125-559: Buffs may refer to: Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) , British army regiment 1689–1961 Buffs (football club) , an early 20th-century Hong Kong team formed from players from the regiment Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment , British Army regiment 1961–1966 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot (Ross-shire Buffs), British Army regiment 1793–1881 Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's), British Army regiment 1881–1961 Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes ,
250-618: A fraternal organization Buffs, a company in The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Colorado Buffaloes , the athletic teams of the University of Colorado Boulder Either of two genera of butterflies from Africa in the family Lycaenidae Baliochila Pentila A nickname, particularly in Detroit, Michigan, for the buffalo horn sunglasses produced by Cartier See also [ edit ] Buff (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
375-472: A part of 18th Infantry Brigade , assigned to the 1st Infantry Division where they were involved in some of the fiercest fighting of the war. The 18th Brigade returned to the 1st Armoured Division in August 1944 but, on 1 January 1945, the division was disbanded and 18th Brigade was broken up and used as replacements for other units. The 1st Buffs spent the rest of the war with the 24th Guards Brigade attached to
500-514: A three-company basis. On 16 May, the battalion was relieved. Two days later, Cassino was captured by the Polish II Corps . In June 1944, the battalion was back in the line near the village of Villastrada, between Lake Chiusi and Lake Trasimeno to north of Rome. On 24 June, a major attack was launched on that section of the Trasimene Line by 2nd Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry supported by
625-525: A three-week fight for the village of Hottot, against the German Panzer-Lehr-Division , in June 1944. This culminated in a major assault on 11 July. The 1st Battalion was withdrawn from the line the next day, testimony to the hard fighting. The battalion was in the vanguard of the assault towards Villiers Bocage later in the month. There were stiff fights at St Germain d’Ectot and Launay. Villiers Bocage
750-505: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) , formerly the 3rd Regiment of Foot , was a line infantry regiment of the British Army traditionally raised in the English county of Kent and garrisoned at Canterbury . It had a history dating back to 1572 and
875-532: Is recorded as wearing "red jackets lined with yellow". Subsequently, Nathan Brook's Army List of 1684 referred to "Coated red, lined with a flesh colour". This marked the beginning of the historic association of the regiment with buff facings (a dull-yellow colour). A notice in the London Gazette of 21 January 1685 describing the clothing of three deserters from what was still the Holland Regiment, referred for
1000-664: The 11th Infantry Brigade under Major General Edward Woodgate at the Battle of Spion Kop where he was mortally wounded in January 1900. Following the end of the war in South Africa in June 1902, 540 officers and men of the 2nd battalion returned to the United Kingdom on the SS St. Andrew leaving Cape Town in early October, and the battalion was subsequently stationed at Dover . In 1908,
1125-561: The 1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle , it spent the next ten years on garrison duty in England; in 1751, it was retitled the 3rd Regiment of Foot, "The Buffs" . The Seven Years' War began in 1756; in autumn 1758, the regiment was posted to the West Indies , taking part in the January 1759 attacks on Martinique and Guadeloupe . After returning home, it took part in the capture of Belle Île in June 1761. It then moved to Portugal and fought at
1250-605: The 1st Hermann Göring Parachute Panzer Division . On 22 July, the 1st Battalion was engaged in hard fighting for Agria, which only fell on 29 July. The 1st Battalion was reduced to three companies after the battle. There was further hard fighting to capture the Regalbuto Ridge, which ended the Sicilian Campaign. The 1st Battalion suffered 18 officers and 286 other ranks killed or wounded in action in Sicily. On 8 September 1943,
1375-633: The 26th Indian Infantry Brigade and remained there for the war. In 1944, the brigade was redesignated the 26th British Infantry Brigade , which itself became part of the 36th British Infantry Division and served with the British Fourteenth Army in the Burma Campaign . The 4th Battalion Buffs was a 1st Line Territorial Army unit that served with the BEF in France 1940. The battalion was transferred to
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#17328451870171500-787: The 2nd Wessex Division and then sailed for Egypt in April 1917 and to France in May 1918. The 2/5th Battalion sailed for India in December 1914 as part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in the 2nd Wessex Division and then sailed for Egypt in April 1917 before being disbanded in Palestine in August 1918. The 2/7th Battalion sailed for India in December 1914 as part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in the 2nd Wessex Division and then moved to Mesopotamia in September 1917. The 10th (Service) Battalion landed at Gallipoli in August 1915 and
1625-615: The 56th (London) Infantry Division . With the 56th Division, the battalion fought in Operation Grapeshot , the final offensive in Italy which effectively ended the campaign in Italy. The 2nd Battalion was sent to France in 1940 with the 132nd Infantry Brigade attached to the 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division to join the British Expeditionary Force and fought in the short but fierce Battle of Dunkirk , after which it
1750-606: The 85th Brigade in the 28th Division ; meanwhile the 3rd Battalion remained in Canterbury as a training unit. The 1/4th Battalion sailed for India in October 1914 while the 1/5th (Weald of Kent) Battalion sailed for India in October 1914 and then transferred to Mesopotamia in November 1915. The 2/4th Battalion, the 2/5th (Weald of Kent) Battalion, the 3/4th Battalion and the 3/5th (Weald of Kent) Battalion all remained in England throughout
1875-663: The Anglo-Egyptian War , was from 1885 stationed at Malta, then moved to India where it saw several postings, including in Shwebo in inland Burma until late 1902 when it moved to Poona . The 2nd Battalion, 3rd Battalion, 1st Volunteer (Militia) Battalion and 2nd Volunteer (Weald of Kent) Battalion all saw action during the Second Boer War with Captain Naunton Henry Vertue of the 2nd Battalion serving as brigade major to
2000-771: The Anglo-Scots Brigade , which in various formats served in the Dutch military until 1782. When the Second Anglo-Dutch War started in 1665, the Brigade's units were ordered to swear loyalty to the Stadtholder and those who disobeyed were cashiered. Using his own funds, Sir George Downing , the English ambassador to the Netherlands, raised the Holland Regiment from the starving remnants of those who refused to sign. In 1665, it
