Saturday 1st sept 2007,note the date in your diaries.This was the date that three proud infantry Regiments were 'amalagamated'into the Mercian Regiment.The Cheshire Regiment,the Worcester and Sherwood Forresters,and the Staffordshire Regiments along with hundreds of Veterans paraded on this eventfull day.Not one Veteran was asked by the TV etc for thier opinions on this erasure of Regimental individuality.
Two good things were apparent though as One, the sun shined and Secondly, the number of PJM's seen on parade needed witnessing to believe.Incredible PJM display.


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Hold the line steady boys.

Thanks for the info Smudger.
So my Grandson is now in the 'Mercians' and not in the 'Cheshires'. Will they keep the present cap badge or will a Mercian one be issued to all ?.

Phredd

An uncle was in the Cheshire Regiment.

He'll always be in the Cheshire Regiment.

As he will always be in Normandy.

Barry


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia

Poignant Barry but Oh so true.
RIP all
Fred

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Last edited by MB on Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Mike Barton

Yes, very sad news indeed to hear the last of the Cheshires. My late father 4122329 Sgt Joe Steele was with the Cheshires for many years, as was my nephew Sgt Pete Clewes....Father will be turning in his grave !

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Last edited by ro5=6372 on Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:34 am; edited 1 time in total

phredd wrote:

Thanks for the info Smudger.
So my Grandson is now in the 'Mercians' and not in the 'Cheshires'. Will they keep the present cap badge or will a Mercian one be issued to all ?.

Phredd

Phredd,As from 1st September the 22nd Cheshire Regiment will be known as the 1stBtn Mercian (Cheshire)Regiment.The Worcester and Sherwood Forresters will be known as 2nd Btn Mercian (Worcester and Sherwood Forresters)Regiment,th Staffords will become the 3rd Btn Mercian (Staffordshire)Regiment with the TA unts forming the 4th Btn Mercian.
For i.d purposes each Battalion within the Mercian Regiment will wear a County (Diamond)flash on their left arm.In the Cheshire's case it will be a segmented Cerise and Buff diamond.Not too easy to identify as the old shoulder flash.

For the record my wife's great uncle Pte 11101 Rigby and buried in Vulvergem cemetary will along with his mates be spinning like the clappers in anger.


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Hold the line steady boys.

Yes, I too am sad to see the passing of the 22nd Cheshire Regiment. My Father joined them in 1912 and as a corporal led a platoon in the battle of Mons on the 24th August 1914. They thought, that although they had suffered casualties, that the British were still advancing. It was only when cornered by the Germans; they found out that the British were on the retreat. Although he was invalided out of the regiment in 1920, he was always proud to have been a 22nd and an Old Contemptible, a contact he kept until his death in 1962. In the fifties we used to go to Chester on the nearest Sunday to the 24th August to the reunion and to commemorate the Battle. I was always proud to see my Father at the front of the march, just behind the Standard Bearer. In his memoirs, on his time as a POW which was very eventful, he writes, the one thing that kept his sanity was his cap badge and shoulder ‘Cheshire’. He said the German guards, were always amazed at the British soldier’s devotion to their regiment.

Sir and Comrade.You have just about summed it all up.Thank You!
I shall be on Parade myself tomorrow 9/09/07 in Chester for the annual Mons Day Parade.May I hope your Father's ghost is watching down on us that day?His and thousands of other 'ex Cheshires'


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Hold the line steady boys.

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Last edited by MB on Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:15 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Mike Barton

Smudger, did you manage to get any information on that medal I asked if you could identify...All my nephew (Ex Sgt Pete Clewes of the Cheshires) can tell me is that it bears the Regiments Sporting Colours.

Fred,It looks very much to me as an athletics championship medal.The Cheshires were quite often all army Champions during the Army Athletics Championships.The name Clewes rings a bell ever so slightly could you please give me his dates of service to help me?


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Hold the line steady boys.