The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), formerly the
3rd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
until 1961. It had a history dating back to 1572 and was one of the oldest
regimentA regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. A regiment can be broken into two distinct categories, one being an administrative unit which is responsible for non-operational management of battalions , while the other being a deployable combat...
s in the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
being third in order of precedence (ranked as the 3rd Regiment of the line). It provided distinguished service over a period of almost four hundred years acumulating one hundred and sixteen battle honours. Following a series of amalgamations since 1961 its lineage is today continued by the
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...
.
History
The origins of the regiment lay in
Thomas Morgan's Company of Foot, The London Trained Bands which was in existence from 1572 to 1648. In 1665 it was known as the
4th (The Holland Maritime) Regiment and by 1668 as the
4th (The Holland) Regiment. In 1688-1689 it was "4th The Lord High Admiral's Regiment" until 1751 it was named as other regiments after the Colonel Commanding being the 3rd (Howard's) Regiment of Foot from 1737-1743 at which point it became
the
3rd Regiment of Foot, "Howard's Buffs".
- 1751-1782 3rd (Kent) Regiment of Foot, "The Buffs"
- 1782-1881 3rd (East Kent
Kent , originally Cantia, is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the River Thames estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent...
) Regiment of Foot ("The Buffs")
- 1881-1935 The Buffs, (East Kent Regiment)
- 1935-1961 The Buffs, (Royal East Kent Regiment)
Origin of "The Buffs"
The 3rd Regiment received its nickname of "The Buffs" because it had been issued buff coats - armour made of soft
leatherLeather is a material created through the tanning of hides and skins of animals, primarily cattlehide. The tanning process converts the putrescible skin into a durable and versatile material....
- first when it served abroad in
HollandRotterdam
The Hague
Haarlem
Dordrecht |} Holland is a name in common usage given to a region in the western part of the Netherlands. The name 'Holland' is also often informally used to refer to the whole of the country of the Netherlands...
and later when it was a Maritime Regiment of Foot. It was later given buff-coloured facings and waistcoats to distinguish itself from those of other regiments and had their leather equipment in buff rather than dyed the traditional white.
It received the title of "The Old Buffs" during the
Battle of DettingenThe Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch, George II, personally led his troops into battle...
in 1743, when the
31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of FootThe 31st Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1702 and amalgamated into the The East Surrey Regiment in 1881.-Predecessor regiment:...
marched past
King George IIGeorge II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death....
and onto the battlefield with great spirit. Mistaking them for the 3rd due to their buff facings, the sovereign called out, "Bravo, Buffs! Bravo!". When one of his aides, an officer of the 3rd regiment, corrected His Majesty, he then cheered, non-plussed, "Bravo, Young Buffs! Bravo!", thus granting the 31st the honour of being nicknamed the "Young Buffs". The 3rd Regiment then took to calling themselves the "Old Buffs" to keep themselves distinct from the 31st.
The two Howards
The Buffs obtained the name of "The Buffs" officially in 1744 while on campaign in the
Low CountriesThe Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers...
. The 3rd Regiment was then under the command of Lieutenant-General
Thomas Howard. At the same time, the
19th Regiment of FootThe Green Howards was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the King's Division...
were commanded by their colonel, the Honourable Sir
Charles Howard. In order to avoid confusion (because regiments were then named after their colonels, which would have made them both
Howard's Regiment of Foot), the regiments took the colours of their facings as part of their names - the 19th Foot became the
Green Howards, while the 3rd Foot became
Howard's Buffs, eventually being shortened to simply
The Buffs.
Australian Service
In between the campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars and India, "The Buffs" had a tour of service from 1821 until 1827 in the British colony of
New South WalesNew South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria, south of Queensland and east of South Australia...
. For the duration of their service, The Buffs were divided into four detachments. The first was based in
SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
from 1821. The second arrived in Hobart in 1822. The third, entitled "The Buffs' Headquarters", arrived in
SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
in 1823. The fourth arrived in Sydney in 1824, but variously saw service throughout the colonies, being stationed at Port Dalrymple,
ParramattaParramatta is a suburb in the west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It sits on the bank of the Parramatta River, west of the Sydney central business district, approximately at the geographical centre of its metropolitan area. It is known colloquially as 'Parra'.Parramatta is the...
,
LiverpoolLiverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
,
NewcastleThe Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
,
Port MacquariePort Macquarie is a large town on the mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, located about 390 km north of Sydney, and 570 km south of Brisbane. The town is located on the coast, at the mouth of the Hastings River...
and
BathurstBathurst is a regional centre in the state of New South Wales, Australia approximately 200 km west of Sydney and is the seat of the Bathurst Regional Council Local Government Area. It has a population of approximately 37,000 It is the oldest inland settlement in Australia.-History:The...
