4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters | |
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4 WFR | |
Active | 1988 – 1993 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Battalion |
Part of | 143rd (West Midlands) Infantry Brigade |
Battalion HQ | Redditch |
The 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters (4 WFR/896 Sig Tp) was a former territorial infantry battalion that existed for a short time towards the end of the Cold War. Following reductions to the Territorial Army (TA) in 1992, the battalion was disbanded with elements helping to form RHQ & HQ Sqn of 37 Signal Regiment, and 96 (City of Coventry) Signal Squadron. This squadron was then reduced to a signal troop in 2009, but continues to exist as part of 48 (City of Birmingham) Signal Squadron.
Between 1986 and 1989 the Territorial Army (TA) was in the midst of a reformation and "generalisation", where territorial regiments were being disbanded and their companies forming new battalions attached to regular regiments. These new battalions would be given roles in support of NATO. One of the regiments that was slated to be disbanded was the Mercian Volunteers which had been formed in 1975, following the disbandment and re-rolling of many of the cadre units following the 1966 Defence White Paper. [1] [2] [3]
On 5 April 1988 the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters was formed as part of the 1981 Defence White Paper, which reduced the regular army slightly, while expanding the TA. As part of the changes, both battalions of Mercian Volunteers were dissolved and their companies paved the way for new TA battalions; 3rd Staffords, 4th WFR, and 3rd Cheshires. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Because the battalion was not a direct successor to either battalions of the Mercian Volunteers, it had a mixed structure from units of the former 1st and 2nd battalions. After formation, the battalion was assigned to the 143rd (West Midlands) Brigade, which was a home defence brigade overseeing the West Midlands region. If mobilised, the battalion would be assigned to Commander Communications, I (BR) Corps as a communications support unit providing rear defence and security. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Below is the structure of the battalion following its formation, with predecessors; [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [Note 1]
96 (City of Coventry) Signal Squadron 896 (City of Coventry) Signal Troop | |
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96 Sig Sqn 896 Signal Tp | |
Active | 1993 – present |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Military communications |
Size | Troop (since 2009) |
Part of | 37th Signal Regiment |
Current Location | Coventry |
Insignia | |
Tactical Recognition Flash |
Following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union and subsequent end to the Cold War, a sweeping armed forces reorganisation took place known as the Options for Change. One of the major changes to the army was the reduction or disbandment/conversion of many of the TA battalions which had been formed during the 1980s. As a result, it was decided 4 WFR was to be disbanded and its sub-units distributed to other TA units. [1] [3] [4] After these changes, the following occurred to the battalion (by company); [1] [3] [4]
When the battalion was disbanded, much of the former personnel became part of the new Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron of 37 Signal Regiment. However, personnel also joined the new 96 (City of Coventry) Signal Squadron based in the Coventry, which had just formed. This squadron continued the lineage of the battalion when it joined 37 Signal Regiment in November 1992. [1] [3] [4] [7] [8]
The squadron was later reduced to 896 (City of Coventry) Signal Troop as part of the 2009 review of reserve forces. Today, the squadron forms part of 48 (City of Birmingham) Signal Squadron in 37 Signal Regiment providing command support teams and support to HQ 11th Signal Brigade & HQ West Midlands. [1] [4] [7] [8]
Notes
Citations
Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in summer 1990 after the end of the Cold War.
The Mercian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, which is recruited from five of the counties that formed the ancient kingdom of Mercia. Known as 'The Heart of England's Infantry', it was formed on 1 September 2007 by the amalgamation of three existing regiments. The Regiment has had fifteen operational deployments since its formation.
The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment served as the county regiment for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire.
The Robin Hood Battalion was a unit of the Volunteer Force of the British Army and Territorial Force, later the Territorial Army. The battalion served as infantry during the 1916 Easter Uprising in Dublin and then served on the Western Front during World War I. In the 1930s it re-roled as an anti-aircraft unit and served in World War II, including North-western Europe from June 1944 to May 1945.
