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Grenadier, 3rd Foot 1725 by P H Smitherman The armorial bearings of the colonel of the regiment, displayed in Westminster Abbey, provide the details for this image. Here the grenadier cap displays the crest of the colonel himself, which is unusual, and was expressly forbidden later on. However, as it was forbidden no doubt other colonels had done the same. The coat is only single breasted, with no lapels to turn back, the large cuffs being kept up by being buttoned through to the sleeves. This grenadier is armed with a flintlock and has the basket-hilted sword commonly carried at this time. His bayonet cannot be seen, but would be a ring bayonet mounted in a frog over the sword. In 1742 the design to be worn on grenadiers caps was laid down as the royal cipher under a crown, on a cap of the facing colour. An exception was made in the case of the Six Old Corps, which were allowed to retain their old badgess, and among these were the 3rd who retained the dragon, their ancient badge. This dragon is not illustrated on this cap, however, and is more likely the Tudor dragon dating back to the time of the London Train Bands, from which the 3rd Foot were originally raised for service in Holland. They returned home in 1665 to be placed on the regular establishment, exchanging their buff coats for scarlet, but retaining buff as their facing colour. They were known from the beginning as The Buffs, a name which survives until the present day, and their connection with East Kent remains unvroken since 1782. |
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