. The Regiment reunited and was transferred to Calcutta in 1827. During their service in
New South WalesNew South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria, south of Queensland and east of South Australia...
, The Buffs were commanded by Lieut. Colonel W. Stewart and Lieut Colonel C. Cameron.
"Steady, The Buffs!"
This famous cry has been rumoured by many to have been uttered on the field of battle, but it was actually born on the parade grounds of a garrison.
It comes from when the 2nd Battalion was stationed at
MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
in 1858 and were quartered with the
21st Royal (North British) Fusiliers-The Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot :The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1678 by Stuart loyalist Charles Erskine, de jure 5th Earl of Mar for service against the rebel covenanting forces during the Second Whig Revolt . They were used to keep the peace and put down brigands, mercenaries, and...
. Adjutant Cotter of The Buffs was a Scot who had formerly served in the
21st Fusiliers-The Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot :The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1678 by Stuart loyalist Charles Erskine, de jure 5th Earl of Mar for service against the rebel covenanting forces during the Second Whig Revolt . They were used to keep the peace and put down brigands, mercenaries, and...
as a
Sergeant MajorA Sergeant Major is a rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
. Adjutant Cotter would not brook any disarray on the parade ground from his raw recruits, shouting "Steady, The Buffs! The Fusiliers are watching you!"
This greatly amused the Fusiliers and they called out “Steady, The Buffs!” on the slightest provocation, first in Malta and later whenever the two regiments met from then on. The phrase caught on and was soon shouted whenever The Buffs marched by. It then passed into common usage, even appearing in
Rudyard KiplingRudyard Kipling was a British author and poet. Born in Bombay, British India, he is best known for his works of fiction The Jungle Book , Kim , many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King ; and his poems, including...
's novel
Soldiers ThreeSoldiers Three is a collection of short stories by Rudyard Kipling. The three soldiers of the title are Learoyd, Mulvaney and Ortheris, who had also appeared previously in the collection Plain Tales from the Hills...
(1888) and his play
Pity Poor Mama.
Reorganisations and amalgamations
- From 1595 to 1665, the four regiments of the English Brigade served under Dutch command. In 1665, with the coming of the Second Anglo-Dutch War
The Second Anglo–Dutch War was fought between England and the United Provinces from 4 March, 1665 until 31 July, 1667. England tried to end the Dutch domination of world trade. After initial English successes, the war ended in a Dutch victory...
the British and Scotch Brigades were ordered to swear loyalty to the Stadtholder. Those who obeyed would be allowed to continue in Dutch service and those who disobeyed would be cashiered. Using his own funds, Sir George DowningSir George Downing, 1st Baronet was an Anglo-Irish soldier, statesman, and diplomat. Downing Street in London is named after him. As Treasury Secretary he is credited with instituting major reforms in public finance. His influence was substantial on the passage and substance of the mercantilist...
, the English ambassador to the Netherlands, raised the Holland Regiment from the starving remnants of those who refused to sign. It was designated as the 4th Regiment of Foot.
- In 1688 the Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, was the overthrow of King James II of England in 1688 by a union of Parliamentarians with an invading army led by the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau who, as a result, ascended the English throne as William III of England...
deposed James II Stuart and seated William Henry, Prince of Orange-NassauWilliam III was a sovereign Prince of Orange by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland, and as William II over Scotland...
and StadtholderA Stadtholder in the Low Countries was a medieval function which during the 18th century developed into a rare type of de facto hereditary head of state of the thus "crowned" Dutch Republic...
of the United Netherlands, on the throne of Great BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
as William III of England. To reduce confusion between the Regent's Dutch Blue GuardsThe Dutch Blue Guards were an elite infantry unit of the army of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. Notable campaigns where they fought included the Nine Years' War , where they distinguished themselves at the battle of the Boyne, battle of Fleurus and the siege of Limerick .From 1688 to...
regiment and the Stuart-era "Holland Regiment", the latter was renumbered the 3rd Regiment and had its title changed to The Lord Admiral's Regiment. Since Prince George of Denmark was Lord Admiral (and thus was its Honorary Colonel), it was also known as Prince George of Denmark's Regiment until his death in 1708.
- The 1st (Regular) Battalion existed continuously from 1572-1961.