2125-624: The Battle of Albuera in May 1811 and the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813. At Albuhera the regiment suffered heavy losses (about 400 out of 728) when caught in open order during a hail/rain storm by charging Polish lancers and French hussars. Following Vitoria the Buffs then pursued the French Army into France and fought at the Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813, the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813 and
2250-559: The Battle of Krithia . In 1916, the 2nd Battalion was evacuated to Alexandria due to a mixture of heavy casualties from combat, disease and the terrible weather conditions. In March 1916, the battalion was sent to France and would serve on the Western Front for the rest of the war, participating in the battle of Albert and Le Transloy rides, alongside the 1st Battalion. The 1/4th Battalion landed at Karachi in India in November 1914 as part of
2375-718: The Battle of Valencia de Alcántara in August 1762 before returning to England in spring 1771. The regiment was sent to the West Indies in December 1795 for service in the French Revolutionary Wars . It took part in the capture of Grenada in March 1796 and of Saint Vincent in June 1796 and the capture of Trinidad in February 1797 and of various other islands in March 1801 before returning home in autumn 1802. The regiment embarked for Portugal in August 1808 for service in
2500-572: The Battle of the Nive in December 1813 as well as the Battle of Orthez in February 1814 and the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814. It became part of the Army of Occupation of France in 1816 before returning home in autumn 1818. The regiment had a tour of service from 1821 until 1827 in the British colony of New South Wales . For the duration of their service, The Buffs was divided into four detachments. The first
2625-448: The ELAS . The troops were welcomed everywhere, and there was no fighting. Then, in April 1945, the brigade began to return to Italy for the final offensive . By 1 May, the brigade was back in the line around Forlimpopoli; but the war ended before the brigade was in action again. The 20th Beach Group ("A" and "B" companies) invaded Sicily as part of Operation Husky in July 1943. The role of
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#17328451870172750-675: The First Battle of the Marne , the First Battle of the Aisne , and the Battle of Messines . In 1914, on Christmas Day, men of the 1st Battalion participated in the legendary Christmas Truce of 1914 where British and German soldiers fraternised in No man's land . In 1915, the battalion took part in the Second Battle of Ypres , famous for its use of poison gas . In 1916 it fought at Albert and Le Transloy , which
2875-524: The North Irish Horse , a steady advance was made. The 2/4th Battalion was then taken out of the line again – some platoons were down to ten men each with no officer. The battalion then attacked Santa Lucia, which was captured on 30 July 1944 after a small but fierce battle. The enemy then withdrew, and the battalion moved up to the River Arno. On 10 August, the battalion was withdrawn. In September 1944,
3000-575: The Peninsular War . The grenadier company of the regiment served under Sir John Moore at the Battle of Corunna in January 1809 before being evacuated to England later that month. The rest of the regiment remained on the Peninsula and fought at the Battle of Talavera in July 1809 and the Battle of Bussaco in September 1810 before falling back to the Lines of Torres Vedras . It then saw action at
3125-534: The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) . The Dutch fight for independence from Spain in the 1568–1648 Eighty Years' War was supported by Protestants across Europe; the origins of the regiment were Thomas Morgan's Company of Foot , a group of 300 volunteers from the London Trained Bands formed in 1572. In 1586, these English and Scottish volunteer units were brought together in
3250-635: The Royal Sussex Regiment and the Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) to form the Queen's Regiment . This, in turn, was amalgamated with the Royal Hampshire Regiment , in September 1992, to create the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) . The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) still has some exhibits at Beaney House , although most of the collection
3375-762: The Taku Forts action during the Second Opium War as well as in the Perak War while the 2nd Battalion saw action in the Anglo-Zulu War . The regiment was not fundamentally affected by the Cardwell Reforms of the 1870s, which gave it a depot at Canterbury Barracks from 1873, or by the Childers reforms of 1881 – as it already possessed two battalions, there was no need for it to amalgamate with another regiment. Under
3500-790: The Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve ; the regiment now had one Reserve battalion and five Territorial battalions. During the First World War , the regiment expanded to 34 battalions. By the end of the First World War, the Hampshire Regiment had lost 7,580 officers and men killed in action. The 1st Battalion was a Regular Army unit stationed in Colchester on the outbreak of war in August 1914. The battalion
3625-614: The War of the Spanish Succession , it served in Marlborough campaigns, including the battles of Blenheim , Ramillies , Malplaquet and Oudenarde , before returning to England in August 1714. Until the 1751 reforms, units were commonly named after their current colonel; it reverted to this practice when Prince George of Denmark died in 1708, although it was also referred to as the 'Holland Regiment' or " Buffs " after its coat facings . It
3750-662: The campaign in Tunisia , where the 78th Division, as part of the British First Army , distinguished itself during the crucial capture of Longstop Hill . The division then fought in the Sicilian Campaign , as part of the British Eighth Army . The 5th Buffs and the rest of 78th Division then took part in the fighting in Italy and served there until the 1945 Offensive . The Buffs also raised many more battalions during
3875-428: The militia and rifle volunteers of the county of Hampshire . As part of the formation of the regiment, the following Volunteer Force and Militia units were placed under command of the regiment: At the turn of the 20th century, there were two regular battalions of the regiment. The 1st battalion was stationed at Malta from 1884, then transferred to British India where it had various postings. In early 1903
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4000-532: The "2/4th Hampshire Training Centre", three officers and 188 other ranks were assigned to 'porterage duties' and a detachment of 50 men was assigned to help the Provost Corps with traffic duties. The battalion was back in the line in Italy, near Garigliano, as part of 28th Infantry Brigade , in 4th Infantry Division in February 1944. This was the same ground where the Hampshire Brigade had suffered through
