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This is a list of battalions of the Cheshire Regiment, which existed as an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 2007.

Original composition

When the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment of Foot became The Cheshire Regiment in 1881 under the Cardwell-Childers reforms of the British Armed Forces, seven pre-existent militia and volunteer battalions of Cheshire were integrated into the structure of the regiment. Volunteer battalions had been created in reaction to a perceived threat of invasion by France in the late 1850s. Organised as "rifle volunteer corps", they were independent of the British Army and composed primarily of the middle class.

Reorganisation

The Territorial Force (later Territorial Army) was formed in 1908, which the volunteer battalions joined, while the militia battalions transferred to the "Special Reserve". All volunteer battalions were renumbered to create a single sequential order. Also in 1908, the 4th (Militia) Battalion was one of the 23 infantry militia battalions to disband.

First World War

The Cheshires fielded 38 battalions and lost 8,413 officers and other ranks during the course of the war. The regiment's territorial components formed duplicate second and third line battalions. As an example, the three-line battalions of the 4th Cheshires were numbered as the 1/4th, 2/4th, and 3/4th respectively, with the third line battalions, being redesignated reserve battalions in 1916. Many battalions of the regiment were formed as part of Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener's appeal for an initial 100,000 men volunteers in 1914. They were referred to as the New Army or Kitchener's Army. The 13th, 15th, 16th, and 17th, New Army battalions, was referred to as a "Pals" battalion because it was predominantly composed of colleagues. The Volunteer Training Corps were raised with overage or reserved occupation men early in the war, and were initially self-organised into many small corps, with a wide variety of names. Recognition of the corps by the authorities brought regulation and as the war continued the small corps were formed into battalion sized units of the county Volunteer Regiment. In 1918 these were linked to county regiments.

Inter-War

By 1920, all of the regiment's war-raised battalions had disbanded. The Special Reserve reverted to its militia designation in 1921, then to the Supplementary Reserve in 1924; however, its battalions were effectively placed in 'suspended animation'. As World War II approached, the Territorial Army was reorganised in the mid-1930s, many of its infantry battalions were converted to other roles, especially anti-aircraft.

Second World War

The regiment's expansion during the Second World War was modest compared to 1914–1918. National Defence Companies were combined to create a new "Home Defence" battalion, In addition to this, 26 battalions of the Home Guard were affiliated to the regiment, wearing its cap badge, and also by 1944 one Heavy Anti Aircraft (HAA) battery, and three rocket batteries (Z Battery) forming the whole of the 22nd Anti Aircraft Regiment (Home Guard). Due to the daytime (or shift working) occupations of these men, the batteries required eight times the manpower of an equivalent regular battery. A number of Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) troops were formed from the local battalions to defend specific points, such as factories.

Post-World War II

In the immediate post-war period, the army was significantly reduced: nearly all infantry regiments had their first and second battalions amalgamated and the Supplementary Reserve disbanded.

When the TAVR was established in 1967, the size of the territorial was greatly reduced, with most infantry battalions being reduced to a company. However, the Cheshire regiment did not receive the same fate; instead both the 4th and 7th battalions disbanded and were concurrently reconstituted as two units:

• A Company (Cheshire), Mercian Volunteers
• 4th/7th (T) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment

However, only four years later in 1971, the 4th/7th Battalion was reduced to E Company (Cheshire), Mercian Volunteers. In 1988, a Territorial battalion dedicated to the regiment, was once again raised, namely 3rd (V) Battalion.

Last years

Under Delivering Security in a Changing World, the Cheshire Regiment was due to amalgamate with the Staffordshire Regiment and Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, to form a new large regiment- The Mercian Regiment.

References

1. ^ Parkyn p.220
2. Westlake p.39
3. ^ Westlake p.40
4. Westlake p.41
5. Westlake p.42
6. "The Cheshire Regiment - 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion". 7 July 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
7. "LLOYD Edward" (PDF). Retrieved 21 August 2020.
8. Westlake, Ray (2020). Guide to the Volunteer Training Corps 1914-1918. Uckfield: Naval and Military Press. pp. 4–7. ISBN 9781783315390.
9. ^ "Cheshire Regiment". Retrieved 21 August 2020.
10. ^ "Unit History: Cheshire Regiment". Retrieved 21 August 2020.
11. Westlake pp. 110-111
12. ^ "The Cheshire Regiment". Archived from the original on 18 April 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
13. Whittaker p. 141
14. ^ Whittaker p. 108
15. Whittaker p. 23
16. ^ Whittaker pps. 116-117
17. "1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment during the Second World War". Retrieved 22 August 2020.
18. "2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment during the Second World War". Retrieved 22 August 2020.
19. ^ "The Second World War and Post War Years". Archived from the original on 1 September 2005. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
20. "History of the Home Guard". Retrieved 29 June 2022.
21. ^ "1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment of Foot / 1st Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment / 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment". Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
22. "2nd Battalion, 22nd Regiment of Foot / 2nd Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment". Archived from the original on 15 June 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2020.

Bibliography

• H. G. Parkyn, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Vol. 15, No. 60 (Winter, 1936), Society for Army Historical Research, 1936
• Ray Westlake. Tracing the Rifle Volunteers: A Guide for Military and Family Historians, Casemate Publishers, 2010

• Cheshire Regiment
• Battalions of the British Army
• Lists of British Army battalions
• Lists of British Army units and formations
• Cheshire-related lists