- The 2nd (Regular) Battalion was intermittently raised in 1678-1679, 1756-1758, 1803-1815, and 1857-1949.
- In the Childers reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
of 1881 the East Kent Militia became the regiment's 3rd (Militia) Battalion [1881-1953] and its short-lived 4th (Militia) Battalion [1881-1888].
- From 1881-1908 two Kent rifle volunteer corps
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
were redesignated as the 1st Volunteer Battalion and 2nd (The Weald of Kent) Volunteer Battalion of the Buffs. With the creation of the Territorial ForceThe Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
(TF) in 1908 they became the regiment's 4th and 5th (TF) Battalions. In 1921 the TF was reformed as the Territorial Army (TA) and the two units were merged as the 4th/5th (TA) Battalion. The two battalions resumed separate existences on the doubling of the TA in 1939, but were again merged in 1947.
Anglo-Egyptian War (1882)
The following units participated in the Anglo-Egyptian War:
- 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
Second Boer War (1899-1902)
The following units participated in the
Second Boer WarThe Second Boer War , commonly referred to as The Boer War and also known as the South African War , the Anglo-Boer War and in Afrikaans as the Anglo-Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog , or the Engelse oorlog was fought...
:
- 2nd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
- 3rd Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
- 1st Volunteer (Militia) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
- 2nd Volunteer (Weald of Kent) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
Captain Naunton Henry Vertue of the 2nd Battalion also served as Brigade Major to the 11th Infantry Brigade under Major General
Edward WoodgateMajor General Sir Edward Robert Prevost Woodgate, KCMG, CB, was a British Army Officer.He was born in November 1845 in Belbroughton Worcestershire, the son of Rev Henry Arthur Woodgate, the rector of Belbroughton Holy Trinity Church. He was educated at Radley College and entered the 4th Foot in...
at the
Battle of Spion KopThe Battle of Spion Kop was fought about 38 km west-south-west of Ladysmith on the hilltop of Spioenkop
along the Tugela River, Natal in South Africa...
where he was mortally wounded.
First World War (1914-1918)
For service in World War I, nine battalions were raised:
- 2/4th (Territorial Force) Battalion [1914-1917]
- 3/4th (Territorial Force) Battalion [1915-1916]; 3/4th (Reserve) Battalion [1916-1919]
- 2/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion [1914-1917]
- 3/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion [1915-1916]
- 6th (Service) Battalion [1914-1919]
- 7th (Service) Battalion [1914-1919]
- 8th (Service) Battalion [1914-1918]
- 9th (Service) Battalion [1914-1915]; 9th (Reserve) Battalion [1915-1916]
- 10th (Royal East Kent & West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion [1917-1918]
Third Afghan War (1919)
The 4th Battalion fought during the brief Third Afghan War of 1919.
Second World War (1939-1945)
For service in World War II, ten battalions were raised :
- 4th (Territorial Army) Battalion [1939-1947]
- 5th (Territorial Army) Battalion [1939-1947]
- 6th (Home Defence) Battalion [1939-1941]
- 7th Battalion [1940-1945] This was converted to armour in 1941 and was known as 141st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (7th Battalion The Buffs)
The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
- 8th Battalion [1940-1942]
- 9th Battalion [1940-1946]
- 10th Battalion [1940-1943]
- 11th Battalion [1940]
- 30th Battalion [1941-1943]
- 70th (Young Soldiers') Battalion [1940-1943]
Post-War amalgamations
In 1956 the
410th (Kent) Coast Regiment (Royal Artillery) was disbanded and converted into infantry. It was then combined with elements of the
4th (Territorial Army) Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent) Regiment to form the
5th (Territorial Army) Battalion of
The Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment and was the last separate unit to bear the distinct honours of The Buffs. In 1966 it became the
5th Battalion, The Queen's Regiment. In 1967 it merged with the 4th Battalion to become the
4th/5th (East Kent TAVR) Battalion, The Queen's Regiment.
In 1961 the
"The Buffs", Royal East Kent Regiment was amalgamated with
The Queen's Own Royal West Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment was a regiment of the British Army.It was formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of:*50th Regiment of Foot*97th Regiment of FootIt was formally known as:...
to form:
The Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1961 to 1966. Its lineage is continued by the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment....
.
In 1966, the
The Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment was amalgamated with the other three regiments of the
Home Counties BrigadeThe Home Counties Brigade was an administrative formation of the British Army from 1948 to 1968. The Brigade administered the regular infantry battalions of the Home Counties of south east England....
to form
The Queen's RegimentThe Queen's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1966 through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the Home Counties Division...