4125-609: The 128th Brigade sailed from Alexandria, and subsequently landed in Taranto. The move north through Italy was at an easy pace. In August 1944, the 128th Brigade started its assault on the " Gothic Line ", a line of German defences across the Etruscan Apennines. The Hampshire brigade, with the North Irish Horse under command, led the 46th Division's assault (along with the 46th Reconnaissance Regiment ). The brigade's first target
4250-433: The 1st (Malta) Infantry Brigade (with 1st Dorset Regiment and 2nd Devonshire Regiment ). This later became the 231st Infantry Brigade . Duties in Malta included airfield repair and working as stevedores in the docks. Malta was subjected to a prolonged siege and, by July 1942, the food situation had become serious, but the situation eased as the Allies ' fortunes improved in the North African campaign . In April 1943,
4375-423: The 1st Guards Brigade, which was now part of the 78th Infantry Division . They disembarked at Algiers on 21 November and joined the British First Army . Later that month, the battalion moved to Tebourba. The following day the 2nd Battalion were attacked by heavy shelling and, on 1 December, the battalion was attacked by a force four times its size, which was able to outflank it and rake it with enfilading fire. This
4500-445: The 231st Brigade landed in Italy , coming ashore at Potro San Venere near Pizzo. The 1st Battalion was involved in fighting as the Germans withdrew northwards. By October 1943, the 1st Battalion was back in Sicily waiting for transport back to the United Kingdom and, by November, the battalion was back in the United Kingdom for the first time in 22 years. The battalion was allocated to the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division , one of
4625-416: The 231st Brigade, including the 1st Hampshires, was moved to Alexandria, then subsequently to Cairo and Suez, where it trained as an independent assault brigade . Then, in July 1943, the 1st Battalion invaded Sicily as part of the first wave of Operation Husky , the Allied invasion of Sicily . The beach landing went smoothly, but the 1st Battalion ran into resistance at Vizzini on 13 July when it ran into
4750-417: The 28th Brigade, the 2/4th attempted to cross the River Pioppeta. The tank bridge sank in the mud, and the battalion took 100 casualties in two minutes. The 2/4th waded the river and, in spite of heavy casualties and fierce resistance, the advance continued. During this advance, Captain Richard Wakeford was awarded the Victoria Cross . By 6.30pm, all objectives had been captured, and the 2/4th reorganised on
4875-441: The 2nd Battalion moved to Cherbourg, France with the 1st Guards Brigade , alongside the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards and the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards , attached to 1st Infantry Division . It then moved to Sille-le-Guillaume, and from there 250 miles north to take its allocated place on the "Gort Line", which it reached on 3 October. Later that month, the battalion moved to the Belgian/French border and, in February 1940,
5000-442: The 43rd Division until 15 August, when it was transferred to the 46th Infantry Division , where it would remain for the rest of the war. In January 1943, the brigade left Britain with the rest of the 46th Infantry Division, for North Africa, as part of Operation Torch . The brigade disembarked at Algiers on 17 January, moving to Bone, where it remained until the end of January, when the brigade moved to Hunts Gap. The 5th Battalion
5125-399: The 4th (Rawalpindi) Brigade in the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division before moving to Basra in March 1915: it remained in Mesopotamia and Persia for the rest of the war. The 1/5th Battalion landed at Karachi in India in November 1914: it remained in India for the rest of the war. The 1/6th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Battalion landed at Karachi in India in November 1914: it remained in India for
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5250-428: The 5th Battalion suffered 29 officer and over 400 other rank casualties. The 128th Brigade, still part of the X Corps, moved up to the River Volturno, behind which the Germans had withdrawn. On 10 October, the 1/4th Battalion captured the town of Castel Volturno, alongside the river, and on 12 October the 1/4th made a night assault across the river, establishing a small bridgehead. The 2nd and 5th battalions moved across
5375-435: The 6th (Service) Battalion. After the end of the First World War, a small number of men from several battalions saw action during the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919. The 1st Battalion served in many different brigades and divisions, mainly with British Indian Army units, and fought in many different battles and campaigns such as the North African Campaign , the Italian Campaign and the Battle of Anzio when they were
5500-407: The 7th Battalion, and the 4th Battalion was split into the 1/4th Battalion and the 2/4th Battalion. The 1/4th, 2/4th and 5th Battalions were all grouped into the 128th Infantry Brigade (the "Hampshire Brigade") and the 7th Battalion was part of the 130th Infantry Brigade . Both brigades were part of the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division . However, on 6 June 1942, the 128th Brigade was detached from
5625-420: The Allies had very few planes to cover them. The 234th Brigade Commander, Robert Tilney , ordered the surrender after many days of resistance and hard fighting. The 5th Battalion was reformed in 1939 as a 2nd Line duplicate of the 4th Battalion when the Territorial Army was doubled in size. Initially, the 5th Buffs was assigned to the 37th Infantry Brigade , part of the 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division , which
5750-403: The Army historian Richard Cannon in a book published in 1839. The dragon was believed to have been adopted as it was one of the supporters of the royal arms of Elizabeth I , who issued the warrant for the raising of the regiment in 1572. Through the remainder of the 18th century both the dragon and the buff facings (worn on cuffs, lapels and coat linings) remained as particular distinctions of
5875-487: The Beach Group was to land supplies until a harbour could be captured. On 12 July, 20 Beach Group moved inland, behind the advancing infantry, but by 22 July the half-battalion was in the line, capturing Mount Scalpello . On 4 August, the half-battalion moved to Catania, where it remained on garrison duty. In September 1943, the 21st Beach Group ("C" and "D" companies) invaded Salerno. The assault went in at dawn against stiff opposition and, rather than take its allotted role,
