Home > Army Organisation > Infantry > The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
"Steady, the Buffs"
To trace the movements and actions of any battalion, click on the Divisions
with which it served
Battalions of the regular army
1st Battalion:
August 1914 : in Fermoy. Part of 16th Brigade, 6th Division.
2nd Battalion:
August 1914 : in Madras. Returned to England 23 December 1914. Joined 85th Brigade, 28th Division.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Canterbury. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the
war.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/4th Battalion:
August 1914 : in Canterbury. Part of Kent Brigade, Home Counties Division. 29 October 1914 : to India, remaining there throughout the war. The Division was broken up on arrival in Bombay. Joined Mhow Brigade in 5th (Mhow) Division. August 1915 to Aden Brigade. January 1916 to India and 7th Meerut Divisional Area. July 1918 to Lahore in 16th (Indian) Division .
2/4th Battalion:
Formed at Canterbury in September 1914 as a Second Line battalion. Attached to 2/Kent Brigade, 2/Home Counties Division. November : formation became 202nd Brigade, 67th Division. Remained in England throughout the war.
1/5th (The Weald of Kent) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Ashford. Part of Kent Brigade, Home Counties Division. 29 October 1914 : to India, remaining there throughout the war. The Division was broken up on arrival in Bombay. Joined Jubbulpore Brigade in 5th (Mhow) Division. November 1915 to 35th Brigade in 7th (Meerut) Division in Mesopotamia. Brigade moved to 14th (Indian) Division in May 1916.
2/5th (The Weald of Kent) Battalion:
Formed at Ashford in September 1914 as a Second Line battalion. Attached to 2/Kent Brigade, 2/Home Counties Division. November : formation became 202nd Brigade, 67th Division. Remained in England throughout the war.
3/4th and 3/5th (The Weald of Kent) Battalions:
Formed at Canterbury and Ashford, July
and March 1915, respectively.
April 1916 : became Reserve Bns and 4th
then absorbed 5th.
10th (Royal East Kent & West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion:
Formed at Sollum in Egypt on 1 February
1917 from two dismounted Yeomanry Regiments.
February 1917 : attached
to 230th Brigade, 74th Division. Moved to
France.
Battalions of the New Armies
6th (Service) Battalion:
Formed at Canterbury in August 1914 as part of K1 and attached to 37th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division
7th (Service) Battalion:
Formed at Canterbury in September 1914 as part of K2 and attached to 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division
8th (Service) Battalion:
Formed at Canterbury in September 1914
as part of K2 and attached to 72nd Brigade, 24th
Division
October 1915 : moved to 17th Brigade, 24th
Division
Disbanded in France in February 1918.
9th (Reserve) Battalion:
Formed in Dover in October 1914 as
a Service Battalion of K4 and attached to 95th Brigade,
original 32nd Division.
April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion.
September 1916 : became 29th Bbattalion
of 7th Reserve Brigade of Training Reserve and
lost connection with regiment .
Other battalions raised by the regiment
1st (Home Service ) Battalion:
Formed in Dover in April 1916. In August 1917 was converted to become 2nd Battalion of the Royal Defence Corps.