Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers

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Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers
Active1971–1975
AllegianceFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
Role Line Infantry
SizeOne Battalion
Garrison/HQ Wolverhampton

The Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers was a short-lived infantry regiment of the British Army, in existence from 1971 to 1975.

Contents

History

The battalion was formed on the 1 April 1971, from the cadres of former Midland infantry battalions that had been reduced as a result of the 1966 Defence White Paper and formation of the much smaller TAVR. [1] Its initial structure was: [2] [3]

Only four years later, however, the regiment was broken up and the companies were distributed amongst other battalions. Namely: A, B, and E Companies to the 2nd Battalion, Mercian Volunteers as A, B, and D Companies respectively; C Company to 5th Battalion, The Light Infantry, as E Company; [5] and D Company to 6th Battalion, The Light Infantry, [5] with the same lettering. [2] [3]

Deputy Honorary Colonels

The regiment didn't have an Honorary Colonel as a whole, however from 1971–1972 each company maintained their own Deputy Honorary Colonel, in succession to the previous unit. These were:

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercian Regiment</span> Infantry regiment of the British Army

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment</span> Military unit

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The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in the Childers Reforms of 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. It served in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. In 1968, the four regiments of the Light Infantry Brigade amalgamated to form The Light Infantry, with the 1st KSLI being redesignated as the 3rd Battalion of the new 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 Wessex Regiment was a Territorial Army infantry regiment of the British Army, in existence from 1967 to 1995. Initially consisting of a singular battalion, the regiment was later expanded to also have a second.

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The 49th Infantry Brigade, later known as 49th (Eastern) Infantry Brigade during the Cold War, was a brigade of the British Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staffordshire Yeomanry</span> Military unit

The Staffordshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army. Raised in 1794 following Prime Minister William Pitt's order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain from foreign invasion, the Staffordshire Yeomanry began as a volunteer cavalry regiment.

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 Herefordshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1861 to 1967. The regiment had no lineal connection with the 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Shrubbery, Kidderminster</span>

The Shrubbery is a former military installation in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. It is a Grade II listed building.

The Light Infantry Volunteers was short lived a 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 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters 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 Signal Squadron. This squadron was then reduced to a signal troop in 2009, but continues to exist as part of 48 Signal Squadron.

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 Northumbrian Volunteers was a short-lived Territorial Army infantry regiment of the British Army, in existence from 1971 to 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcestershire Rifles</span> Military unit

The Worcestershire Rifles was a volunteer, part-time unit of the British Army based in the county of Worcestershire which had a long, yet split history in two units before merging into the larger Worcestershire Regiment. Following active service in both World Wars, during which its strength was doubled into three battalions, the unit was reduced to a company, and later expanded to two companies. Following reductions in the early 21st century, the two companies were merged and later reduced to a platoon in 2006. Today, the regiment's lineage is continued in the anti-tank platoon of the 4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment, still based in Kidderminster where the first volunteers had formed.

References

  1. "badge, collar, British, Light Infantry & The Mercian Volunteers". Imperial War Museum . Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 "The Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers". Archived from the original on 1 March 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers - British Army units from 1945 on" . Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  4. "Mercian Volunteers - British Army units from 1945 on" . Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Formation of the New Regiment" . Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  6. "7th Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment (and all Worcestershire successors)". Archived from the original on 3 March 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  7. "3rd Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)". Archived from the original on 1 March 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  8. "The King's Shropshire and Herefordshire Light Infantry, The Light Infantry". Archived from the original on 3 March 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.