BUTTONS
BRITISH MILITARY
The largest database of early British Military Buttons
Contact us by email: britishmilitarybuttons@gmail.com​
This is the newest section of this website that was originally outside of the sphere we set ourselves. However such are quality of some newly discovered regular units buttons that we have decided to record the lesser known or unrecorded types here.
​
This is not aimed to be definitive but does now represent a very good selection of pre 1855 Regular units. If you find or have an early one not shown here please do send it in as there are many known types not recorded here and of course new ones are showing up all the time. Post 1855 tunic buttons are not recorded here as by that point issues were far more regulated and the excellent works by Howard Ripley cover them in more detail than we could ever hope to. For earlier items Major Parkyn's work remains the definitive but with the ever improving technology that means more are being found by metal detectorists every year, we hope he would appreciate our efforts to build upon and 'keep updated' his work.
Garrison, Veteran & Invalid Battalions-
(1st) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 070- ​​
Image Source: UK Detector Finds Database
​Notes: A scarce button to the 1st Royal Veteran Battalion there were several raisings of the low numbered Veteran Battalions, but the back marks helps us date this officers example, the other ranks style differs consdierably. Royal Garrison Battalions were raised c1802/3 but were converted to R Vet Bns in 1804, many of these regular troops were disbanded in 1814, but there were successive raisings of the low numbered battalions right up until 1828.
​​​Description: The No. 1 around written 'Royal Veteran Battalion' surmounted by crown ​ ​Category:​​ Regular Troops; ​
Type of button: ​Flat 16mm; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy guilded; Backmark​: + NUTTING & SON + LONDON
​Date​: 1802-1817 ​
(7th) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 417- ​​
Image Source: Al Luck.
​Notes: The 7th Royal Veteran Battalion was formed in Fulham originally in 1802 as a garrison battalion becoming 'veteran' in December 1804. They were disbanded in Chelsea in 1814 .
​​​Description: 7 around written 'Royal Veteran Battalion' surmounted by crown ​ ​Category:​​ Regular Troops; ​
Type of button: ​Flat 17mm; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy guilded; Backmark​: None
​Date​: 1805-1815 ​
(9th) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 184- ​​
Image Source: D.O.
​Notes: 9th Royal Veteran Battalion formed at Edinburgh in April 1805. Eight companies were disbanded in 1814 and the remaining two companies were merged into the 3rd Royal Veteran Battalion in 1815.
​​​Description: 9 below thistle with 'Royal Veteran Battalion' below surmounted by crown ​ ​Category:​​ Regular Troops; ​
Type of button: ​Flat 15mm; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy guilded; Backmark​: None
​Date​: 1805-1815 ​
(11th) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 407- ​​
Image Source: Stephen P.
​Notes: Formed in 1807, they were disbanded at Hythe in 1814.
​​​Description: XI RVB within buckle surmounted by crown ​ ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: ​Flat 20 mm; ​
Metal: Pewter; Backmark​: WILL HARRIS
​Date​: 1807-1814 ​
(13th) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 361- ​​
Image Source: Malcolm Duff.
​Notes: Veterans battalions were made up of men no longer fit for front line service, the name had previously been 'invalid battalions' but this was deemed derogratory and changed.
​​​Description: 13 surrounded 'Roy Veterans Batt' surmounted by crown ​ ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: ​Convex 16mm; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy; Backmark​: None
​Date​: c1805-1815 ​
Royal Garrison Battalion​
Ref No: 082- ​
Image Source: ​UK Detector Finds Database
​Notes: The first Royal Garrison Battalion was a Provincial corps raised in 1779 in North America. The next RGB was raised in 1795 and disbanded in 1802. This was followed by seven battalions raised in 1802 and re-titled Royal Veteran Bns in 1804. Then the 16 Bns of the Royal Army of the Reserve raised in 1803 were, all of which were disbanded 24 Feb 1805; the NCOs and men then then formed three new Garrison Bns.
