In 1913 the Royal Australian Navy inherited the practice of wearing swords for formal dress from the Royal Navy.This sword belonged to Lieutenant Commander Charles “Tug” Wilson. Wilson began with the Royal Navy in World War I and served right through to the Korean War. The sword was well maintained and cared for while it was in service. In recent times, the brass on the hilt is showing signs of oxidisation. This is due to chemical reactions from polishing products historically used on this item during its military service.