User:Pendar1815/Mercian Volunteers

The Mercian Volunteers were formed on 1st April 1967 from the former Territorial Army battalions of the Cheshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Sherwood Forsters Regiments on the formation of the T.A.V.R. (Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve).

The Companies were badged as Mercian using the old Mercian Brigade cap badge, but still retained there respective regimental distinctions such as, Battle Honours, collar badges,and stable belts. The Cheshire Company still wore Oak leaves when in the presence of Royalty, the Stafford's the Glider arm badge and the Sherwood Forester's the Lincoln green backing badge.

The regiment was situated in the boundry of the Kingdom of Mercia the Company locations were:-

"A" Company at Stockport Cheshire. Formed from "B" Company 7th Bn The Cheshire Regiment.

"B" Company at Kidderminster Worcestershire. Formed from 7th Bn The Worcestershire Regiment.

"C" Company at Burton-on-Trent. Formed from 5th/6th Bn The North Staffordshire Regiment.

"D" Company at Nottingham. Formed from 5th/8th Bn The Sherwood Foresters.

"E" Company at Ellesmere Port. Formed from 4th/7th Bn The Cheshire Regiment 1st April 1971.

"HQ" Company at Walsall. Formed from 5th Bn The South Staffordshire Regiment.

1st Battalion The Mercian Volunteers.

The Mercian Volunteers were redesignated as the 1st Battalion on 1st April 1975, and was known as '1 MERCIAN.' With this the Companies lost their parent regiment's distinctions except for the Staffordshire Companies which kept the Glider arm badge. All the companies in the two battalions adopted the Mercian eagle as their collar badge, losing the old regimental collar badge,s, which contrary to popular belief was never worn by the Mercian Brigade, it is solely a Mercian Volunteers badge.The 1st Battalion adopted a Royal blue stable belt.

The Company locations were at the following TA Centres:-

Headquarters at Wolseley House, Wolverhampton.

"A" Company at The Armoury, Greek Street, Stockport Cheshire.

"B" Company at Kidderminster with a Platoon at Worcester.

"C" Company at Burton-on-Trent with a platoon at Rugeley.

"D" Company at Nottingham.

"HQ" Company at Walsall, Mortar Platoon at Droitwich, Anti-Tank Platoon at Sutton-in-Ashfield.

"G" (HSF) Company formed 1984 at Kidderminster.

2nd Battalion The Mercian Volunteers,