​​​Description: Monogram letters RGB under crown within wreath ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Flat 21mm ​; ​
Metal: Pewter . Backmark: None ;
Date: c1795-1802​​
(1st) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 652- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: An other ranks version to the 1st RVB of uncertain date the unit served in Portsmouth, Gibraltar, Holland and Harwich where they were disbanded in 1814, reformed the following year they were disbanded in 1816 in Plymouth.
​​​Description: ​​​RVB under 1 within lined strap all underneath crown
Category:​​Regular Army​ ​
Type of button: Flat 15mm ​; ​
Metal: Pewter. Backmark: None​;
Date: ​1804-c1816.​​
(1st) Royal Garrison Battalion​
Ref No: 653- ​
Image Source: ​DP
​Notes: The first Royal Garrison Battalion was a Provincial corps raised in 1779 in North America. The next RGB was raised in 1795 and disbanded in 1802. This was followed by seven battalions raised in 1802 and re-titled Royal Veteran Bns in 1804.
​​​Description: Crown over 1 over G.B within plain outer ring ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Slightly convex 19mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy silvered. Backmark: FIRMIN & WESTALL STRAND;
Date: 1802-1805​​
(2nd) Royal Garrison Battalion​
Ref No: 654- ​
Image Source: ​DP
​Notes: The first Royal Garrison Battalion was a Provincial corps raised in 1779 in North America. The next RGB was raised in 1795 and disbanded in 1802. This was followed by seven battalions raised in 1802 and re-titled Royal Veteran Bns in 1804.
​​​Description: 2 within crowned strap reading ROYAL GARRISON ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Convex 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: FIRMIN & WESTALL;
Date: 1802-1805​​
(5th) Royal Garrison Battalion​
Ref No: 655- ​
Image Source: ​DP
​Notes: The 5th Royal Garrison Battalion was based in Guernsey during its 1802-04 existence.
​​​Description: 5 within crowned strap reading ROYAL GARRISON ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Convex 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: FIRMIN & WESTALL;
Date: 1802-1804​​
(4th) Royal Garrison Battalion​
Ref No: 656- ​
Image Source: ​DP
​Notes: The 4th Royal Garrison Battalion served in Jersey 1806-14 existence.
​​​Description: IV within strap reading GARRISON on eight pointed star ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Convex 22mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: CHARLES JENNENS LONDON (with Pow crest);
Date: 1806-1814​​
(9th) Royal Garrison Battalion​
Ref No: 657- ​
Image Source: ​DP
​Notes: The 9th Royal Garrison Battalion of 1806 has its HQ in Enniskillen before becoming the 103rd Regt of Foot in 1808.
​​​Description: 9 within crowned strap reading GARRISON ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Convex 22mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: Unreadable;
Date: 1806-1808​​
(6th) Royal Garrison Battalion​
Ref No: 658- ​
Image Source: ​DP
​Notes: The 6th Royal Garrison Battalion was known as the Royal North British Battalion.
​​​Description: 6 under crowned thistle with ROY NTH BRIT GARRISON BATTN ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Flat 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: HY HEWETSON KING ST COVENT GARDEN;
Date: 1806-1814​​
(2nd) Royal Garrison Battalion​
Ref No: 659- ​
Image Source: ​Private
​Notes: The first Royal Garrison Battalion was a Provincial corps raised in 1779 in North America. The next single RGB Battalion was raised in 1795 and disbanded in 1802. This was followed by seven battalions raised in 1802 and re-titled Royal Veteran Bns in 1804.
​​​Description: 2 within crowned strap reading GARRISON BATTN ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Convex 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark: ;
Date: 1802-1805​​
Royal Invalids​
Ref No: 660- ​
Image Source: ​DP
​Notes: The Royal Invalids had some 1600 men by 1793 but by 1802 it was decreed that the name was offensive and they were reorganised into the 1802 raisings of Garrison Battalions.
​​​Description: R I within crowned concenric circles. ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Flat 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Pewter. Backmark: None;
Date: 1793-1802​​
Royal Army Reserve (12th)​
Ref No: 661- ​
Image Source: ​DP
​Notes: The 16 battalions of Army Reserve were raised in July 1803 and re-named Garrison Battalions in 1804. The 12th were raised in Ireland with Irish volunteers before serving in Scotland and being disbanded there in October 1804.