.
In 1992 the Queen's Regiment was amalgamted with the
Royal Hampshire RegimentThe Royal Hampshire Regiment is a former British Army line infantry regiment who trace their origins back to 1702. In World War I it took part in the Battle of Gallipoli when engaged in the fatal Landing at Cape Helles of the 88th Brigade, 29th Division....
to form the
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...
.
Colonels-in-Chief
- 1689-1708 Prince George of Denmark KG
- 1906-1914 HM King Frederick VIII of Denmark
Frederik VIII was King of Denmark from 1906 to 1912.-Biography:He was the eldest son of King Christian IX and his wife, Denmark's heiress, Louise of Hesse - and was born in Copenhagen...
- 1914-1947 HM King Christian X of Denmark
Christian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and last king of Iceland between 1918 and 1944. He was born at Charlottenlund Palace near Copenhagen....
, KG, GCB, GCVO
- 1947-1961 HM King Frederick IX of Denmark
Frederick IX was King of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death...
, KG, GCB, GCVO
Colonels
- 1665-1668 Col. Robert Sidney
- 1668-1673 Maj-Gen. Sir Walter Vane
- 1673-1682 Lt-Gen. John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham and 3rd Earl of Mulgrave, KG
- 1682-1684 Col. Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield
Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield PC was the son of Henry Stanhope, Lord Stanhope and his wife, Katherine. He inherited the title of Earl of Chesterfield upon his grandfather's death in 1656....
- 1684-1685 Lt-Gen. John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham and 3rd Earl of Mulgrave, KG
- 1685-1688 Brig-Gen. Sir Theophilus Oglethorpe
- 1688-1707 Gen. Charles Churchill
- 1707-1711 F.M.
Field Marshal is a military officer rank. Today, it is the highest rank in the armies in which it is used, one step above a general or colonel-general.-Usage and hierarchical position:...
John Campbell, 2nd Duke of ArgyllField Marshal John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, 1st Duke of Greenwich KG , known as Iain Ruaidh nan Cath or Red John of the Battles, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman.-Early years:...
, KG, KT (Earl of Islay, Lord Lorne)
- 1711-1713 Col. John Selwyn
- 1713-1715 Brig-Gen. Archibald Douglas, 2nd Earl of Forfar
Archibald Douglas, 2nd Earl of Forfar, 3rd Earl of Ormond was a Scottish peer.He was the only son of Archibald Douglas, 1st Earl of Forfar, and Robina Lockhart, the daughter of Sir William Lockhart of Lee and Robina Sewster.He inherited the titles Earl of Forfar and Earl of Ormond at the age of...
- 1716-1725 Gen. Sir Charles Wills
Charles Wills was a British general in the 18th century.He won the Battle of Preston against the Jacobites....
, KB (also 1st GuardsThe Grenadier Guards is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
, 30th Foot)
- 1726-1729 Col. Thomas Pitt, 1st Earl of Londonderry
Thomas Innes Pitt, 1st Earl of Londonderry , was a British politician. He served as Governor of the Leeward Islands from 1728 to 1729....
- 1729-1737 Lt-Gen. William Tatton
- 1737-1749 Lt-Gen. Thomas Howard
- 1749-1763 F.M. Sir George Howard, KB
- 1763-1764 Col. John Craufurd
- 1764-1768 Maj-Gen. Ralph Burton
- 1768-1779 F.M. Sir Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst
Field Marshal Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst of Montreal KB served as an officer in the British Army and as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces.Amherst is best known as one of the victors of the French and Indian War, when he conquered...
, KB
- 1779-1786 Lt-Gen. William Style
- 1786-1809 Gen. Thomas Hall (also 79th Foot)
- 1809-1815 Gen. Charles Leigh
- 1815-1829 Lt-Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, GCB, GCH
- 1829-1832 Gen. Sir George Don
General Sir George Don, GCB, GCH was a senior British Army military officer and colonial governor during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries...
, GCB, GCH
- 1832-1845 Gen. Kenneth Alexander Howard, 1st Earl of Effingham, GCB
- 1845-1854 Gen. Sir Henry King, CB, KCH, KC
- 1854-1857 Lt-Gen. Sir Nathaniel Thorn, KCB, KH
- 1857 Lt-Gen. Nicholas Wodehouse
- 1857 Maj-Gen. Sir Henry Havelock
Major-General Sir Henry Havelock, KCB was a British general who is particularly associated with India. He was noted for his recapture of Cawnpore from rebels during Indian Rebellion of 1857.-Early life:...
