Latest Acquisition: .455 Eley/Webley Colt New Service

[Flying10uk]

My understanding was, that until the advent of WW2, from the days of the spread of the Empire, through the first World War, British Officers were all "Gentlemen" members of the "Upper Class." They were expected to provide their own sidearms.

I have mentioned it before but during the 1940's, when my father was still at school, at one of the schools he attended, the headmaster had served as a British army officer during WW1. My father wasn't interested and didn't like sports but he did like the annual school's sports day, not for anything to do with sports, but because the headmaster would get his WW1 Webley service revolver out for use as a starting pistol. Without getting political, sadly in the UK if a headmaster was to attempt something similar today the consequences may, possibly not be good.