Active 1970-2007 Branch British Army Role Light Infantry | Allegiance United Kingdom Type Infantry Size One battalion | |
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The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot) (abbreviated as WFR) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment served as the county regiment for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire.
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History
The regiment was formed in 1970 through the amalgamation of the Worcestershire Regiment and the Sherwood Foresters. The regiment was based at Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster and undertook a tour in Northern Ireland in 1972 during the Troubles. It moved to Berlin later that year and to Shackleton Barracks at Ballykelly in 1974 before returning to Meanee Barracks in Colchester in 1976. After a further tour in Northern Ireland in 1977 the regiment moved to Peninsula Barracks at Hemer in 1979.
The regiment undertook another tour in Northern Ireland in 1982 before moving back to Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster in 1984 and relocating to Oakington Barracks in Cambridge in 1986 and to Lisanelly Barracks in Omagh in 1989.
After a deployment to Cyprus in 1991, the regiment moved to Lucknow Barracks at Tidworth in 1993 from where elements of the regiment were deployed to Bosnia in 1996 and 1998. The regiment undertook an operational tour in Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick in 2004 and then moved to Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow as a public duties battalion in July 2005.
In 2004, as a part of the reorganisation of the infantry, it was announced that the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment would be amalgamated with the Cheshire Regiment and the Staffordshire Regiment to form the new Mercian Regiment. In August 2007, the regiment became the 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment.
Regimental ram
The regimental ram was known as Corporal Derby. The ram was the 28th ram to act as mascot for the regiment and its predecessor regiments. The first ram was captured by the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot at the Siege of Kotah in 1858. Since 1912 successive Dukes of Devonshire have traditionally selected a Swaledale Ram from their Chatsworth Park flock and presented it to the regiment. The ram had its own regimental number (28), was paid £3.75 per day, and drew his own rations.