, KCB [died at Lucknow]
- 1857-1860 Lt-Gen. Berkeley Drummond
- 1860-1863 Gen. The Hon. Charles Grey
- 1863-1864 Lt-Gen. John Wharton Frith
- 1864-1870 Lt-Gen. Day Hort Macdowall
- 1870-1874 Lt-Gen. The Hon. Sir James Lindsay
Lieutenant-General Sir James Alexander Lindsay KCMG was a British Army officer and member of Clan Lindsay.Born at Muncaster Castle in 1815, James was the second son of James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford...
, KCMG
- 1874-1882 Gen. William Craig Emilius Napier
- 1882-1909 Gen. Sir Julius Augustus Robert Raines, GCB
- 1909 Maj-Gen. Frederick Taylor Hobson
- 1909-1914 Maj-Gen. Robert George Kekewich
Major General Robert George Kekewich CB was a Victorian era British Army officer.Kekewich was the second son of Trehawke Kekewich, of Peamore, near Exeter, Devon. He was educated at Marlborough, he entered the army through the militia in 1874Kekewich joined the Buffs on the 2nd December 1874...
- 1914-1928 Gen. Sir Arthur Henry Fitzroy Paget, GCB, KCVO
- 1928-1937 Maj-Gen. Sir Arthur Lynden Lynden-Bell, KCB, KCMG
- 1937-1943 Maj-Gen. Sir John Kennedy, GBE, CB, CMG, DSO
- 1943-1953 Maj-Gen. The Hon. Percy Gerald Scarlett, CB, MC
- 1953-1961 Maj-Gen. Valentine Boucher, CB, CBE [later Dep. Col. Queen's Own Buffs]
Notable soldiers
- During the Battle of Albuhera
The Battle of Albuera was an indecisive battle during the Peninsular War. A mixed British, Spanish, and Portuguese corps engaged elements of the French Armée du Midi at the small Spanish village of Albuera, about 20 kilometres south of the frontier fortress-town of Badajoz, Spain.From...
, the 3rd Regiment, serving as part of Colborne’s brigade, was caught in a heavy rainstorm. Then they were caught in the open by French cavalry, their muskets rendered useless by the downpour. Before they could form square, the cavalry had ripped through their ranks and began slaughtering them. Ensign Thomas, who had earlier rallied his company after his captain was wounded and captured, was carrying the Regimental Colour. He was later surrounded and was called upon to surrender. Crying “Only with my life,” he only gave up the Colour after being cut down and mortally wounded (though it was later recaptured by Sergeant Gough of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers). He was buried after the battle by a sergeant and a private of his company, the only two men out of an original complement of 63 to survive the battle.
- Also during the Battle of Albuhera, a similar act of heroism was to unfold. Ensign Charles Walsh was carrying the King’s Colour. The pikestaff of the Colour had been broken by cannon shot, his escort had fallen and he was surrounded and badly wounded. Just before he was about to be taken prisoner, Lieutenant Latham rushed forward and seized the Colour from him with his left hand and defended it with heroic gallantry with his sword in the other, refusing to yield it to the enemy. Then a French Hussar seized the staff and struck Latham with a sabre blow that severed one side of his face and nose but he still continued to struggle. A second sabre stroke severed his left arm, but Latham seized the staff with his right hand and continued to resist until he was thrown down, trampled on and pierced several times with lance thrusts. At this moment a British Cavalry regiment, The 4th (Queen's Own) Dragoons
The 4th Queen's Own Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in 1958....
, arrived and drove off the French troopers. Latham then exerted the little strength left to him to conceal the Colour in his jacket, where it was later found. Latham survived his grievous wounds and not only recuperated but stayed in the army until he retired in 1820. As a reward for his gallantry and his heroic defence of the Colour, Latham was given a special promotion to Captain and was later presented with a gold medal by his brother officers. A trophy depicting the scene made in sterling silver, called the "Latham Centerpiece", was designed for the 3rd Regiment's Officer's Mess; it is now in the Regimental museum along with Latham's gold medal. Latham is buried in Blingel churchyard in the Pas de Calais, France. His headstone commemorates his brave action and mentions the 'loss of his arm and half his face'.
- Private John Moyse
Private John Moyse was a soldier of the 3rd Regiment who was captured by Chinese soldiers during the Second Opium War and was later executed for refusing to kow-tow to a local mandarin. His act of defiance was later immortalised in The Private of the Buffs, a poem by Sir Francis Hastings Doyle...
was captured during the march on the Taku FortsThe Taku Forts , also called the Peiho Forts are forts located by the Hai River estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of Tianjin City.-History:The first fort was built during the reign of the Ming Emperor, Jiajing, between 1522...
