Button, 10th Regiment of Madras Infantry, 1861-1890

Medium-sized, gilt button with a frosted ground and scalloped edge. In the centre is an elephant within a circlet bearing the battle honours, 'Assaye' and 'Amboor', and the unit title, 'Tenth Regt', surmounted by an Imperial Crown; a third battle honour, 'Ava', is inscribed on a scroll below.

The 10th Madras Native Infantry was formed in 1824 but originated in the 1760s, with the formation of the East India Company's 14th Battalion of Coast Sepoys. The battle honours included on this button refer to the Siege of Ambur (Amboor) in 1767, during the 1st Mysore War, the Battle of Assaye in 1803, during the 2nd Maratha War (1803-1805), and service in the 1st Burma War ('Ava'), 1824-1826.

The term 'Native' was dropped from the regiment's title in 1885 and, in 1890, the unit was amalgamated into the 1st Regiment of Burma Infantry.

From the Field Marshal Sir John Chapple Indian Army Collection.