Turkish officer's sword and scabbard : Trooper P R D Drane, 4 Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron, AIF

Turkish officer's sword and scabbard. The sword has a single bar, stirrup bow hand guard, which protects a Bakelite grip with brass wire wrapping. A brass back piece joins the hilt and hand guard.

The blade is plated steel with a flat back and is slightly curved. It has no sharpened edges, but has a spear point. There are stylised Turkish symbols, including the Crescent Moon patterned along both sides of the blade. Along the top of the blade is presumably the manufacturer's name and location. This has largely been obscured by pitting, but the end word 'CONSTANTINOPLE' is visible.

The scabbard is made from brass and has been badly damaged. The scabbard is roughly made and has no ornamentation. Beneath the throat of the scabbard is a metal hook for attachment to a belt.

Associated with the service of 1294 Trooper Percival Dent Ridgeway Drane, who was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on 24 June 1889. He collected this sword and scabbard after an engagement against Turkish cavalry in Palestine during which a Turkish officer was shot and killed. The scabbard of the sword was bent when it was crushed under the falling officer.

Drane grew up in a farming community and was working as a station overseer on his Father's property at Gin Gin when he enlisted for service in the AIF on 10 May 1916. He was posted to the 4th Australian Machine Gun Squadron (Aust MG Sqdn). After completing his initial training, he was sent to Corps School for instruction as a machine gunner.

After embarking from Sydney with the squadron's 6th reinforcements on 12 December, Drane and his unit changed ships in Melbourne, before proceeding to Egypt. The unit disembarked at Suez on 19 January 1917. After a period of acclimatising and training, Drane was taken on strength of the 4th Aust MG Sqdn on 6 March.

He took part in his first major action in the Second Battle of Gaza which lasted from 17 to 20 April. The attack ended in failure. Drane was kept busy as his unit was constantly patrolling and were in action against Turkish cavalry in May. He was evacuated sick to hospital in June with a stomach complaint and remained in hospital for almost 2 weeks.

The squadron saw minimal action until early October when Turkish patrols were encountered and an attack driven off at Hill 630. Later in the month, Drane and his unit were involved in supporting the attack on Beersheba and they occupied the town on 1 November. Drane was seconded to be a driver in his unit several days later replacing another soldier who had fallen ill. He remained in this position until May 1918 when he too fell ill and was sent to hospital. He returned to his unit a week later and was posted back to his original section.

In early May, Drane was evacuated to hospital, where he remained until mid-June. Upon returning to the 4th Aust MG Sqdn, he reverted to the rank of trooper and rejoined his section. Drane saw out the remainder of the war with his unit and remained in Egypt until July 1919, when he embarked from Suez for Australia. He arrived back in Australia at the end of August and was discharged from the AIF in October 1919.