This is pretty phenomenal Phil!
A British dragoon sword with the relatively rare triangular knuckleguard in the semi basket hilt. Clearly all the components are old and original however what is baffling is that this blade is later than the hilt.
This is an entirely correct Thomas Gill blade typically seen on dragoon officers swords of 1788+ and the inscribed forte is exactly the format he used .
Thomas Gill was in business as sword maker 1778 until his death in 1795.
His family continued the business into early years of 19th c. as per Brian Robson (1975).
He was a fierce proponent of the superiority of the British blades over the ever ubiquitous volume of German blades that dominated supply to British cutlers.
This led to his vehement contest of blade testing with his blades and three other British bladesmiths against the German blades (typically brought in by JJ Runkel from Solingen). This became known as the 'sword scandals' in the latter 1780s and led to his adding the word WARRANTED to his inscription on the blade.
The WARRANTED term was also added on the spine of cavalry blades on his 1788 model examples.
This hilt however is generally held to be British dragoon c. 1755, into perhaps 1760s, however does not seem to have prevailed into end of 1770s .
This example might be one of Gills earliest swords though! as there is no defined date etc. ending those hilts which certainly might have remained in use in certain cases.
What is needed is an example of Gills earliest blades, and did he use this dramatic 'advertising' panel at forte in his earliest work? contrary to the typical convention of British makers with block letter name on spine of blade.
You MAY be onto to something here Phil!
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