Museum of the
Mercian Regiment

The Worcestershie & Sherwood Foresters Regiment

Summary of The Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters Regiment

The Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters Regiment was a British Army infantry regiment. It formed on 28th February 1970 at Battlesbury Barracks, Warminster.  The Worcestershire Regiment amalgamated with The Sherwood Foresters to form:
 
1st Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot).  Shortened to 1 WFR. 
 
The regiment amalagted in 2007 with The Cheshire Regiment and The Staffordshire Regiment. Together they form The Mercian Regiment. 

First deployment and Northern Ireland

The WFR’s first deployment was to Northern Ireland. First, in 1972, the Battalion deployed to Derry at the height of the “No Go” areas. They were sent to provide military support for the police.

Over 30 years they would complete another 7 tours:

1974-1976

1982

1989-1991

1994 & 1999. 

Mercian Regiment

Peacekeeping

After the fall of the Communist Party in Bosnia in 1991, civil war broke out. British forces were sent to inforce the UN’S Dayton Peace Agreement, signed in 1995. The WFR served in two UN Peacekeepng tours in Bosnia in 1996 & 1998.
 
The Regiment went on a 6 month emergency United Nations (UN) tour was undertaken in 1987 in Cyprus. 1 WFR remained for another 2 years on the island 1991-1993.  It then deployed as British Army of the Rhine in the mechanised role in 1979.
 
5 years were spent in Hemer in West Germany, before the Battalion moved back to England in 1984 to Warminster.  This was their 2nd tour as the Infantry Demonstration Battalion. The first having been immediately after amalgamation in 1972.
 
In 1994 1 WFR become the first UK based Warrior battalion and converted to an Armoured Infantry role.

Public Duties

Always committed, the battalion deployed to Afghanistan in October 2004. They returned to the UK in March 2005 . After the Regiment’s return from Afghanistan in March 2005, they went onto Public Duties guarding the the Royal Palaces in London. They were on duties for two years. 

Reserve Battalions

The WFR had two Territorial Battalions: 3 WFR & 4 WFR.
 
The 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion formed in April 1971. It was disbanded in July 1999. The 4th (Volunteer) Battalion was raised in April 1988 to include sub-units in Worcestershire.  It was disbanded in October 1993.

Return to Afghanistan

In 2007, the regiment returned to Afghanistan. Conditions were difficult and fighting was intense. 
 
Whilst on the operation 1 WFR amalgamated with The Cheshire Regiment & The Staffordshire Regiment. To form The Mercian Regiment. 

Liked what you have read?

If you have liked what you have seen and learnt then please donate to our museum fund in the link below. As a museum we are a registered charity (No.1001226) and rely heavily on monetary donations to keep the museum going. Help us to keep the museum and its collection going for future generations and keep sharing the history of The Sherwood Foresters, WFR & Mercian Regiment! 

Make a donation here

Get in touch

You can get in touch with us by completing the form to the right. 

Foresters House
Army Reserve Centre
Swiney Way
Chilwell
NG9 6QX

Registered Charity No. 1001226

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