Description
Garrards Cutlery Set – 41 RM Commando Officers Mess, Malta (1970s)
A rare and historically significant 18-piece cutlery set produced by Garrard & Co. of Regent Street, London, former Crown Jewellers and renowned for their fine silverware.
Each Regent-plate piece bears the iconic Fairbairn-Sykes Commando dagger symbol, proudly linking it to 41 Commando, Royal Marines, and their former base in Malta.
This cutlery was used in the Officers’ & WO/Sgt's mess during the unit’s deployment to Malta in the 1970s, a period when 41 Commando was involved in key Cold War-era operations, including the 1974 UN mission to Cyprus following the Turkish invasion.
Beautifully made, fiddle Thread and Shell cutlery is an eye-catching Georgian pattern. It has a raised shell and two fine threads forming a border. Each piece has been manufactured to our exacting standards to reinforce a sense of quality. Silver-plated and Silver finished to the highest standard. The set polishes to a high shine, with the craftsmanship and regimental connection making it an exceptional piece for collectors of military history or Royal Marine memorabilia.
The Garrards marks date it from 1952 to when the Maltese mess closed and was cleared in the late 1970's
Background – 41 Commando, Royal Marines
Originally formed during the Second World War, No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando was part of the elite 4th Special Service Brigade that stormed the beaches during the Normandy Landings in 1944. Post-war, they served with distinction in the Korean War, operated in Northern Ireland, and were eventually disbanded in 1981.
Their Malta posting (1971–1977) marked a unique chapter in the unit's history, and this cutlery set is a tangible link to that era.
