Young Buffs
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The East Surrey Regiment, the 31st Foot, raised as Marines in 1702. Their name was coined at the Battle of Dettingen, 1743.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Young Buffs” mean?
The East Surrey Regiment, the 31st Foot, raised as Marines in 1702. Their name was coined at the Battle of Dettingen, 1743.
Is “Young Buffs” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.