A WINCHESTER museum is putting on a unique exhibition on the last duel fought by a British military officer.
Many people will be surprised to learn that it was only a little over a hundreds years ago.
In 1910 the contest was fought in Paris between a young officer in the Rifle Brigade and the husband of a Turkish princess; it was, as far as is known, the last duel ever fought by a British army officer.
The story came to light when the provenance of the sword, a French-made fencing epee, was checked during a review of weapons being conducted by The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum at Peninsula Barracks in Winchester.
An affair between Lieutenant Norman Leslie and the princess was discovered by her husband, a Turkish foreign envoy, who ‘demanded satisfaction’ after initially threatening to kill Leslie.
The duel was arranged in great secrecy as such fights were illegal; it ended after nearly an hour when each duellist had been slightly wounded and a draw was called with honour satisfied.
Norman Leslie was to be killed by a sniper a few years later in October 1914, one of the earlier casualties of the First World War.
The sword will be on display along the story of the last duel in The Kincaid Gallery at The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum between May 13 and June 2.
Temporary Exhibition in The Kincaid Gallery at The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, Winchester.
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