Charles honours regiments merger

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Hundreds of current and former soldiers attended the event at Tamworth Castle in Staffordshire, which marked the formation of the new Mercian Regiment.

Charles told soldiers bathed in bright sunshine on the castle's parade ground, that he had no doubt that they would "stand firm and strike hard" in their new unit.

The ceremony saw the formal "re-badging" of the Cheshire Regiment, the Staffordshire Regiment, the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters and their associated Territorial Army battalion.

The Prince, the Colonel-in-Chief of the Cheshire Regiment and of the Mercians, said: "This solemn and historic occasion will mark the start of another chapter in the long story of loyal service to the Crown that is the history of the English county regiments. I have no doubt that the Mercian Regiment will stand firm and strike hard just as its predecessor regiments did in all four corners of the world."

He added: "The Mercian Regiment is being born in an era when the British Army is displaying daily the very best qualities of bravery, loyalty and dogged perseverance in the most impossible and dangerous circumstances.

"I have nothing but the most profound admiration for the sheer resilience being displayed by all our people on operations."

The Prince also presented service medals and commendations to a number of soldiers during the parade, after which serving soldiers and ex-servicemen paraded through the centre of Tamworth.

The three regular Army units which merging today are: the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment, which will become 1st Battalion (Cheshires) the Mercian Regiment; the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, which will become 2nd Battalion (Worcesters and Foresters) the Mercian Regiment; and the Staffordshire Regiment, which will become 3rd Battalion (Staffords) the Mercian Regiment. Additionally, the Territorial Army's West Midland Regiment will become 4th Battalion the Mercian Regiment.

One of the units, the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, also performed a similar ceremony at their base in Lashkar Gar, Afghanistan.