RAA LIAISON LETTER- 2025 – 2026 EDITION CANNONBALL SUPPLEMENT 128 Battery Commander A Battery The sword has been accessioned by the RAA, recorded in the Regimental Property Register, and is issued on long term loan to A Battery. A letter from BC A Battery Major Wade Higgins formally thanking Brigadier Silverstone for the gift included “The gunners of A Battery deeply appreciate your generous gift of the Airey sword. We value that the historic sword was carried by an influential officer in the formative days of the New South Wales Field Artillery in the late 1800’s. The sword causes today’s generation of gunners to reflect on the battery’s long and distinguished history. The sword will be displayed in pride of place and will further inspire us to honour all who have gone before. We thank you profoundly for the enduring gift which past, current, and future A Battery members will appreciate.” Summary The unique sword, gifted to A Battery in 2026 by retired Brigadier William Maxwell Silverstone, is over 125 years old. It is an early and rare sword which provides a tangible link to the pre-federation era of the NSW artillery and to officers who were significant in the development of the Colony’s artillery capability. The sword is now known as ‘The Airey Sword’ and is displayed in A Battery’s Henry Green Room, also known as its history room. A formal event is planned to enact the gift in late 2026. Acknowledgements The author is most thankful to the following for their assistance in bringing about the understanding and gifting of the historic sword with heritage value to the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery: Brigadier Silverstone, Brigadier (retd.) Doug Perry OAM, ED, Warrant Officer Class One (retd.) Kevin Browning OAM, Major Terry Brennan, Mr Ian Armstrong, and Mr Paul Herron. Endnotes i Telephone calls, emails, and meetings between Brigadier Silverstone and Brigadier Cox from November 2025 onward ii New South Wales Blue Book for the Year 1885 page 48 iii The Aireys, by LT Chris Clark, Sabretache 1974 Vol XVI No 1 iv New South Wales Blue Book for the Year 1885 page 48 v Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/airey-henry-parke4983 vi History of the Origin and Formation of the Field Artillery of New South Wales, Sydney: H. Hooper, Printer, Paddington, 1895 vii Soldiers of the King. The Story of NSW Regiments. Royal Australian Artillery. NLA Trove: Evening News, Wednesday 30 November 1910 viii The Aireys, by LT Chris Clark, Sabretache 1974 Vol XVI No 1 ix New South Wales Blue Book for the Year 1885pages 43 and 48 x NLA Trove: The Age, 26th September 1936 page 8 xi https://www.scharferladen.de/en/weyersbergkirschbaum The restored sword is shown above. It is unlikely that the scabbard is the original
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