About the end of the last century, and the beginning of the present,
England was in constant danger of invasion, and regiments of volunteers
started into existence all over the country. The inhabitants of every
town and village turned out to defend their homes and property, and in
the years 1803–4, the number of the Volunteers in Great Britain amounted
to nearly three hundred and eighty thousand men. Most of them were
disbanded after the battle of Waterloo, in 1815. Medals and prizes were
freely given by the officers of each regiment, as rewards for merit and
good shooting, and there was scarcely a single corps that did not
decorate some of its members. The shapes and designs of these medals
were various, and the dates of their issue are generally from about 1790
to 1814.
Appended is an alphabetical list of corps that issued medals, but with
no pretensions to completeness.
ACROTORMENTARIAN SOCIETY OF RIFLEMEN.—1816. Brass.
ARTILLERY COMPANY, LONDON.—1803. Silver. Oval shape.
BANK OF ENGLAND VOLUNTEERS.—1805. Gold.