6000-436: The British, was trying to overthrow the Greek Government . On arrival, the 2/4th Battalion was split up, primarily defending the airfield, then clearing ELAS forces from Athens. This did involve some fighting, and the 2/4th Battalion lost three men killed. The 2/4th Battalion then settled down to peace-keeping duties. In May 1945, the battalion was moved to Crete to take charge of the Germans, who had surrendered, and they ended
6125-585: The Germans attacked again, and 'D' Company was overrun, but 2/4th Battalion hung on to their remaining positions. On 2 March, the Germans withdrew, and on 5 March the 2/4th Battalion was relieved by the 8th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of 36th Brigade of the 78th Battleaxe Division . The 2/4th Battalion had suffered 243 men killed or missing. During March, the brigade was engaged on defensive patrolling, under heavy shelling. 1/4th Battalion lost 100 casualties during March, but 5th Battalion received 5 officers and 150 men as replacements. On 5 April,
6250-526: The Germans started a general assault against the Salerno bridgehead, which made good progress; the US VI Corps were almost driven into the sea. However, the arrival of US paratroops and the British 7th Armoured Division turned the tide. The 128th Brigade was in the hills above Salerno, and the fighting was hard, but on 20 September the Germans began to withdraw northwards, and the pressure eased. All three battalions had suffered – 2nd Battalion suffered 304 casualties, 1/4th Battalion suffered 159 casualties and
6375-407: The Gothic Line proper, crossing the River Foglia and assaulting Monte Gridolfo. This was heavily defended, with all cover cleared from its bare slopes. Nevertheless, the men of the 2nd Battalion assaulted them with great vigour, and by dawn on 31 August they had captured the first crest. The 1/4th Battalion passed through, driving deeper into Gothic Line. During this assault, Lieutenant Gerard Norton
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#17328451870176500-455: The Guards Armoured, then started the attack towards Eindhoven, which was the attack designed to relieve the British and Polish airborne troops fighting at Arnhem , who had dropped as part of Operation Market Garden , which ended in a failure. The battalion, as part of 231st Infantry Brigade, was charged with defending the "Corridor" formed by the armoured advance. In October, the 1st Battalion moved up to Nijmegen and moved onto "The Island",
6625-437: The Hampshire Brigade's assault on Forli during November. During 22 November, the 2/4th attacked and captured a bridgehead over the River Cosina against heavy shelling; this was the battalion's last action in Italy. In December 1944, the battalion was flown to Greece in the bomb-bays of Wellington and Liberator bombers in response to the outbreak of the Greek Civil War , arriving on 12 December. The ELAS , armed and trained by
6750-423: The Italian winter. The battalion was relieved for short periods on a regular basis before returning to the line. In May 1944, the battalion assisted the brigade's two other battalions (2nd King's and 2nd Somersets ) in crossing the River Rapido as part of the assault on Monte Cassino . The river and bank were under intense enemy fire, and the river so swift that swimmers from 2/4th had to cross with lines to enable
6875-436: The Royal Artillery supported the 128th Brigade. Early progress was good, but when the mist cleared all four battalions were caught in the open under heavy fire, and losses mounted. The rifle companies of 1/4th Battalion only had 3 officers and 80 men left between them, and the 2/4th Battalion had to reorganise onto a three-company basis. Tunis fell and the North African campaign was over in May 1943. The 128th Infantry Brigade
7000-410: The Royal Hampshire Regiment was amalgamated with the Queen's Regiment to form a new large regiment , the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment , which continues the traditions of the Royal Hampshires. The Hampshire Regiment was formed on 1 July 1881 under the Childers reforms from the merger of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot and the 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot along with
7125-405: The Rubicon. The weather was atrocious, and movement was slowed by deep mud, and supply was difficult. Fighting continued until 9 October. A steady advance was made, and by 12 November the River Montone was crossed; on 26 November the River Lamone was reached. This was crossed on 3 December in the face of stiff opposition, and by 6 December the Brigade had captured Casa Nova. The Brigade was relieved
7250-448: The United Kingdom (some were evacuated on 2 June). The battalion managed to carry away 100% of their small-arms, mortars and anti-tank rifles. It was congratulated by the Minister for War, Mr Anthony Eden . The battalion then spent two years on home defence, training and preparing for a German invasion that never arrived. In November 1942, the battalion, Hampshire Regiment sailed for North Africa , taking part in Operation Torch with
7375-572: The Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve ; the regiment now had one Reserve and two Territorial battalions. For service in the First World War, ten additional battalions were raised. The 1st Battalion was based in Fermoy as part of the 16th Brigade in the 6th Division until 12 August 1914 when it moved to Cambridge before landing in France on 8 September 1914. The 2nd Battalion returned from Madras in December 1914 and remained in England as part of
7500-459: The amalgamation of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot and the 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot . The regiment existed continuously for 111 years and served in the Second Boer War , World War I and World War II . An Army Order of the 28 November 1946 stated, due to distinguished service in the Second World War, the regiment would be re-titled as the Royal Hampshire Regiment . On 9 September 1992, after over 111 years' service,
7625-457: The artillery, knocking out all the guns, whose crews stood and died firing over open sights at the German tanks. Only nine gunners survived. At 5pm, 'B' Company of the 5th Battalion, reduced to 30 men, was overrun. At dusk, the battalion considered its position untenable, and it withdrew to a feature known as "Hampshire Farm". Of the four Rifle Companies , only 'C' Company, less a single platoon , and 30 men of 'D' Company, remained. The German force
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#17328451870177750-476: The assault divisions for the invasion of North West Europe , which had an excellent reputation after fighting in the Mediterranean theatre . On 6 June 1944, the 1st Battalion came ashore as part of Operation Overlord without any supporting tanks. Despite facing machine gun fire, the men captured Le Hamel and Arromanches after a hard fight. By the end of D-Day , the 1st Battalion had suffered 182 casualties, 64 of them being killed in action. The battalion started
