Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an excl. of embarrassed regret, usu. when recounting some shameful solecism.

1936		J. Curtis Gilt Kid 290: The mouthpiece had done a good job of work for the dock brief and chewed them up properly. They had looked a couple of fools. Were their faces red?
1957		J.M. Hosking ‘Move On Please!’ Aus. First and Last 41: He said, ‘Don’t do that here.’ [...] I said, ‘She doesn’t drink. / Why should you kick up a stink? / You can’t put us in the clink.’ Was his face red!
1996		G. Saunders CivilWarLand in Bad Decline 3: Were our faces red when we found out it was actually the Irish who built the Canal.