Buttons as cap badges

[Peter Brydon]

Most interesting information on buttons worn as cap badges . I must admit I thought this was something used as a stopgap when cap badges were in short supply but I seem to remember seeing a GS button with a slider.

Thanks to Taff Gillingham for the information.

P.

[Rob Miller]

Hi Peter
Is it possible to zoom in on the rear ranks, it almost looks like some are wearing a smaller button?

Rob

[Peter Brydon]

Rob,

Attached I is the best I can do, I don’t think there are any smaller buttons.

Peter

[Rob Miller]

Thank you Peter, I think you are right but I'm not positive.

Rob

[tonyb]

Thanks for sharing Peter.
Tony.

[High Wood]

I think that they were mainly worn in the U.K. by underage lads in training battalions. The buttons were probably exchanged for regimental badges once they reached the official age to serve overseas. In these photographs there appears to be a circle of dark material behind the button.

[Peter Brydon]

Simon,

Have a look at Taff’s explanation next to the photo in the first post of the thread.

Peter

[Rob Miller]

I have a couple of them, they are shown in this thread.

Rob

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=55795

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by Peter Brydon

Simon,

Have a look at Taff’s explanation next to the photo in the first post of the thread.

Peter

Peter,

thank you for the pointer, I clearly hadn't read the first post properly.

My point was that no conscripted young soldier was allowed to serve in the front line before a certain age, I cannot remember if it was 18 or 19. To ease the man power shortage these lads were called up a year early and given training so that they were able to be sent to the front on reaching the legal age.

It always seemed to me to be a rotten trick and explains why so many of the British 1918 casualties were teenagers. They all look so young in the photographs.

It had occured to me that wearing a button as a cap badge would be a good way of distinguishing an underage trainee.

Simon.

[Peter Brydon]

Rob,

I like the red enamel on the sweethearts brooch..

Simon,

You make some interesting points


P.

[Alan O]

There are accounts of 15, 16 and 17 years old volunteers (including one with a gallantry award who I think was a CSM at the time!) being pulled out of the frontline when their true age was discovered and being taken back to the rear. Often worried parents would write to the Army exposing their boys' true ages.

[arrestingu]

..my Grandad was fighting on the Western Front at 15,one of seven brothers he lied about his age and served from 1914-18.
cheers Steve

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by arrestingu

..my Grandad was fighting on the Western Front at 15,one of seven brothers he lied about his age and served from 1914-18.
cheers Steve

A lot of young lads did the same in the early part of the war and many were killed in action. Questiobs were asked in Parliament and many were removed from the front. However, once conscription was brought in, it was far stricter and the training battalions system came into being.

There was a 14 year old Irish lad killed at Ypres and a 15 year old Dorking lad killed in the same area.


https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/fi...joe-strudwick/

[Jelly Terror]

Without wanting to go too much off-piste from the fascinating subject of the OP, let’s not forget perhaps the most famous of British boy combatants, Jack Cornwell VC. This poor boy was only sixteen when he was thrown into the ‘front line’. Just a child but made of steel and brave as a lion.

JT

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by Peter Brydon

Most interesting information on buttons worn as cap badges . I must admit I thought this was something used as a stopgap when cap badges were in short supply but I seem to remember seeing a GS button with a slider.

Thanks to Taff Gillingham for the information.

P.

Interesting to note, Peter, that the official lifespan of the felt-backed button badge was only fifteen months. Would you happen to know the source of Taff Gillingham’s information on that?

With thanks,

JT