7875-700: The bare rock made cover difficult. In eight days, the 5th Battalion suffered 200 casualties. Supply was particularly difficult, as supplies had to be carried up by mules and porters for 3 to 4 hours from the nearest road. On 7 February, the 5th Battalion attacked Mount Cerasola, a successful assault. On 10 February, the 5th Battalion was relieved. The Hampshire Brigade was relieved later in the month. It moved south to Naples and, on 16 March, sailed for Egypt, and subsequently moved to Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and back to Egypt. All battalions were brought up to strength, largely from gunners from disbanded Middle-East Anti-Aircraft units who were retrained as infantrymen. On 27 June,
8000-431: The battalion began its assault on the Gothic Line, attacking across the River Marano and capturing Casa Bagli. All the first day objectives were achieved, and the 2/4th defended them on 16 September against German counter-attacks. On 17 September, the battalion captured Cerasola; it was relieved the following day. The battalion then moved north behind the British Eighth Army 's advance, arriving in time to stand by to support
8125-462: The battalion spent three weeks on the Maginot Line before returning to Metz. The battalion crossed into Belgium in response to the German invasion of Belgium and, by 14 May, was digging into a defensive position. While an attack never came, with the retreat of the Dutch and the French Ninth Army , the 1st Division was ordered to retreat on 16 May. A slow retreat then commenced, ending at Dunkirk . The battalion began to be embarked from Dunkirk for
8250-557: The battalion transferred from Lucknow to Aden . In April 1904 three companies were attached to the Royal Navy and saw service in the Somaliland campaign . Landing on the Somali coast, they served alongside a naval detachment that stormed and captured the forts at Illig. The 2nd Battalion was deployed to South Africa as reinforcement for the British Army during the Second Boer War in January 1900, and took part in an action at Karee Siding on 29 March 1900, when one officer and 11 troops died. The battalion served in South Africa throughout
8375-460: The boats through the minefields down to the river, and in the darkness confusion reigned. Only a few men managed to get across, and these were withdrawn at daylight. The Hampshire Brigade then assaulted Monte Damiano, a bare, razor-backed feature, already strewn with British dead from 56th (London) Infantry Division . The assault was made by the 1/4th and 2nd battalions in daylight, and immediately came under heavy mortar and machine-gun fire. The attack
8500-433: The boats to get across. Troops got across the river, but could make little headway against the storm of machine gun fire. The 2/4th could not get across to join their fellow battalions, and so, on 12 May, it came under command of 12th Infantry Brigade and crossed via a bridge on 13 May. Supported by the 17th/21st Lancers 's Sherman tanks , the 2/4th Battalion attacked along the river, taking 200 prisoners. On 14 May, back in
8625-467: The bridgehead over the river Waal but behind the river Lek. In October 1944, the battalion attacked north of Bemmel, and expanded the bridgehead up to the Wettering Canal. The battalion then went onto the defensive until the end of November. The battalion then moved back to Ypres in Belgium, and subsequently was moved back to the United Kingdom with the rest of the 50th Division, and the men were mainly used as replacements for other infantry battalions, with
8750-419: The brigade handed over its positions and moved 100 miles south to El Ala. The 128th Brigade subsequently captured the Fondouk Gap, allowing the 6th Armoured Division to pass through and debouche onto the Kairouan Plain. In April 1943, the 128th Infantry Brigade attacked Bou Arada. The 16th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry was added to the brigade for the attack. Five Field regiments and two Medium regiments of
8875-431: The buff colour was here reduced to piping edging the shoulder straps. Regimental titles in italics indicate they were disbanded or renumbered before 1881. Royal Hampshire Regiment 1 Militia and Special Reserve Battalion Up to 6 Territorial and Volunteer battalions The Hampshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army , created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881 by
9000-481: The colours and the drums. In 1881, the reorganisation of most infantry regiments on a territorial basis under the Childers Reforms led to the newly renamed "The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)" losing its buff facings in favour of the white collars and cuffs intended to distinguish all non-Royal English and Welsh regiments. The dragon survived as part of the (now metal) headdress badge, although replaced on collars by
9125-560: The exception of a small training cadre consisting of 12 officers and 100 other ranks. The battalion ended the war in Louth, Lincolnshire. Since D-Day, the 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment had suffered over 1,281 casualties, including 231 officers and men killed in action, the rest being either wounded or missing in action. The 2nd Battalion was also a Regular Army battalion and started the war in Aldershot, Hampshire, England. In September 1939,
9250-444: The fall of Tunis on 13 May 1943, the 2nd Battalion joined the 128th (Hampshire) Brigade attached to 46th Infantry Division . The Hampshire Regiment had a number of Territorial Army (TA) battalions, whose ranks were swelled throughout 1939 when the TA was ordered to be doubled in size. During 1939, due to the number of new recruits, the 5/7th Battalion was split into the 5th Battalion and
9375-532: The first time to the colour buff: "a new Red Coat lin'd with a Buff colour'd lining, surtout Sleeves, cross Pockets with three scallops, large plain pewter Buttons, Breeches of the same colour as the Coat lining" . An illustration of the Colonel's colour in 1707 shows a dragon on a buff background, following the award of this distinctive symbol to the regiment as "a reward for its gallant conduct on all occasions"; according to
9500-596: The following day, and moved well to the rear. From 24 August (when the 128th Brigade moved up to the Gothic Line) to 7 December, when they were relieved, the 128th (Hampshire) Brigade had suffered 1,276 casualties. In January 1945 the 2nd Battalion and the 5th Battalion embarked from Taranto and disembarked in Piraeus , Greece, two days later. 1/4th Battalion arrived on 22 January. The 128th (Hampshire) Brigade (now known as "Tigerforce") split its battalions, and set about disarming
9625-406: The half-battalion was moved straight into the line. However, there was little action until 13 September, when the half-battalion was attacked by armoured half-tracks. This happened again on 15 September when 'D' Company was overrun. However, the half-tracks did not assault 'D' Company as such, they ran over the slit trenches until picked off by 6pdr anti-tank guns . On 17 September, the half-battalion