(which took place during the continuation of the Second Opium WarThe Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war of the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China from 1856–1860.- Names :"Second Opium War" and "Arrow War" are both used...
). He was later executed by Chinese soldiers for refusing to kow-tow to a local mandarinA Mandarin was a bureaucrat in imperial China, and also in the monarchist days of Vietnam where the system of Imperial examinations and scholar-bureaucrats was adopted under Chinese influence....
. His act of defiance was later immortalised in The Private of the BuffsThe Private of the Buffs is a ballad by Sir Francis Hastings Doyle describing the execution of a British infantryman by Chinese soldiers in 1860.-Background:...
, a poem by Sir Francis Hastings DoyleSir Francis Hastings Doyle was a British poet,Doyle was born near Tadcaster, Yorkshire, to a military family which produced several distinguished officers, including his father, who bore the same name...
.
- Among the officers of The Royal East Kent regiment was Captain Derek D. Bridle (1923-1998). An officer of "The Buffs" from 1942-1947, he served in Northern Italy, Austria and Germany, and after demobilisation he trained and became a qualified Architect
An architect is trained and licensed in planning and designing buildings, and participates in supervising the construction of a building. Etymologically, architect derives from the Latin architectus, itself derived from the Greek arkhitekton , i.e. chief builder...
, who retired in 1985 as County Architect of Gloucestershire.
- Captain William Douglas-Home
William Douglas-Home was imprisoned in World War II for refusing to obey orders as a British army officer and later became a successful writer and dramatist.-Early life:...
served in the 7th battalion (also known as 141 RAC) in World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was imprisoned for refusing to obey orders. After the war he became a successful playwright.
Freedom of the City of London
The Buffs was one of five regiments enjoying the
FreedomFreedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe to esteemed members of its community or to organisations that have given the community heroic service; the term applies to two...
of the
City of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. The gave them the right to march through the City with drums beating, bayonets fixed, and colours flying. This is due to a Royal Warrant written in 1672 allowing them to raise volunteers "by beat of drum" in the City of London. Since recruiting parties paraded in full array accompanied by company or regimental musicians and marched with a colour, this right was given to the regiment as a whole.
Battle Honours
The Honours in capital lettering were worn on the Colours. The Regiment was awarded 116 battle honours.
War of the Spanish SuccessionThe War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, principally the Holy Roman Empire, Great Britain, the Dutch Republic, Portugal, and the Duchy of Savoy, against the Kingdoms of France and Spain and the Electorate of Bavaria, over a possible unification of the Kingdoms of...
,
(Queen Anne'sAnne became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702, succeeding her brother-in-law, William III of England and II of Scotland...
War)
- BLENHEIM
The Battle of Blenheim , fought on 13 August 1704, was a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. Louis XIV of France sought to knock Emperor Leopold out of the war by seizing Vienna, the Habsburg capital, and gain a favourable peace settlement...
(1704) = 1st Battalion.
- RAMILLES
The Battle of Ramillies was a major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession fought on 23 May 1706. The encounter was a resounding success for the allied forces of the Dutch Republic, England, and their auxiliaries; but the battle had followed a year of indecisive campaigning in 1705 where...
(1706) = 1st Battalion.
- OUDENARDE
The Battle of Oudenaarde was a key battle in the War of the Spanish Succession fought on 11 July 1708 between the forces of Great Britain, the Dutch Republic and the Holy Roman Empire on the one side and the French on the other...
(1708) = 1st Battalion.
- MALPLAQUET
The Battle of Malplaquet, fought on 11 September 1709, was one of the main battles of the War of the Spanish Succession, which opposed the Bourbons of France and Spain against an alliance whose major members were the Habsburg Monarchy, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the United...
(1709) = 1st Battalion.
War of the Austrian SuccessionThe War of the Austrian Succession involved nearly all the powers of Europe...
,
(King George's War)
- DETTINGEN
The Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch, George II, personally led his troops into battle...
(1743) = 1st Battalion.
Seven Years' WarThe Seven Years' War lasted between 1754 and 1763 and involved all of the major European powers of the period. The war pitted Prussia and Britain and a coalition of smaller German states against an alliance consisting of Austria, France, Russia, Sweden, and Saxony...
,
(French and Indian WarThe French and Indian War, also known as the War of the Conquest or referred as part of the larger conflict known as the Seven Years' War, was a war fought in North America between 1754 and 1763...
