| Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1971–1975 |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 British Army |
| Role | Line Infantry |
| Size | One 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.
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]
- Headquarters, at Wolseley House, Wolverhampton[4]
- A (Worcestershire Regiment) Company, at Worcester
(from 7th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment) - B (5th/6th Battalion Staffordshire Regiment) Company, at Stoke-on-Trent
(from 5th/6th Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment) - C (King's Shropshire Light Infantry) Company, at Wellington
(from 4th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry) - D (Herefordshire Light Infantry) Company, at Ross-on-Wye
(from 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Light Infantry) - E Company, at Whittimere Street Drill Hall, Walsall
(newly raised)
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:
- A Company: Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander W.R.H. Pettigrew, OBE TD[6]
- B Company: Colonel Charles J. Baines, CBE MC TD DL[7]
- C & D Companies: Lieutenant-Colonel Guy M. Thorneycroft, DL[8]
References[]
- ↑ "badge, collar, British, Light Infantry & The Mercian Volunteers". https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30078119. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers". http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-mi/71LImer.htm. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers - British Army units from 1945 on". http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/territorial-army-infantry/light-infantry-and-mercian-volunteers.html. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ↑ "Mercian Volunteers - British Army units from 1945 on". http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/territorial-army-infantry/mercian-volunteers.html. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Formation of the New Regiment". https://www.lightinfantry.me.uk/formnewreg.htm. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ↑ "7th Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment (and all Worcestershire successors)". http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-mi/wo-7.htm. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ↑ "3rd Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)". http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-mi/st-3.htm. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ↑ "The King's Shropshire and Herefordshire Light Infantry, The Light Infantry". http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-mi/69ksli.htm. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
The original article can be found at Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers and the edit history here.