9750-514: The island of Malta in 1941 and served throughout the siege . The battalion then joined the 234th Infantry Brigade , which took part in the disastrous Battle of Leros in an attempt to capture the Dodecanese Islands in late 1943. The brigade and other Allied forces, mainly Italian, attempted to hold the island from the Germans, but without success. This was due mainly to German air superiority as
9875-462: The other the Green Howards . It fought at the Battle of Dettingen in June 1743 and at the Battle of Fontenoy in May 1745. With the outbreak of the 1745 Rising , it was sent to Scotland, taking part in the Battle of Falkirk Muir in January 1746 and Battle of Culloden in April 1746. It returned to the Netherlands in April 1747 and saw action at the Battle of Lauffeld in July. Following
10000-461: The reforms the regiment became the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 1 July 1881. The East Kent Militia became the regiment's 3rd (Militia) Battalion (1881–1953) and its short-lived 4th (Militia) Battalion (1881–1888). At the same time two Kent rifle volunteer corps were redesignated as the 1st Volunteer Battalion and 2nd (The Weald of Kent) Volunteer Battalion of the Buffs. The 1st Battalion saw action in
10125-470: The regiment. A Royal Warrant of 1751 standardising all colours (flags), badges and uniforms listed the "3rd Regiment, or The Buffs". The Buffs were at this time the only infantry regiment to owe their official title to their facing colours. The green dragon was recorded in the same document as the "ancient badge" of the Buffs – displayed as a woven or painted device on the mitre cap of the Regiment's grenadiers ,
10250-693: The rest of the war. The 1/7th Battalion landed at Karachi in India in November 1914: it remained in India until January 1918 when it moved to Aden . The 1/8th ( Isle of Wight Rifles, Princess Beatrice's ) Battalion landed at Suvla Bay in Gallipoli as part of the 163rd Brigade in the 54th (East Anglian) Division on 9 August 1915 and, having been evacuated from Gallipoli in December 1915, moved to Egypt and then to Palestine. The 1/9th (Cyclist) Battalion sailed for India in February 1916 and then to Vladivostok in October 1918. The 2/4th Battalion sailed for India in December 1914 as part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in
10375-438: The river in support, but the entire 128th Brigade was soon engaged in a stiff fire-fight. The brigade advanced some 2,500 yards, and then dug in behind a canal as the Germans bought up tanks. The brigade remained in the low-lying, swampy, mosquito-ridden land between the river and the canal until the Germans withdrew due to a breakthrough elsewhere. The brigade then advanced along Route 7, meeting little resistance. The 128th Brigade
10500-465: The road behind them was cut. The battalion broke into small groups and attempted to break through to allied lines, reuniting at Medjez-el-Bab; many, including the Commanding Officer , were captured. The battalion, which had started the battle with 689 men, was down to 194 men. The battalion was withdrawn from the line and in December, nine officers and 260 other ranks joined the 2nd Battalion. After
10625-407: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Buffs . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Buffs&oldid=1214493704 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
10750-452: The same year. A Volunteer battalion was also formed to serve in South Africa. Men from this battalion were involved in the worst train accident during the war, near Barberton , on 30 March 1902. Following the accident, the battalion returned to the United Kingdom, arriving at Southampton in May 1902. In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming
10875-467: The tanks of the 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment . 2/4th Hampshires was to follow on, but its entry into battle was delayed until the next day. Having passed through the village of Vaiano, which was unoccupied, an attack was launched on a ridge being held by the German 1st Parachute Division . Although "C" Company established a foothold on the ridge, occupying a farmhouse, that night a fierce German counter-attack
11000-548: The truck they were travelling in. Three soldiers were killed outright, while a further four died later from their wounds. In the Second World War , the Hampshire Regiment had six battalions that fought abroad (the 1st, 2nd, 1/4th, 2/4th, 5th and 7th), whilst more battalions stayed at home. By the end of the Second World War, 2,094 officers and men of the Hampshire Regiment had died. The 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
11125-518: The war while the 10th (Royal East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion was formed in Egypt in February 1917 and then transferred to France as part of the 230th Brigade in the 74th Division . The 6th (Service) Battalion, 7th (Service) Battalion, 8th (Service) Battalion and 9th (Reserve) Battalion were all formed for active service in France. Corporal William Richard Cotter was awarded the VC whilst serving with
11250-522: The war, mainly for home defence or as training units. None, save the 7th and 11th Battalions, saw active service overseas. The 7th and 11th Battalions were raised in 1940 and were converted to the 141st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps and the 89th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery in 1941 due to the shortage of armoured troops and artillery in the British Army. When the Territorial Army
11375-610: The war, which ended in June 1902 with the Peace of Vereeniging . They returned home three months later, arriving in late September 1902, and a few days after their return was entertained to a large celebratory banquet by the Mayor of Portsmouth . A third militia battalion was formed from the former Hampshire Militia , with headquarters in Winchester . The battalion was embodied in January 1900 for service in South Africa, and disembodied in December
11500-462: The white horse of Kent. The horse had been the insignia of the East Kent Militia , which formed the 3rd battalion of the new regiment. Both changes were unpopular within the regiment, and in 1887 the Buffs were authorised to convert the white facings on their scarlet tunics to buff – at the regiment's expense and using a pipeclay mixture developed by an officer of the 2nd Battalion. In 1890 buff
11625-515: Was evacuated back to Britain. The 44th Division was sent to fight in the North African Campaign, where it was broken up due to an apparently poor performance in the Battle of Alam el Halfa despite the division having just the 132nd Brigade under command as other brigades had been detached to other divisions. The 132nd Brigade disbanded and 2nd Buffs was then transferred to the Far East with
11750-584: Was a Regular Army unit that was deployed on Garrison duties in El Daba, Egypt at the beginning of the war. It moved to Palestine on peace keeping duties in December 1939 and then moved to Moascar in Egypt, then to Mearsa Matruh in Summer 1940. One of its duties was to look after the large number of Italian prisoners after the fall of Sidi Barrani. In February 1941, the 1st Battalion arrived in Malta , where it became part of
