Stafford Knot and Glider From Staffordshire Regiment
Abbreviation
MERCIAN
MERC
Military unit
The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire, Worcesters and Foresters, and Staffords) is an infantryregiment 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.[3]
History
The regiment's formation was announced on 16 December 2004 by the then Secretary of DefenceGeoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson as part of the restructuring of the British Army Infantry - it consisted of three regular battalions, plus a territorial battalion, and was created through the merger of three single battalion regiments.[4]
The regiment originally had 3 regular army battalions and one Army Reserve battalion, though the 3rd Battalion was disbanded, as part of the restructuring of the British Army,[6] in July 2014.[7] It had been part of the 7th Armoured Brigade based in Bad Fallingbostel, Germany.[8] The regiment further restructured in September 2022 when the 2nd Battalion merged with the 1st Battalion.[9] This happened as a result of the Integrated Review.[10]
The regiment was deployed to Afghanistan (Herrick 6, Herrick 10, Herrick 12, Herrick 14, Herrick 15, Herrick 17 and Herrick 19) and to Iraq (Telic 11).[11]
The regiment's cap badge is a double headed Mercian Eagle with Saxon crown. This has been chosen because it forms a link to the regiment's recruiting area, which encompass a number of divergent counties that do not have modern traditional links, only under the ancient Kingdom of Mercia (unlike the other new regiments from Scotland, Wales and Yorkshire). It was originally intended to use the old Mercian Brigade badge worn by the Cheshire Regiment, Staffordshire Regiment, Worcestershire Regiment and Sherwood Foresters from 1958 to 1968, rather than create an amalgamated badge that would require elements from all of the antecedents. In 2005, this badge was rejected by the Army Dress Committee on the grounds that it had been the badge of a territorial unit, The Mercian Volunteers, which was junior to the amalgamating regiments.[19] Accordingly, a slightly modified design featuring two colours of metal was adopted.[20]
In 2012, following the announcement that the 3rd Battalion (ex-Staffordshire Regiment) was to be disbanded, a proposal was submitted to the Army to have the name of the Mercian Regiment changed to reflect its entire lineage and maintain the Staffords name.[21] In July 2014, this proposal was approved, and the regiment was renamed as The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire, Worcesters and Foresters, and Staffords).[22]
Mascot
Private Derby XXX, a Swaledale ram and mascot for the Mercian RegimentMercian Regiment in Ashbourne, Derbyshire on 18 March 2010
"Derby", a Swaledale ram, is the regimental mascot, a tradition inherited from the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment. The 30th iteration of the Mascot was known as Lance Corporal Derby XXX, before he died on 27 November 2015.[23] His successor, known as Private Derby XXXI, was announced on 20 February 2016[24] but he died on 1 September 2017.[25]
In December 2017 Private Derby XXXII was presented to the Regiment[26] by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth House.[27] Private Derby was received by Brigadier Williams, OBE, Colonel of the Regiment.[28]
Private Derby led the Tamworth Carnival in 2019.[29] According to his handlers this was the longest March Private Derby has done to date.[30]
The regiment also maintains loose links through its Regimental Headquarters with the former mascot of the Staffordshire Regiment, Watchman, who now carries out his duties as part of the Staffordshire Regiment Association.[31]
Dress
Various "Golden Threads", representing the traditions of predecessor units, are incorporated in the Mercian Regiment's uniform:
Arm badge: a gold wire Stafford knot and glider badge with a backing of "Brown Holland" material on a black felt patch from the Staffordshire Regiment[32]
Collar badge: oak leaves and acorn from the Cheshire Regiment combined with the motto Firm from the Worcestershire Regiment[32]
Facing colour: buff, from the Cheshire Regiment. To be worn on full dress uniform, mess dress and as piping on No.1 dress shoulder straps.[32]
Sword frog on the Sam Browne Belt comes from the Worcestershire Regiment[33]
Warrant officers' and NCO's rank badges: Black backing from Staffordshire Regiment.[32]
Cap badge backing: A square Lincoln green cloth backing worn behind the cap badge on the beret, from the Sherwood Foresters[32]
Lanyards: Originally, each battalion wore a distinctively coloured lanyard on No.2 dress: red cerise for the 1st battalion, Lincoln green for the 2nd, black for the 3rd and Mercian blue for the 4th. A regimental pattern with twists of cerise, buff and green was worn by those who were extra-regimentally employed: this multi-coloured lanyard is now worn by all in the regiment.[32]
Tactical Recognition Flashes: The regiment's TRF is a 3 vertical striped diamond with cerise on the left, buff in the middle and Lincoln green on the right. Each Battalion also has their own, the 1st and 2nd Battalions use their antecedent regiment's flashes, buff and cerise for the 1st and cerise and Lincoln green for the 2nd. The 3rd battalion has a black diamond with the Stafford knot and the 4th Battalion has a blue diamond with the Mercian Eagle on it.[32]
Regimental Side Hat: black with buff inner crease and green piping and peak. The cap badge is in silver and gold wire embroidery.[32]
Pullover: Buff, worn by officers and WOs, from the Cheshire Regiment.[32]
Stable Belt: Buff, from the Cheshire Regiment, with a bronze locket bearing the cap badge in brass.[32]
Band
The Band of the Mercian Regiment is the regimental military band of the Mercian Regiment. Based in Wolverhampton, the Band is composed of volunteer musicians that include many from civilian careers. The band undertakes a variety of performances international, national, and local parades/festivals and concerts. In recent years, the band has visited countries such as Cyprus, participated in events like the Buxton Military Tattoo and in 2014, became the first and only reserve band based outside of London to performs during the changing of the Queen's Guard at both Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace. It also has taken part in the Household Division's Beating Retreat on Horse Guards Parade. One of its more notable directors was Captain Anthony Hodgetts, who after rising through the ranks of British Army Bands, served twelve years as Director of Music of the Royal Army of Oman.[34]
On the 1 June 2019, the Mercian Regiment Band led the Tamworth carnival though the town. According to the musicians this was the longest march the band had done to date.[35]
On the 10 October 2019, Mercian Band Bugler Msn Wykes performed the Last Post and Rouse at the National Memorial Arboretum.[36] He then also performed the Last Post and Rouse at the War memorial in St Editha's Church Tamworth, Tamworth being the historical capital of Mercia.[37]
Regimental Museums
The Mercian Regiment supports four museums that hold collections of the Mercian Regiment and its antecedent regiments:
The Museum of the Mercian Regiment (WFR Collection) in Nottingham.
4 October 2007: Erewash. Originally granted to the Worcestershire Regiment in 1951, then to the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment in 1970.
15 October 2007: Nottingham. Originally granted to the Sherwood Foresters Regiment on 22 October 1945, then to the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment on 28 February 1970.
12 December 2007: Chesterfield. Originally granted to the Sherwood Foresters Regiment in 1946, then to the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment in 1970.
12 March 2008: Kidderminster. Originally granted to the Worcestershire Regiment in 1952, then to the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment in 1989.
^"3 Mercian disbanded". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2011.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^"Mercian Regiment". The Mercian Regimental Charity. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
^Video of Private Derby leading Tamworth Carnival 2019 JAMedia-UK (2 June 2019), Mercians Take Salute Tamworth 2019, archived from the original on 12 December 2021, retrieved 24 July 2019
^ abThe London Gazette, Page 3300-3301 (1 July 1881). "Childers Reform". No. 24992. Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 27 October 2016.((cite news)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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