Shoulder belt plate, 3rd Nottinghamshire Local Militia, 1809 (c)

Oval, gilt metal badge with the royal cypher of King George III, 'GR', within a garter bearing the unit title, 'Third Notts Local Militia', between crossed sprays of palm, surmounted by a Hanoverian crown.

Local Militia units were raised following an Act of 1808 and were designed to create a trained body of men, who could be used for local defence, but who could also be encouraged to transfer to the regular Army in return for a financial incentive, or bounty. The scheme was very successful and helped solve the manpower shortage during the Napoleonic Wars. The Local Militia were all disbanded in 1814.