NSW Volunteer Artillery 1870-80
This button is listed on page 8 of “Buttons of the Defence Forces in Australia” by J.K. Cossum. The design is the same as for the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The design with 3 field guns (canons) dated from 1831. (For more information visit https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/royal-artillery-uniform-buttons-regular-and-volunteer/)
After 1873 the design with one field gun was adopted.
http://www.austbuttonhistory.com/27th-november-2022/
http://www.austbuttonhistory.com/7th-january-2022/
Possible Government Service Button
Poor old Bertie had to wait until his Mum finally died after more than 63 years on the throne to take his place as King. Due to his short reign (9th August 1902- 6th May 1910), he left his mark on relatively few uniform buttons.
This is presumably a general government service button. The ERI (for Edwardus Rex Imperator) is a less common cypher than ERVII. The latter cypher appeared on the uniforms of the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces, the Australian Commonwealth Cadet Corps, the Australian Corps of Engineers, and the Royal Australian Artillery.
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