11875-476: Was a 2nd Line duplicate of the 44th (Home Counties) Division. However, on 26 October 1939, it was transferred to the Division's 36th Infantry Brigade in exchange for the 2/6th East Surreys. The 5th Buffs, along with the 6th and 7th Royal West Kents , remained in the 36th Brigade for the rest of the war. Like the 2nd and 4th Battalions, it served with the BEF in France in 1940 and fought in the Battle of France and
12000-471: Was also sometimes called "The Old Buffs", to distinguish it from "The Young Buffs", the 31st Foot . Apart from the 1719 Vigo expedition , the next 25 years were spent on garrison duty in England and Scotland. It returned to Flanders in 1742 during the War of the Austrian Succession , as Thomas Howard 's regiment; to distinguish it from that led by Sir Charles Howard , one became the " Buffs ", and
12125-429: Was amalgamated with the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment to form the Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment , which was later merged, on 31 December 1966, with the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment , the Royal Sussex Regiment and the Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) to form the Queen's Regiment . This regiment was, in turn, amalgamated with the Royal Hampshire Regiment , in September 1992, to create
12250-519: Was assigned to the 11th Brigade , 4th Division . With the division, the battalion joined the British Expeditionary Force and was sent overseas to France in August 1914, landing at Le Havre on 23 August. The 1st Battalion saw its first combat against the German Army at Le Cateau . The battalion served on the Western Front for the rest of the war, participating in many battles in 1914 alone such as
12375-462: Was awarded the Victoria Cross . On 1 September, the 5th Battalion took the lead, and by 2 September had captured Meleto. The Gothic Line had been breached. A fighting advance continued northwards. On 5 September the 128th Brigade was relieved, and sent to the rear for rest, but they were back in the line by 11 September. The 128th Brigade began an assault on Montescudo in September 1944. Montescudo
12500-666: Was based in Sydney from 1821. The second arrived in Hobart in 1822. The third, entitled "The Buffs' Headquarters", arrived in Sydney in 1823. The fourth, arrived in Sydney in 1824, but variously saw service throughout the colonies, being stationed at Port Dalrymple , Parramatta , Liverpool , Newcastle , Port Macquarie and Bathurst . The regiment reunited and was transferred to Calcutta in 1827. During their service in New South Wales , The Buffs
12625-455: Was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel W. Stewart and Lieutenant Colonel C. Cameron. The regiment also saw action at the siege of Sevastopol in winter 1854 during the Crimean War . In 1858, the 2nd Battalion was stationed in Malta . Lieutenant John Cotter , Adjutant of the 2nd Buffs, would shout "Steady, The Buffs!", a phrase which has entered common parlance. The 1st Battalion saw action in
12750-524: Was defended by the German 100th Mountain Regiment, and they put up a desperate resistance. Other elements of the Brigade assaulted Trarivi, which was captured by 16 September. On 18 September, the brigade was relieved. All three battalions were short of men, even after replacements were received from the 1st Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) . The Hampshire Brigade crossed the River Fiumicino, and then
12875-496: Was delayed for one critical day. Later in the month, the Hampshire Brigade was attacked at Hunt's Gap by the German force that had been delayed at Sidi N'sir. 2/4th was the main Battalion engaged, with 1/4th Battalion in support. The 2/5th Leicesters was attached to the brigade as well. The situation was so precarious that the 2nd Hampshires, still training its new recruits, was put into the line alongside 1/4th Battalion. The brigade
13000-608: Was evacuated at Dunkirk. The 12th Division suffered heavy casualties due mainly to most of the men having little training and the division having no artillery or support units. After returning to England, the division was disbanded in July 1940, due to the casualties it had sustained. In 1942, the 36th Brigade was assigned to the newly raised 78th Division and took part in Operation Torch , the Allied landings in North Africa, followed by
13125-666: Was known as the 4th (The Holland Maritime) Regiment and by 1668 as the 4th (The Holland) Regiment . When the Third Anglo-Dutch War began in 1672, the Duke of Buckingham was authorised to recruit an additional eight companies but the two countries made peace in the February 1674 Treaty of Westminster . These men were incorporated into the Anglo-Scots Dutch Brigade and fought in the 1672–1678 Franco-Dutch War ; in November 1688, it accompanied William III to England. It
13250-492: Was made by the Germans, who overran the company headquarters. Fighting was close and confused, and the company ran low on ammunition. It was forced back to literally the last ditch, but hung on. At dawn the next day, 26 June, the battalion counter-attacked and managed to recapture its previous positions; the Germans were withdrawing to the Arezzo Line. The 2/4th Battalion followed up, coming into action again on 21 July. Supported by
13375-431: Was made with great dash, but it failed, with heavy casualties. The 5th Battalion was put under the command of the 138th Infantry Brigade , part of the 46th Division, to assault Mounts Ornito and Cerasola in February 1944. The assault met little opposition, although the Germans put in spirited counter-attacks on Mount Ornito, which were all driven off. However, as the days passed, the casualties mounted from heavy shelling;
13500-443: Was moved back into reserve and, by 23 September, it was back on the beaches unloading cargo. In November 1943, the two-halves of the 2/4th Battalion were re-united at Pontecagnano near Salerno. However, there was no immediate employment, and orders were received to send cadres to the three battalions in the 128th (Hampshire) Brigade (this was rescinded after protests). However, six officers and 77 other ranks were posted away to form
13625-449: Was officially restored as the regimental colour on flags, tunics and mess jackets. On 23 May 1894 approval was given for the dragon to be resumed as the collar badge. For the rest of its existence as a separate entity, both dragon badge and buff facings remained as primary distinctions of the regiment. This was the case even on the simplified dark blue "No. 1 Dress" worn by most of the British Army as full dress after World War II, although
