| West Midlands Regiment 4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1999 – present |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 British Army |
| Role | Line Infantry |
| Size | One Battalion |
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.
History[]
The regiment was formed in 1999 by the amalgamation of three territorial infantry battalions, namely: 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers; 5th Battalion, The Light Infantry; and 3rd Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment.[1]
The regiment was composed of a headquarters company and five rifle companies, continuing to use the insignia of the regular regiments to which they were affiliated. Its initial structure was as follows:[2][3]
- HQ Company, at Wolverhampton
- A (Fusilier) Company, at Sheldon and Coventry (from HQ and B Companies, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers)
- B (Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment) Company, at Kidderminster and Worcester (from A Company, 5th Battalion, The Light Infantry)
- C (Stafford) Company, at Burton upon Trent (from C Company, 3rd Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment)
- D (Stafford) Company, at Stoke-on-Trent (from B Company, 3rd Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment)
- E (Light Infantry) Company, at Shrewsbury and Hereford (from HQ and C Companies, 5th Battalion, Light Infantry)
Structure prior to re-designation[]
Not long prior to re-designation of a battalion of the Mercian Regiment, the regiment absorbed the companies from other regiments that were within the new regiment's recruiting area, in order to ease the re-designation process. After this, its structure was as follows:[3]
- HQ Company, at Wolverhampton
- A (Cheshire) Company, at Warrington and Stockport (from B (Cheshire) Regiment, King's and Cheshire Regiment)
- B Company, at Crewe and Stoke-on-Trent (from D (Cheshire) Company, King's and Cheshire Regiment)
- C (Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment) Company, at Mansfield (from C (Stafford) Company, West Midlands Regiment; and D (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment)) Company, East of England Regiment)
- D (Staffordshire) Company, at Wolverhampton, Kidderminster, and Burton upon Trent (from D (Stafford) Company; and Platoon of B (Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment) Company)
- F (Fusilier) Company, at Birmingham (from A (Fusilier) Company)
- L Company (Light Infantry), at Shrewsbury (from E (Light Infantry) Company, less Hereford Platoon to B (Shropshire Yeomanry) Squadron, Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry)
4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment[]
On 1 September 2007, the regiment was re-designated as the 4th Battalion of the Mercian Regiment.[4] It now serves as the reserve infantry battalion for Cheshire, Staffordshire, Worcestshire, West Midlands, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire.
Current Structure[]
Its current structure is as follows:
- Headquarters Company, at Wolseley House, Birmingham[5]
- B Company, at Widnes[8]
- Mortar Platoon, at Stockport[9]
- C Company, at Nottingham[10]
- Assault Pioneer Platoon, at Mansfield[11]
- D Company, at Stoke-on-Trent[12]
- Machine Gun Platoon, at Burton upon Trent[13]
References[]
- ↑ "The West Midlands Regiment: Regimental history". Ministry of Defence. http://army.mod.uk/wmregt/regimental_history.htm. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ↑ "The West Midlands Regiment". Ministry of Defence. http://army.mod.uk/wmregt/. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The West Midlands Regiment / 4th Battalion, The Mercian Regiment". http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-mi/99WMids.htm. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "Presentation of New Colours To The Mercian Regiment". Visions Unlimited. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140525232655/http://www.visionsunlimited.co.uk/mercian. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ↑ "Wolseley House - Fallings Park". https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/midlands/wolverhampton-fallings-park. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "Dancox House ARC". https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/midlands/worcester-pheasant-street. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "Army Reserve Centre - Kidderminster - Birmingham Road". https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/midlands/kidderminster-birmingham-road. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "Army Reserve Centre - Widnes - Peelhouse Lane". https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/north-west/widnes-peelhouse-lane. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "Army Reserve Centre - Stockport - Geek Street". https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/north-west/stockport-greek-street. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "Army Reserve Centre - Nottingham - 221 Hucknall Lane". https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/midlands/nottingham-221-hucknall-lane. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "Army Reserve Centre - Mansfield - Bath Street". https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/midlands/mansfield-bath-street. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "Army Reserve Centre - Stoke on Trent - Bucknall New Road". https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/midlands/stoke-on-trent-bucknall-new-road. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ↑ "Army Reserve Centre - Burton on Trent - Hawkins Lane". https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/midlands/burton-on-trent-hawkins-lane. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
The original article can be found at West Midlands Regiment and the edit history here.