[Illustration] HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE BUFFS, 1914–1919 [Illustration: _By Lady Butler_ A MAN OF KENT From the Original in the possession of Major-General Sir E. G. T. Bainbridge, K.C.B.] HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE BUFFS EAST KENT REGIMENT (3RD FOOT) FORMERLY DESIGNATED THE HOLLAND REGIMENT AND PRINCE GEORGE OF DENMARK’S REGIMENT 1914–1919 BY COLONEL R. S. H. MOODY, C.B., p.s.c. LATE THE BUFFS LONDON THE MEDICI SOCIETY, LIMITED MCMXXII Printed in Great Britain at _The Mayflower Press, Plymouth_. William Brendon & Son, Ltd. PREFACE It has been said that a preface to a book is merely to give an opportunity to the author to make excuses for his shortcomings, and this is to a certain extent correct. The chief point that seems to call for explanation in the case of this work is the condensation of a very long story into a very brief space. Economy demands that the book containing the history of the Buffs during the momentous years from 1914 to 1919 shall not stretch its length beyond a certain limit, and it is difficult to pack the stories of eight fighting battalions for four years into the required space; yet it is feared that the unavoidable price of a more lengthy volume or volumes might perhaps be prohibitive in the cases of many individuals deeply interested in the regiment. Thus it is clear that if all battles and engagements are to be described, what may perhaps be considered as a bald record of events is not altogether avoidable. The intervals between the great fights were fairly well filled with minor enterprises and with individual acts of gallantry, all of which ought to be recorded, but it is a misfortune that many brave deeds done by single men or very small parties can find no record in these pages. Several were performed that were not reported at the time, as is so often the case in war, when everyone of rank is so occupied with his urgent duties that it is more or less a chance whether or no he notices the heroism of individuals about him. The list of subscribers, without whose help this book could not have been produced, is printed on pages 549–554. CONTENTS PAGE AUTHOR’S PREFACE v FOREWORD BY GENERAL THE RT. HON. SIR ARTHUR PAGET, P.C., G.C.B., Colonel of the Buffs xix CHAPTER I