Material: Brass
Diameter: 25 mm
Description: The gilded brass button displays the iconic insignia of the Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's). At its center sits a beautifully detailed mural crown, a ancient fortification-style coronet awarded to the regiment to honor their heroic defense during the Siege of Jellalabad in 1842. Tucked beneath the crown structure is a heavy naval-style fouled anchor woven through a delicate central ribbon loop, surrounded by a circular garter carrying the clean capital text THE PRINCE ALBERT'S. A rich, double-stranded laurel wreath wraps gracefully around the entire inner border frame, completing an exceptionally bold design engineered specifically for the standard tunics worn by active infantry personnel.
Reverse: Intact two piece marked Pitt & Co., 31 Maddox Street, London W.
Circa: 1895–1918
Notes:
Originally raised by King James II in 1685 to suppress the Monmouth Rebellion, the unit was first known as the 13th Regiment of Foot. Its operational trajectory changed forever during the First Anglo-Afghan War at the Siege of Jellalabad (1841–1842). Trapped behind crumbling fortifications and heavily outnumbered, the 13th Foot famously repelled fierce Afghan assaults for five months before launching a daring, successful counter-sortie that broke the siege. This extraordinary stand captured the imagination of Victorian Britain, prompting Queen Victoria to personally grant the regiment its coveted "Light Infantry" status and bestow the title of her royal consort, renaming them the 13th or Prince Albert's Light Infantry. The specific architectural mural crown found on the uniform button was officially awarded as a direct heraldic honor to commemorate the heroic defense of the Jellalabad fortress.