Steady the
Buffs
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
‘Steady the Buffs’ means calm down, don’t fret. It originates from the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) formerly the Third Regiment of Foot. The regiment was amalgamated severally with other regiments after the Second World War, finally becoming known with them as the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, the Tigers.
The Buffs was a regiment raised in the county of Kent and garrisoned in Canterbury and has a history dating from 1572. Before khaki uniforms were introduced in 1868, British regiments wore red jackets. In order to identify different regiments, the jackets had different coloured facings.
The facings were the linings of the coats, which were exposed when lapels or cuffs were turned back. At that time regiments were still being named after their colonels. There were two Colonel Howard’s Regiments, and the only way to distinguish them was by the colour of their facings. The Hon. Sir Charles Howard was the colonel of the 19th, and his regiment was known as the Green Howards, because of their green facings. Thomas Howard was the colonel of the Third Regiment of Foot, which had buff facings and became known as the Buff Howards.
‘Steady the Buffs’ was a phrase first heard in 1858. The 2nd Battalion was stationed in Malta when the adjutant, Lt. John Cotter, was commanding a parade while being observed by the 21st Fusiliers. In his determination not to be embarrassed by ill-disciplined troops, he ordered, ‘Steady the Buffs’ and the phrase passed into common military parlance.
Rudyard Kipling used the phrase in his collection of short stories, under the title of ‘Soldiers Three’.
It is a phrase frequently heard in our house and always reminds me of my late mother-in-law. Born and brought up in Kent, and a Maid of Kent (that is, born to the east of the River Medway) it was one of her favourite expressions.
Growing up in Australia, I have never heard "Steady the Buffs" and have never delved into military history.
ReplyDeleteIt's a case of sink or swim in this house as Barry is very interested in military history. I mean, we don't have suits of armour and military memorabilia scattered around the place, but the books keep coming!
DeleteIt's a new one to me. Being a Maid of Kent is also interesting.
ReplyDeleteIf you're born in Kent you're either a Maid of Kent or a Kentish Maid (or male equivalent) depending on which bit of Kent you were born in, east or west of the River Medway.
ReplyDeleteWith these colorful uniforms they were an easy target ! I see each year a lot of them because of the battle of Waterloo in Summer. It's a tourist attraction. In my family everything concerning uniforms, wars etc was banned. Young men my generation who went to the new army were not well seen, and the parents ashamed. Lots of them refused doing their service and preferred to work in homes or hospitals, these were the heroes ! The Germans didn't want to see any uniform anymore, they had enough just after Hitler the great ! We wore jeans at school, that was given to us by the American occupation.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been hard growing up in Germany after the war, with everything, including reputation, ruined, and all because of that awful man and his twisted views.
DeleteI first came across the phrase when I was teaching, ‘ An Inspector Calls’ ! Until then, I hadn’t heard of the phrase, what it meant or from where it originated! It’s good to see that the phrase lives on in your house! 😁
ReplyDeleteWe're a repository of outdated sayings . . . ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe phrase 'Steady the Buffs' is completely new to me. Thank you for the introduction and the insight into its origin. xxx
ReplyDeleteI hope you will incorporate it in your daily utterances, Ann . . . x x x
ReplyDeleteInteresting! I would like to start using it but I know people would look at me strangely and I would need to explain! (and my mental capacity is at Dangerously Overloaded these days)
ReplyDeleteYou can just whisper it to yourself ;-)
ReplyDeleteWell, now that you suggest it, that is exactly what I'll do! After all, I already say so much else under my breath, may as well add something to amuse/soothe myself! LOL
ReplyDeleteWell done, Jenny x x
ReplyDelete