Positive identification needed
 

Hi button gurus,

Wonder if anyone can help identify the following 2 buttons:
1. Believed to be West Yorkshire Regt militia battalions as does not carry the usual battle honours - but what period?? Victorian post 1881, WW1 or WW2?

2. Carries the designation TD VOLUNTEERS S'MM ROYAL ENGINEERS ROYAL ENGINEERS.
My belief is that this button is for the Submarine Miners - Tyne or Tees Division, a department under the Royal Engineers - but which division
???
Also am unsure if it is to the Militia or Volunteer Submarine Miners, since they appear to have used the same? (or similar) buttons.

Regards,

Barry

The first button is Prince of Wales's Own [West Yorkshire] Volunteer Battalions. Not sure of dates though.
Source, Howard Ripley, The Bulletin of the M.H.S., No. 119, Feb., 1980.

The second is Tyne Division, Submarine Miners.
Source, Howard Ripley, The Bulletin of the M.H.S., No. 122, Nov., 1980.


Regards,


David.

Thanks David,
However I thought volunteer battalions always used silver plate or whitemetal buttons, not gilt or brass. When did the policy change??

Barry

Sorry, yes you are right about it being Militia.

The introduction to the article states "Most Volunteer Battalions adopted the buttons of the Regular Battalions except that they were silver plated. Other Ranks buttons were in white metal and as a general rule, bore the Royal Arms."

The description of the actual button states "This pattern was also produced in gilt for the Militia Battalions and there is also a silver version of the Regular pattern button complete with the battle honours."


David.

That confirms it.
Many thanks for the references and your efforts.

Regards

Barry