)
- GUADELOUPE 1759 = 1st Battalion.
- Belleisle
Belle-Île or Belle-Île-en-Mer is a French island off the coast of Brittany in the département of Morbihan, and the largest of Brittany's islands. It is 14 km from the Quiberon peninsula....
(1761) = 1st Battalion.
Napoleonic WarsThe Napoleonic Wars were a series of conflicts declared against Napoleon's French Empire and changing sets of European allies by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionized European armies and played...
- DOURO (1809) = 1st Battalion.
- TALAVERA (1809) = 1st Battalion.
- ALBUHERA (1811) = 1st Battalion.
- VITTORIA (1813) = 1st Battalion.
- PYRENEES (1813) = 1st Battalion.
- NIVELLE (1813)= 1st Battalion.
- NIVE (1813) = 1st Battalion.
- ORTHES (1814) = 1st Battalion.
- TOULOUSE (1814) = 1st Battalion.
- PENINSULA
The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes modern-day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar and a very small area of France. It is the westernmost of the three major southern European peninsulas—the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan peninsulas...
(1808-13) = 1st Battalion.
"Pax Britannia"
- PUNNIAR (1843) Gwalior Campaign = 1st Battalion.
- SEVASTOPOL
The Siege of Sevastopol was a major siege during the Crimean War, lasting from September 1854 until September 1855...
(1855) Crimean WarThe Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire on one side and an alliance of the British Empire, France, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia on the other. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
= 1st Battalion.
- TAKU FORTS
The Taku Forts , also called the Peiho Forts are forts located by the Hai River estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of Tianjin City.-History:The first fort was built during the reign of the Ming Emperor, Jiajing, between 1522...
(1860) Second Opium WarThe Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war of the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China from 1856–1860.- Names :"Second Opium War" and "Arrow War" are both used...
= 1st Battalion.
- SOUTH AFRICA 1879
The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
Zulu War = 2nd Battalion.
- CHITRAL
Chitral or Chatrāl , translated as field in the native language Khowar, is the capital of the Chitral District, situated on the western bank of the Kunar River . The town is at the foot of Tirich Mir, the highest peak of the Hindu Kush, high...
(1895) North-West FrontierThe North-West Frontier Province is the smallest of the four provinces of Pakistan...
= 1st Battalion.
- RELIEF OF KIMBERLEY
The Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, South Africa when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
(1900) Second Anglo-Boer War = 2nd Battalion.
- PAARDEBERG
The Battle of Paardeberg or Perdeberg was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near Paardeberg Drift on the banks of the Modderrivier in the Orange Free State near Kimberley....
(1900) Second Anglo-Boer War = 3rd Battalion.
- SOUTH AFRICA 1900-02 Second Anglo-Boer War = 2nd & 3rd Battalions.
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
(1914-1919)
- Aisne (1914)= 1st Battalion.
- ARMENTIERES 1914 = 1st Battalion.
- YPRES
There were five Battles of Ypres during World War I:*First Battle of Ypres *Second Battle of Ypres...
1915-17 = 2nd, 7th & 8th Battalions.
- Gravenstafel 1915 = 2nd Battalion.
- St. Julien 1915 = 2nd Battalion.
- Frezenberg (1915) = 2nd Battalion.
- Bellewaarde (1915) = 2nd Battalion.
- Hooge 1915 = 1st Battalion.
- LOOS
The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. It marked the first time the British used poison gas during the war, and is also famous for the fact that it witnessed the first large-scale use of new army or "Kitchener's Army"...
(1915) = 2nd, 6th, & 8th Battalions.
- Somme 1916-18 = 1st, 6th, 7th, & 8th Battalions
- Albert 1916-18 = 6th & 7th Battalions.
- Bazentin (1916) = 7th Battalion.
- Delville Wood
The Battle of Delville Wood was one of the early engagements in the 1916 Battle of the Somme in the First World War. It took place between 14 July and 3 September, between the armies of the German Empire and allied British and South African forces...
(1916) = 8th Battalion.
- Poziers (1916) = 6th Battalion.
- Flers-Courcelette (1916) = 1st Battalion.
- Morval (1916) = 1st Battalion.
- Thiepval
The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme is a major war memorial to 72,090 missing British and Commonwealth men who died in the Battle of the Somme of the First World War and who have no known grave...
(1916) = 7th Battalion.
- Le Transloy (1916) = 6th Battalion.
- Ancre Heights (1916) = 7th Battalion.
- Ancre 1916-18 = 6th & 7th Battalions.
