Cheshire Regiment

From Open Encyclopedia

(Redirected from 22nd Regiment of Foot)

Image:Cheshire-Cap-Badge.jpg The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was originally raised by the Duke of Norfolk in 1689 so can boast an independent existence of over 325 years, being one of five line infantry regiments never to have been amalgamated in its history; it shares this claim with:

During those years it has acquired three nicknames

"The Red Knights"
"The Lightning Conductors"
"The Two-Twos"

Between 1986 and 1988, the 1st Battalion was posted to Caterham as a public duties battalion. This was the first time that a line infantry unit had been posted as such - before this, although line infantry battalions had performed public duties, this had only been for brief periods. Amongst the duties performed was the mounting of the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace.

In 2004, as part of the restructuring of the infantry, it was announced that the Cheshire Regiment would be amalgamated with the Staffordshire Regiment and the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters to form the new Mercian Regiment. In August 2007, the regiment will move to Catterick, simultaenously being renamed 1st Battalion, Mercian Regiment (Cheshires), in the light infantry role.

[edit]