about the sabretache of the 3^rd Hussars that I acquired off eBay in an auction that terminated on the evening of 29^th March 2026.

Here are the pictures from the eBay auction…

And a couple of pictures that I took when it arrived…

The battle honours on the decorations on the lower part of the sabretache are as follows…

• On the left from the top :-
  • SALAMANCA [22 July 1812]
  • TALAVERA [27–28 July 1809]
  • CABUL 1842
  • FEROZESHAH [21-22 December 1845]
  • PUNJAUB [1848-49]
• On the right
  • VITTORIA [21 June 1813]
  • PENINSULA [1808–1814]
  • MOODKEE [18 December 1845]
  • SOBRAON [10 February 1846]
  • CHILLIANWALLA [January 1849]
• On the bottom
  • GOOJERAT [21 February 1849]

The motto around the central garter reads “NEC ASPERA TERRENT” [trans: By Difficulties Undaunted]. The central symbol is The White Horse of Hanover which was granted to the 3rd Hussars by King George 1 in 1715 following the Battle of Sheriffmuir.

Conservation

I am taking advice on how to conserve the sabretache and bring back some of the brilliance that it once had.

The current condition is that it is very dirty and needs a really good cleaning, particularly on the front. There are a few pieces of the intricate wire braiding that are lifting. Much of the “velvet” effect on the front is very rubbed and hopefully can be cleaned. The background behind the lettering of the “honours” sections should be a brilliant blue. Some of the stitching on the leather backing has come away completely and hopefully can be redone. The leather itself looks (to my uneducated eye) to be pretty decent condition but could probably do with a bit of a spruce up.

Developments will be reported here. Watch this space…

• 14/Apr/2026 Appointment with Kayleigh Spring of CMAS booked for 14^th April
• 15/Apr/2026 Email sent to Textile Conservation company in South Bristol after Kayleigh referred me to a textile specialist

Here is an image of a pristine 3rd Hussars sabretache… time will tell how well mine comes up compared to this one.

History

What is a sabretache? According to the Uniformology website…

A sabretache is a flat, leather pouch or satchel with long straps traditionally worn by some cavalry and horse artillery officers from the left-hand side of the waist belt near to the officer’s sabre. The term sabretache is an early nineteenth century phrase that derives from the German word Säbeltasche (Säbel ‘sabre’ and Tasche ‘pocket’) and the French version sabretache.

Why am I interested in this piece of Victorian militaria?

My great-uncle Reginald Seager Hunt was an officer in the 3^rd Hussars between May 1897 and June 1911. He joined on 15th May 1897 as a 2^nd Lt. and during his time with the regiment was promoted Lt. (13^th September 1998), Capt. (26^th April 1901) and Major (14^th July 1910).

As to why I am particularly interested in the sabretache, in his memoirs Reggie records …

I had the honour of being on her [Queen Victoria’s] personal escort round her carriage when she reviewed her troops at Aldershot the day after her wonderful jubilee procession through London in 1897, (on which occasion we lined the streets near St Pauls, – I was a 3^rd Hussar – + had my beautiful sabretache cut off+ stolen by the crowd).

And here is a picture taken by his mother probably at Hart Hill in Woking of Reggie in his 3^rd Hussars dress uniform with his sabretache there hanging down by his left knee. It will be noticed that Reggie’s sabretache is identical to the one that I have acquired. I doubt we will ever know whether or not is the same one that was stolen by the crowd on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee procession!

And a professional picture of Reggie as a young officer of the 3^rd Hussars.

On 31st March 1911, Reggie switched with Major Clinch of the 1^st King’s Dragoon Guards. He served with the 1^st King’s Dragoon Guards for the rest of his military career.