BUTTONS WORN ON AUSTRALIAN ARMY UNIFORMS IN WW1 & WW2
With ANZAC Day approaching it is appropriate to show buttons worn by the Australian Army during WW1 & WW2. Each picture shows 6 buttons.
The metal buttons showing a map of Australia were worn by most Army units in both WW1 & WW2. There are many variations of the 'Map of Australia' design; some without any state borders, some with all state borders, some also show a raised dot for Canberra and occasionally you might see one that shows all state borders EXCEPT the border between Sth. Aust. and N.T. Silver coloured buttons of this design were worn by nurses in the Australian Army Medical Corps in WW1.
The stamped leather buttons were worn in WW1 by many Army units.
The plain light brown buttons are made of vegetable ivory (Tagua nut) and were worn during WW1. Similar buttons were used on greatcoats during WW2 but were now made of a type of plastic. There is a story that some troops did not want them, remembering that apparently rats ate these buttons on the uniforms of soldiers in the trenches during WW1.
You may see photos of WW1 soldiers where one has metal buttons on his uniform and his mate has either leather buttons or vegetable ivory buttons.
The metal button with small map of Australia within a circlet containg the words 'Australian Artillery' written clockwise was worn by soldiers in units of the Royal Australian Artillery from about 1914. Some time around 1930 the design changed by having the words written in an anti-clockwise direction.
Apologies to sailors in the R.A.N. and members of the R.A.A.F. for not showing their buttons. These will be shown at a later date.
The goal of our Club is to provide opportunities to study buttons that are worth collecting, and share that knowledge as we come to appreciate their beauty and history. Collectable buttons include all buttons - antique, vintage, studio, uniform and military.
