West Midlands Regiment Explained

Unit Name:	West Midlands Regiment 4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment
Dates:	1999 – present
Allegiance:	United Kingdom
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: 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 (Staffords) Company, at Burton upon Trent
  (from C Company, 3rd Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment)
• D (Staffords) 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, Worcestershire, West Midlands, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire.

Current Structure

Its current structure is as follows:

• Headquarters Company, at Wolseley House, Wolverhampton^{[5] [6]}
  • Rifle Platoon, at Dancox House, Worcester^[7]
  • Javelin Platoon, at Kidderminster^[8]
  • Band of the Mercian Regiment
• B Company, at Ubique Barracks, Widnes^[9]
  • Rifle Platoon, in Ellesmere Port^[10]
  • Mortar Platoon, in Stockport^[11]
• C Company, at Nottingham^[12]
  • Assault Pioneer Platoon, at Mansfield^[13]
• D (Staffords) Company, at Stoke-on-Trent^[14]
  • Machine Gun Platoon, at Burton upon Trent^[15]

Notes and References

1. Web site: The West Midlands Regiment: Regimental history. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20060810143604/http://army.mod.uk/wmregt/regimental_history.htm. dead. 10 August 2006. Ministry of Defence. 24 May 2014.
2. Web site: The West Midlands Regiment. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20060810143604/army.mod.uk/wmregt/. dead. 10 August 2006. Ministry of Defence. 24 May 2014.
3. Web site: The West Midlands Regiment / 4th Battalion, The Mercian Regiment. https://web.archive.org/web/20070303165236/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-mi/99WMids.htm. 3 March 2007. 11 December 2020.
4. Web site: Presentation of New Colours To The Mercian Regiment. Visions Unlimited. 24 May 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140525232655/http://www.visionsunlimited.co.uk/mercian. 25 May 2014. dmy-all.
5. Web site: Wolseley House - Fallings Park. 11 December 2020.
6. Web site: Saragarhi Day 2021 commemorated in Wolverhampton. 2021-09-12. www.army.mod.uk. en-GB.
7. Web site: Dancox House ARC. 11 December 2020.
8. Web site: Army Reserve Centre - Kidderminster - Birmingham Road. 11 December 2020.
9. Web site: Army Reserve Centre, Peelhouse Lane, Widnes WA8 6TH. 9 April 2021. Army Careers.
10. Web site: Army Reserve Centre, Stanney Lane, Ellesmere Port CH65 9AH. 9 April 2021. Army Careers.
11. Web site: Army Reserve Centre, Greek Street, Stockport SK3 8AB. 9 April 2021. Army Careers.
12. Web site: Army Reserve Centre - Nottingham - 221 Hucknall Lane. 11 December 2020.
13. Web site: Army Reserve Centre - Mansfield - Bath Street. 11 December 2020.
14. Web site: Army Reserve Centre - Stoke on Trent - Bucknall New Road. 11 December 2020.
15. Web site: Army Reserve Centre - Burton on Trent - Hawkins Lane. 11 December 2020.