Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers
Active1971–1975
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch British Army
RoleLine Infantry
SizeOne Battalion
Garrison/HQWolverhampton

The Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers was a short-lived infantry regiment of the British Army, in existence from 1971 to 1975.

History

The battalion was formed on the 1 April 1971, from the cadres of former Midland infantry battalions that had been reduced as a result of the 1966 Defence White Paper and formation of the much smaller TAVR.[1] Its initial structure was:[2][3]

Only four years later, however, the regiment was broken up and the companies were distributed amongst other battalions. Namely: A, B, and E Companies to the 2nd Battalion, Mercian Volunteers as A, B, and D Companies respectively; C Company to 5th Battalion, The Light Infantry, as E Company;[5] and D Company to 6th Battalion, The Light Infantry,[5] with the same lettering.[2][3]

Deputy Honorary Colonels

The regiment didn't have an Honorary Colonel as a whole, however from 1971–1972 each company maintained their own Deputy Honorary Colonel, in succession to the previous unit. These were:

  • A Company: Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander W.R.H. Pettigrew, OBE, TD[6]
  • B Company: Colonel Charles J. Baines, CBE, MC, TD, DL[7]
  • C & D Companies: Lieutenant-Colonel Guy M. Thorneycroft, DL[8]

References

  1. ↑ "badge, collar, British, Light Infantry & The Mercian Volunteers". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 "The Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers". Archived from the original on 1 March 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Light Infantry and Mercian Volunteers - British Army units from 1945 on". Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  4. ↑ "Mercian Volunteers - British Army units from 1945 on". Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Formation of the New Regiment". Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  6. ↑ "7th Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment (and all Worcestershire successors)". Archived from the original on 3 March 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  7. ↑ "3rd Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)". Archived from the original on 1 March 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  8. ↑ "The King's Shropshire and Herefordshire Light Infantry, The Light Infantry". Archived from the original on 3 March 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
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