- Arras 1917
• United Kingdom
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• |combatant2= German Empire
• Prussia
• Bavaria|combatant3=|commander1= Douglas Haig,
Edmund Allenby,
Hubert Gough,
Henry Horne...
= 6th & 7th Battalions.
- Scarpe 1917 = 7th Battalion.
- Messines 1917 = 8th Battalion.
- Pilckem (1917) = 8th Battalion.
- Passchendale (1917) = 7th Battalion.
- Cambrai 1917-1918 = 1st & 6th Battalions.
- St. Quentin (1918) = 1st & 6th Battalions.
- Avre (1918) = 7th Battalion.
- Amiens (1918) = 6th & 7th Battalions.
- Bapaume (1918) = 7th Battalion.
- HINDENBURG LINE (1918) = 1st, 6th, 7th, & 10th Battalions.
- Epehey (1918)= 1st, 6th, 7th, & 10th Battalions.
- St. Quentin Canal (1918) = 1st & 6th Battalions.
- Selle (1918) = 1st & 7th Battalions.
- Sambre (1918) = 7th Battalion.
- France and Flanders 1914-18 = 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th & 10th Battalions.
- STRUMA (1916-17) = 2nd Battalion.
- Doiran (1918) = 2nd Battalion.
- Macedonia 1915-18 = 2nd Battalion.
- Gaza (1917) = 10th Battalion.
- JERUSALEM (1917) = 10th Battalion.
- Tel Asur (1918) = 10th Battalion.
- Palestine 1917-18 = 10th Battalion.
- Aden (1915-16) = 4th Battalion.
- Tigris (1916) = 5th Battalion.
- Kut al Amara 1917 = 5th Battalion.
- BAGDAD (1917) = 5th Battalion.
- Mesopotamia 1915-18 = 5th Battalion.
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(1939-1945)
- Defence of Escaut (1940) = 2nd Battalion.
- St. Omer-La Basse (1940) = 2nd Battalion.
- Withdrawal to Seine (1940) = 4th Battalion.
- NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1940 = 2nd, 4th, & 5th Battalions.
- Sidi Suleiman (1941) = 1st Battalion.
- ALEM HAMZA (1941)= 1st Battalion.
- Alam El Halfa (1942)= 2nd Battalion.
- EL ALAMEIN (1942)= 2nd Battalion.
- El Agheila (1942) = 1st Battalion.
- Advance on Tripoli (1942-43) = 1st Battalion.
- Tebaga Gap (1943) = 1st Battalion.
- El Hamma (1943) = 1st Battalion.
- Akarit (1943)= 1st Battalion.
- Djebel Azzag (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- ROBAA VALLEY (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- Djebel Bech Chekaoui (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- Heidous (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- Medjez Plain (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- Long Stop Hill (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- North Africa 1941-1943 1st, 2nd, & 5th Battalions.
- Centuripe (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- Monte Rivoglia (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- SICILY 1943 = 5th Battalion.
- Termoli (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- TRIGNO (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- Sangro (1943) = 5th Battalion.
- ANZIO (1944) = 1st Battalion.
- Cassino I (1944) = 5th Battalion.
- Liri Valley (1944) = 5th Battalion.
- Aquino (1944) = 5th Battalion.
- Rome (1944) = 1st Battalion.
- Trasimene Line (1944) = 5th Battalion.
- Coriano (1944) = 1st Battalion.
- Monte Spaduro (1944) = 1st Battalion.
- Senio (1945) 5th Battalion.
- ARGENTA GAP (1945) = 1st & 5th Battalions.
- Italy 1943-45 = 1st & 5th Battalions.
- LEROS
The Battle of Leros was the central event of the Dodecanese Campaign of the Second World War, and is widely used as an alternate name for the whole campaign. Leros was occupied by British forces on September 15 1943...
(1943) = 4th Battalion.
- Middle East 1943= 2nd Battalion.
- Malta 1940-42 = 4th Battalion.
- SHWELI (1945) = 2nd Battalion.
- Myitson (1945) = 2nd Battalion.
- Burma 1945 = 2nd Battalion.
The Regimental Museum
The Buffs Regimental Museum is located at
CanterburyCanterbury lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a local government district of Kent, in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
,
KentKent , originally Cantia, is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the River Thames estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent...
.
It closed for maintenance in November 2008. All contents of the Museum are being stored at the National Army Museum in
CanterburyCanterbury lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a local government district of Kent, in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
.
http://www.canterbury.gov.uk/buildpage.php?id=601
External links