​​​Description: Crown over 12 above RESERVE ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Convex 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy silvered. Backmark: I NUTTING COVENT GARDEN;
Date: 1803-1804​​
Royal Army Reserve​
Ref No: 662- ​
Image Source: ​DP
​Notes: The 16 battalions of Army Reserve were raised in July 1803 and re-named Garrison Battalions in 1804.
​​​Description: Crown with ROYAL ARMY above and RESERVE around lower edge ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: Slightly convex 14mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy silvered. Backmark: I McGOWAN KING ST SOHO LONDON;
Date: 1803-1804​​
(3rd) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 663- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: During the early raisings of 1805-16 the 3rd Veterans Battalion largely served in Jersey, disbanded in Chelsea in 1814, they were later reformed before being disbanded in 1816.
​​​Description: ​​​3 in strap with ROYAL VETERANS on it underneath crown, in wreath
Category:​​Regular Army​ ​
Type of button: Convex 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: I McGOWAN LONDON ;
Date: ​1804-1816.​​
(11th) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 664- ​​
Image Source: DP.
​Notes: Formed in 1807 they served in Guernsey, Bexhill, Winchelsea, Isle of Man and Hythe they were disbanded at Hythe in 1814, briefly reformed by companies from the 11th RVB they were finally disbanded at Deptford in 1816.
​​​Description: XI within strap reading ROYAL VETERANS surmounted by crown ​ ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: ​Convex 20mm; ​
Metal: Copper Aloy, gilt; Backmark​: I McGOWAN GERRARD STREET LONDON
​Date​: 1807-1815 ​
(5th) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 665- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 5th Veterans Battalion largely served in Guernsey and Alderney disbanded in Chelsea in 1814, they were later reformed before being disbanded in 1816 in Deptford.
​​​Description: ​​​V in strap with ROYAL VETERANS on it underneath crown.
Category:​​Regular Army​ ​
Type of button: Slighly convex 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: I McGOWAN GERRARD ST SOHO LONDON ;
Date: ​1804-1816.​​
(2nd) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 666- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: An example to the 2nd RVB who served in Plymouth and Madeira the surviving companies served in Heligoland before being disbanded in Harwich in 1816.
​​​Description: ​​​2 under crown, ROYAL VETERANS BATTALION around edge in strap
Category:​​Regular Army​ ​
Type of button: Convex 19mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: I McGOWAN LONDON​;
Date: ​1804-1816.​​
(4th) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 667- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 4th Veterans Battalion were raised in Ireland and served there and in Gibraltar they were disbanded in 1814 in Deptford.
​​​Description: ​​​4 in crowned circle with ROYAL VETERANS BATTALION in wreath.
Category:​​Regular Army​ ​
Type of button: Convex 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: I NUTTING & SON KING ST COVENT GARDEN;
Date: ​1804-1814.​​
(5th) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 668- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 5th Veterans Battalion largely served in Guernsey and Alderney disbanded in Chelsea in 1814, they were later reformed before being disbanded in 1816 in Deptford.
​​​Description: ​​​5 in strap with ROYAL VETERANS on it underneath crown.
Category:​​Regular Army​ ​
Type of button: Convex 20mm ​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark: None ;
Date: ​1804-1814.​​
(11th) Royal Veterans Battalion​
Ref No: 669- ​​
Image Source: DP.
​Notes: Formed in 1807 they served in Guernsey, Bexhill, Winchelsea, Isle of Man and Hythe they were disbanded at Hythe in 1814, briefly reformed by companies from the 11th RVB they were finally disbanded at Deptford in 1816.
​​​Description: XI within strap reading ROYAL VETERANS surmounted by crown ​ ​
Category:​​ Regular Army; ​
Type of button: ​Convex 18mm; ​
Metal: Copper Aloy, gilt; Backmark​: NUTTING & SON STRAND
​Date​: 1807-1814 ​
