| Unit Name: | Mercian Regiment (Cheshire, Worcesters and Foresters, and Staffords) |
| Dates: | 1 September 2007 – present |
| Country: |  United Kingdom |
| Type: | Line Infantry |
| Command Structure: | Queen's Division |
| Role: | 1st Battalion – Armoured Infantry 4th Battalion – Army Reserve – Armoured Infantry |
| Size: | Two battalions 1,155 personnel[1] 1st Battalion – 732 4th Battalion – 423 |
| Garrison: | RHQ - Lichfield 1st Battalion - Bulford 4th Battalion - Wolverhampton |
| Ceremonial Chief: | The Prince of Wales |
| Ceremonial Chief Label: | Colonel-in-Chief |
| Colonel Of The Regiment: | Lieutenant General Sir Ian Cave |
| Nickname: | The Heart of England's Infantry |
| Motto: | "Stand Firm Strike Hard" |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Tactical Recognition Flash |
| Identification Symbol 2: | Stafford Knot and Glider From Staffordshire Regiment |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Arm Badge |
| Identification Symbol 3: | MERCIANMERC |
| Identification Symbol 3 Label: | Abbreviation |
| March: | Wha Wadna Fecht for Charlie/Under the Double Eagle (Quick)[2] Stand Firm and Strike Hard (Slow) |
| Mascot: | Ram (Corporal Derby XXXII) [3] |
| Battles: |
The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire, Worcesters and Foresters, and Staffords) 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.[4]
The regiment's formation was announced on 16 December 2004 by the then Secretary of Defence Geoff 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.[5]
The antecedent regiments were, The 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, The 1st Battalion, Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment and the 1st Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment. The reserve West Midlands Regiment, with elements of the King's and Cheshire Regiment and the East of England Regiment formed the 4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment.[6]
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,[7] in July 2014.[8] It had been part of the 7th Armoured Brigade based in Bad Fallingbostel, Germany.[9] The regiment further restructured in September 2022 when the 2nd Battalion merged with the 1st Battalion.[10] This happened as a result of the Integrated Review.[11]
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).[12]
In 2017 the regiment moved to the King's Division.[13]
The regimental headquarters is situated at DMS Whittington in Lichfield, with outstations in Chester and Nottingham.[14]
The 1st Battalion has deployed on five operational tours since its formation in 2007, one to Iraq, two to Afghanistan, one to Ukraine, and one to Estonia. It is an armoured infantry battalion, part of the 12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team[15] based at Bulford Camp, England.[16] [17] [18]
The 4th Battalion is the regiment's Army Reserve Armoured Infantry battalion. The battalion, whose HQ is based in Wolverhampton and Kidderminster, England, has 2 rifle companies, a support and an HQ company.[19]
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.[20] Accordingly, a slightly modified design featuring two colours of metal was adopted.[21]
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.[22] In July 2014, this proposal was approved, and the regiment was renamed as The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire, Worcesters and Foresters, and Staffords).[23]
"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.[24] His successor, known as Private Derby XXXI, was announced on 20 February 2016[25] but he died on 1 September 2017.[26]
In December 2017 Private Derby XXXII was presented to the Regiment by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth House. Private Derby was received by Brigadier Williams, OBE, Colonel of the Regiment.
Private Derby led the Tamworth Carnival in 2019.[27] According to his handlers this was the longest March Private Derby has done to date.
In July 2024 Derby XXXII was promoted to the rank of Corporal for the first time in the history of his lineage. The promotion took place following the annual pilgrimage to the regimental memorial at Crich on 7 July 2024.[28]
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.[29]
Various "Golden Threads", representing the traditions of predecessor units, are incorporated in the Mercian Regiment's uniform:
buff, from the Cheshire Regiment. To be worn on full dress uniform, mess dress and as piping on No.1 dress shoulder straps.[30]
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.[32]
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.[33]
On the 10 October 2019, Mercian Band Bugler Msn Wykes performed the Last Post and Rouse at the National Memorial Arboretum.[34] 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.[35]
The Mercian Regiment supports four museums that hold collections of the Mercian Regiment and its antecedent regiments:
All of the previous alliances of the three individual regiments were carried over into the Mercian Regiment.
The regiment has received the Freedom of several locations throughout its history; these include:[39]