The East of England Regiment (EER) was the infantry unit of the Territorial Army of the East Midlands and East Anglia from 1 July 1999 to 1 April 2006. Upon the re-organisation of the infantry in 2006, the regiment became 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment.
The West Midlands Regiment was a short-lived British Territorial Army regiment from 1999 until it was re-designated as 4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment, in 2007.
The 43rd Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the British Army during the First and Second World Wars, and later, as 43 (Wessex) Brigade, a regional headquarters from 1985 to 2014.
The Queen's Own Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry (QOWWY) was a regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps, forming part of the Territorial Army (TA). Following reductions in 1969 and 1971 respectively the regiment was reduced to two and later one company sized sub-unit in 1999. Following a reorganisation in 2021, there are now two successors to the regiment: one squadron in the Royal Yeomanry as light cavalry, and one squadron in the 37th Signal Regiment as a support squadron.
The 31st Signal Regiment was a territorial communications regiment of the British Army's Royal Corps of Signals. The regiment first formed following the creation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve in 1967 after the 1966 Defence White Paper. After seeing limited reserve support during the Cold War, the regiment was disbanded in 2010 following the initial Army 2020 reform.
The Home Service Force (HSF) was a Home Guard type force established in the United Kingdom in 1982. Each HSF unit was placed with either a Regular Army or Territorial Army regiment or battalion for administrative purposes and given that formation's title, cap badge and recruited from volunteers aged 18–60 with previous British forces experience. It was introduced to guard key points and installations likely to be the target of enemy special forces and saboteurs, so releasing other units for mobile defence roles. It was stood down in 1992 due to budget cuts.
140 Corps Engineer Regiment was a short-lived Territorial Army (TA) unit of the Royal Engineers based in the North Midlands of England during the 1960s.
The Light Infantry Volunteers was a short lived Territorial Army infantry regiment of the British Army, that existed from 1967 to 1972, composed of companies from the Light Infantry regiments. In 1972, it was re-designated as 5th Battalion, The Light Infantry, serving as such until amalgamation in 1999.
The 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment was a Territorial Army unit of the regular Staffordshire Regiment which was formed in 1988, but disbanded in 1999. The battalion's successor continues to serve in the Mercian Regiment to this day.
The Mercian Volunteers was a Territorial Army infantry regiment of the British Army, in existence from 1967 to 1988. Upon formation, it consisted of a singular battalion, however it later raised a second in 1975.
The 6th (Volunteer) Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment was a part-time infantry unit of the British Army part of the Territorial Army (TA). Formed in 1971 from the expansion of many cadres, the battalion was disbanded in 1999 and formed sub-units in the new East of England Regiment. Today, the battalion's successors still form part of the Army Reserve (AR) component of the Royal Anglian Regiment's only remaining reserve unit, the 3rd (V) Battalion.
The 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment was a part-time infantry battalion based in Cheshire, England and tasked with home defence during its tenure. The battalion was formed in the latter part of the Cold War, but later disbanded forming two companies in the new local Territorial Army (TA) regiment, the King's and Cheshire Regiment. Today, the battalion's lineage is continued in Mortar Platoon, B Company, 4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment.
The 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Volunteers was an infantry battalion of Yorkshire's only Territorial Army (TA) regiment, and existed for just around four years before amalgamating with another battalion of the Yorkshire Volunteers.
85 (Ulster) Signal Squadron was a military communications unit of the British Territorial Army, which formed part of the Royal Corps of Signals. The squadron was one of four signal squadrons which formed part of 40th (Ulster) Signal Regiment until its disbandment in 2009.
The 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Wales was an infantry battalion of the British Army, part of the Royal Regiment of Wales. The battalion was formed during the expansion of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR) in 1971, and later disbanded and merged with the 4th (V) Battalion of the same regiment to form the new 2nd (V) Battalion. The battalion's lineage is currently carried on by two company-sized units: C Company, part of the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Welsh and 580 (Glamorgan) Transport Squadron of 157th Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps.