West Midlands Regiment

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.

West Midlands Regiment
4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment
Active1999 – present
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch British Army
RoleLine Infantry
SizeOne Battalion

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]
    • Rifle Platoon, at Dancox House, Worcester[6]
    • Javelin Platoon, at Kidderminster[7]
  • 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
  1. "The West Midlands Regiment: Regimental history". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 10 August 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  2. "The West Midlands Regiment". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 10 August 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  3. "The West Midlands Regiment / 4th Battalion, The Mercian Regiment". Archived from the original on 3 March 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  4. "Presentation of New Colours To The Mercian Regiment". Visions Unlimited. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  5. "Wolseley House - Fallings Park". Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  6. "Dancox House ARC". Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  7. "Army Reserve Centre - Kidderminster - Birmingham Road". Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  8. "Army Reserve Centre - Widnes - Peelhouse Lane". Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  9. "Army Reserve Centre - Stockport - Geek Street". Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  10. "Army Reserve Centre - Nottingham - 221 Hucknall Lane". Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  11. "Army Reserve Centre - Mansfield - Bath Street". Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  12. "Army Reserve Centre - Stoke on Trent - Bucknall New Road". Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  13. "Army Reserve Centre - Burton on Trent - Hawkins Lane". Retrieved 11 December 2020.


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