FROGSMILE Posted 2 December , 2011 Share Posted 2 December , 2011 Although it is not at all without precedent it seems curious that, in contrast to the photo where he wears Lance Corporals stripes, he appears to have G.S. as opposed to Rifles buttons, on the simplified jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 2 December , 2011 Share Posted 2 December , 2011 If he is a TF soldier then it would not be unusual to be seen in different photographs wearing rifle buttons in one and GS buttons in another. TF soldiers had to buy their unit buttons and they were not always available overseas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 December , 2011 Share Posted 3 December , 2011 If he is a TF soldier then it would not be unusual to be seen in different photographs wearing rifle buttons in one and GS buttons in another. TF soldiers had to buy their unit buttons and they were not always available overseas. I think you are correct that they purchased their Rifles buttons before mobilisation, but once mobilised they were entitled to the same publicly funded items as Regulars and hostilities only men from Service Battalions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 3 December , 2011 Share Posted 3 December , 2011 "Four Years on the Western Front" by Rifleman Aubrey Smith MM & bar , London Rifle Brigade. In this he recounts going home on leave and his first stop is to buy a set a of regimental buttons and a pair of riding breeches - he was with the transport section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 December , 2011 Share Posted 3 December , 2011 "Four Years on the Western Front" by Rifleman Aubrey Smith MM & bar , London Rifle Brigade. In this he recounts going home on leave and his first stop is to buy a set a of regimental buttons and a pair of riding breeches - he was with the transport section. Could they have been an extra set? This is an interesting area as they are definitely entitled to issued buttons at public expense once mobilised. The key thing here I think is whether the buttons issued were only the GS type, and I do not think that would be so for units with a fully formalised Rifles identity like the LRB. Jackets were not issued without buttons so I can only assume he was buying a spare set. This is an aspect that requires more detailed study. I am now wondering if black rifles buttons were publicly funded at all. There are of course some different types, there are the generic rifles buttons and also some regimental variations. My guess is that LRB had their own pattern and it was those that he was buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 3 December , 2011 Share Posted 3 December , 2011 From what I have seen and read, certainly the London Regiment battalions, who had their own pattern buttons, had to buy them. Smith was buying replacement buttons. Here is a picture of a Platoon of the 2/18th battalion London Regiment London Irish Rifles at Sutton Veney and they have a mix of GS and battalion pattern buttons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 December , 2011 Share Posted 3 December , 2011 From what I have seen and read, certainly the London Regiment battalions, who had their own pattern buttons, had to buy them. Smith was buying replacement buttons. Here is a picture of a Platoon of the 2/18th battalion London Regiment London Irish Rifles at Sutton Veney and they have a mix of GS and battalion pattern buttons. It would make sense that they had to buy their own 'regimental pattern' buttons, I believe it was just the GS button in gilding metal and leather (with variants) and the generic, black rifles button, that were issued at public expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 4 December , 2011 Share Posted 4 December , 2011 That is my understanding too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 4 December , 2011 Share Posted 4 December , 2011 Here is a picture of a Platoon of the 2/18th battalion London Regiment London Irish Rifles at Sutton Veney and they have a mix of GS and battalion pattern buttons. Would be nice to have an indication of the date of this Helps those of us who don't know the minutiae concerning the history of the LR/LIR!!! Trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 4 December , 2011 Share Posted 4 December , 2011 Between very late 1915 and June 1916 when the battalion went to France as far as I am aware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 4 December , 2011 Share Posted 4 December , 2011 That is my understanding too. The difficult part of course is discerning the difference in a B&W photo between a generic rifles button and one with a 'special' regimental design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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