13750-452: Was one of the oldest regiments in the British Army, being third in order of precedence (ranked as the 3rd Regiment of the line). The regiment provided distinguished service over a period of almost four hundred years accumulating one hundred and sixteen battle honours . In 1881, under the Childers Reforms , it was known as the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) and later, on 3 June 1935, was renamed the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) . In 1961, it
13875-571: Was only lightly engaged, it was not so depleted. On 12 August, the 1st Battalion was withdrawn from the line. The battalion was motorised and joined with the 11th Armoured Division for the breakout attack later in the month. There was no fighting and, on 31 August, the 1st Battalion crossed the river Seine at Vernon and swept on to Amiens. The battalion was then placed under command of the Guards Armoured Division and swept into Brussels on 3 September. The battalion, still under command of
14000-411: Was opposed by shore batteries firing shrapnel, and the beaches were raked by machine gun fire. 2nd Battalion and 1/4th Battalion made steady progress, but 5th Battalion had been landed in the wrong place and suffered heavily. A German counter-attack overran 'B' Company and the battalion HQ of 5th Battalion. The 5th Battalion lost 40 men killed and over 300 were wounded or taken prisoner. On 12 September,
14125-423: Was part of the larger Somme offensive . The 2nd Battalion was also a Regular Army battalion that was serving in India at the outbreak of war and arrived in England on 22 December 1914. In early 1915, the battalion became part of the 88th Brigade , assigned to the 29th Division . The 2nd Battalion took part in the Battle of Gallipoli when engaged in the fatal Landing at Cape Helles in April 1915 and fought in
14250-514: Was reconstituted to consist of 2nd Battalion, 1/4th Battalion and 5th Battalion. The 2/4th Battalion was split into two to form two Defence Units of two Beach Groups . Their role was to protect the maintenance area of a Beach Group when it made a landing where no port was available. The 128th Infantry Brigade was one of three British brigades that made an assault landing at Salerno in Italy as part of British X Corps under command of US Fifth Army , led by Mark Clark in September 1943. The landing
14375-430: Was reformed in 1947 the 4th and 5th Buffs were merged into a single battalion. In 1956 410 (Kent) Coast Regiment , Royal Artillery , was converted to the infantry role and became 5th Buffs. In 1961, the regiment was amalgamated with the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment to form the Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment , which was later merged, on 31 December 1966, with the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment ,
14500-498: Was sent 12 miles further ahead to Sidi Nsir. The 5th Battalion at Sidi N'sir was attacked in overwhelming strength in February 1943 as the Germans began Operation "Ox Head", a corps-level assault by German Paratroopers , elements of 10th Panzer Division and the 501st Heavy Tank Battalion. The 5th Battalion was supported by 155th Battery, Royal Artillery . The Germans had to take the Hampshires' hilltop positions before they could attack
14625-625: Was sent to Ireland to fight the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence . On 20 February 1921, soldiers from the battalion took part in the Clonmult ambush during which the IRA suffered significant losses. On 31 May 1921, seven soldiers, all with the band of the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment were on their way to the rifle range at Youghal County Cork when a road mine exploded under
14750-607: Was subsumed into the National Army Museum in 2000. The Colonels-in-Chief were as follows: The Colonels were as follows: The regiment was awarded the Freedom of the City of London , giving them the right to march through the city. The honours in bold were worn on the Colours. The following members of the regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross : In 1667 the Holland Regiment
14875-488: Was supported by plenty of artillery and the Churchill tanks of the North Irish Horse . Extensive minefields and heavy dive bombing kept the German tanks at bay. On 28 February, a pre-dawn attack penetrated the 2/4th battalion's 'B' Company positions, but heroic resistance and the tanks of the North Irish Horse kept the Germans at bay until dusk, when 'B' Company was overrun. 'C' Company was overrun by German infantry. On 1 March,
15000-418: Was taken on 4 August, following which the 50th Division was taken out of the line. In August 1944, a brigade attack was launched towards Conde, and the battalion attacked St Pierre la Vielle. The fighting was particularly hard and, after the 11-hour battle, three of its Rifle companies were severely reduced – 'B' Company had 25 men, 'C' Company had 35 men, and 'D' Company was down to just 12 men; as 'A' Company
15125-435: Was the start of three days of fierce close combat, fought at close quarters and featuring bayonet charges and counter-charges. The battalion was forced back a mile and a half and, on 3 December, Major Wallace Le Patourel was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry in leading counter-attacks against the enemy. After three days, the battalion retreated through Tebourba, only to find all other troops had been withdrawn and
15250-619: Was then taken out of the line for R&R . In November 1943, the Hampshire Brigade moved up to the River Garigliano. It was relieved on 11 January, and moved back to the River Volturno. They were selected as the Assault Brigade of the 46th Infantry Division, and trained in river crossings. Then, in January 1944, the Hampshire Brigade made a night assault across the swift flowing River Garigliano. The brigade had severe problems getting
15375-412: Was then transferred to Salonika in October 1915. The 11th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) landed at Le Havre in December 1915. The 12th (Service) Battalion landed in France in September 1915, but moved to Salonika in November 1915. The 14th (Service) Battalion (1st Portsmouth) landed at Le Havre in March 1916. The 15th (Service) Battalion (2nd Portsmouth) landed in France in May 1916. The 2nd Battalion
15500-465: Was to cross the River Metauro and take Monte Bartolo. The assault went to plan against little opposition, and Mount Bartolo was captured by the morning of 29 August. The brigade had marched 25 miles to cover 12 miles as the crow flies, and climbed 1,500 feet. Only the 1/4th Battalion had come across serious opposition, engaging in heavy fighting around Montegaudio. Later in the month the brigade assaulted
15625-458: Was transferred onto the English military establishment as the "4th The Lord High Admiral's Regiment" and in 1689 became the 3rd (Prince George of Denmark's) Regiment of Foot . During the 1689–1697 Nine Years War , it served in the Low Countries , including the battles of Walcourt , Steenkerque and Landen . It returned to England when the war ended with the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick . During
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