County battalion survives Army cuts

The Army is to be reduced by 23 Regular units Defence Secretary Philip Hammond announced today, but 2 Battalion, the Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) isn't one of them.

It had been feared 2 Mercian, the county battalion, would be one to be cut as it has long been suggested that one of the three battalions of the Mercian Regiment would go.

Instead that fate has befallen 3rd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment (Staffordshires) who absorbed into the rest of the Mercian Regiment on completion of duties in Afghanistan and not before October 2014.

The Staffords are the most junior of the battalions, but being equipped with Warrior vehicles and based in Germany, it was felt 2 Mercian was more likely to disband.

The changes will reduce the Army by 12,000 soldiers to 82,000.

The Army said the five Infantry battalions were selected based on a number of factors including their ability to recruit over the last ten years, and the demographic projections about the population in their recruitment areas over the next ten years.

Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Peter Wall said: "I appreciate that it is a difficult day for those people who have heard that the Regiments they have fought in are going to be amalgamated or disbanded, but in the round it is a good day for the Army as it gives us the clarity and springboard to shape the Army to confront the challenges of the future.

"It is fair at the soldier level where we shall be doing our utmost to make sure that everybody gets the best chance of being re-employed in the Army."

When units are withdrawn, their personnel will be reassigned to other units - where possible, within the same regiment or corps.

As well as 3 Mercian, affected are:

• 5th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland (The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) will be reduced to form a Public Duties company.

• 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers will be cut and absorbed into the rest of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

• The 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howard's) will be absorbed into the rest of The Yorkshire Regiment on completion of their Cyprus tour and not before the autumn of 2013.

• 2nd Battalion the Royal Welsh (The Royal Regiment of Wales) will be absorbed into the rest of The Royal Welsh Regiment.