Colonel-in-Chief Prince Charles makes final visit to 2 Mercian

The Prince of Wales has visited the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment for the final time as Colonel-in-Chief before the unit is amalgamated with 1 Mercian.

During his visit, at Weeton Barracks in Lancashire, Prince Charles met with about 80 members of the battalion and their families.

The Colonel-in-Chief was met with a guard of honour as he arrived, viewed a piece of new artwork commissioned by the battalion to mark the forthcoming amalgamation, and handed out Platinum Jubilee medals to four members of the unit.

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Prince Charles also promoted the Mercian Regimental Mascot.

Private Derby, a ram, was promoted to Lance Corporal. 

The Mercian Regiment was formed in 2007 after the amalgamation of three regiments – the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, The Cheshire Regiment, and the Staffordshire Regiment.

Known as the 'heart of England's infantry' due to predominantly recruiting from the Midlands and the ancient county of Mercia, The Mercian Regiment has the distinction of having the Prince of Wales as its Colonel-in-Chief.

2 Mercian is a light-role infantry unit that deployed on Op Herrick six, 10 and 15, Op Toral, Op Trenton, in Iraq on Op Shader and Cyprus on Op Tosca.

Earlier this year, 2 Mercian trained in Kenya on Ex Askari Storm.