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#1
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Buttons as cap badges
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.
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Interested in all aspects of militaria/military history but especially insignia and history of non regular units with a Liverpool connection Members welcome in my private Facebook group “The Kings Liverpool Regiment ( 1685-1958 )” |
#2
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Hi Peter
Is it possible to zoom in on the rear ranks, it almost looks like some are wearing a smaller button? Rob |
#3
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Rob,
Attached I is the best I can do, I don’t think there are any smaller buttons. Peter
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Interested in all aspects of militaria/military history but especially insignia and history of non regular units with a Liverpool connection Members welcome in my private Facebook group “The Kings Liverpool Regiment ( 1685-1958 )” |
#4
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Thank you Peter, I think you are right but I'm not positive.
Rob |
#5
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Thanks for sharing Peter.
Tony.
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For Christopher night night son. |
#6
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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.
Last edited by High Wood; 05-05-22 at 08:48 AM. Reason: Adding photographs. |
#7
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Simon,
Have a look at Taff’s explanation next to the photo in the first post of the thread. Peter
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Interested in all aspects of militaria/military history but especially insignia and history of non regular units with a Liverpool connection Members welcome in my private Facebook group “The Kings Liverpool Regiment ( 1685-1958 )” |
#8
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I have a couple of them, they are shown in this thread.
Rob https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=55795 |
#9
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Quote:
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. |
#10
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Rob,
I like the red enamel on the sweethearts brooch.. Simon, You make some interesting points P.
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Interested in all aspects of militaria/military history but especially insignia and history of non regular units with a Liverpool connection Members welcome in my private Facebook group “The Kings Liverpool Regiment ( 1685-1958 )” |
#11
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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.
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#12
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..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 |
#13
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Quote:
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/ |
#14
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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 |
#15
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Quote:
With thanks, JT |
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