WW1 BIRMINGHAM PALS BUTTON 1914 1st. BIRMINGHAM BTN. R. WARWICKSHIRE RARE

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WW1 BIRMINGHAM PALS BUTTON 1914 1st. BIRMINGHAM BTN. R. WARWICKSHIRE RARE:
$20.43

Very rare brass button (medium, 18mm) made by J.R. Gaunt & Son, London. The button has the general design of the General Service button, with the Royal Crest (lion & unicorn etc.) but the wording around the outside of the button reads - 1ST. BIRMm BATT. R. WARWICKSHIRE 1914. (see photo). These buttons were produced in 1914 for the Birmingham Pals Battalion.TheBirmingham Palswere the threeinfantry battalionsof the Royal Warwickshire Regimentof theBritish Armyraised from men volunteering in Birmingham Cityin September 1914, shortly after the outbreak of WW1.They consisted of men volunteering forKitchiners New Armiesand the battalions became, respectively, the 14th, 15th and 16th (Service) battalions of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. A further battalion, 17th, was formed in June 1915 as a reserve battalion, and was reformed in September 1916.The three City of Birmingham battalions were all deployed to theWestern Frontin France on 21 November 1915. The 14th (Service) Battalion (1st Birmingham, which the button is from) formed part of 95th. Bgd.32nd Div.though on 28 December 1915 it was transferred to13th Bgd.5th Div. The battalion was moved to theItalian Frontwith the rest of the 5th Division in November 1917. but returned to the Western Front to take part in the defence against the majorGerman spring offensivesof April 1918. On 5 October 1918 it became the Pioneer Battalion of the 5th Division. These buttons are very rare and hard to find now. Condition is very good with fixing loop in good order on the reverse. Excellent item.