Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry

The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry is a yeomanry regiment of the United Kingdom's Territorial Army. It currently serves in the armoured replacement role, providing replacement tank crews for regular armoured regiments.

The regiment was formed in 1992 by the amalgamation of The Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry and The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry as part of the Options for Change. In 1999 it absorbed a squadron from The Queen's Own Yeomanry, bringing it to a strength of four squadrons plus the headquarters squadron.

The RMLY consists of a Recce Troop, and Command Troop (Within the Det. based in Hereford) and four sabre squadrons. Each of the sabre squadrons perpetuates a historic Yeomanry regiment, which is reflected in their subtitles:


 * A (Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry) Squadron
 * B (Shropshire Yeomanry) Squadron--withdraws from ORBAT under Army 2020.
 * C (Cheshire Yeomanry) Squadron
 * D (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Squadron
 * Manoeuvre and Support Squadron (Hereford) - The Herefordshire (Light Infantry) Squadron

In October 2006, the RMLY became a single cap badge regiment, when the individual cap badges of each squadron were replaced by the newly designed RMLY cap badge. This incorporates the Mercian Eagle from the Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry with the Red Rose from the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry. This is also the point at which H-Det joined the regiment, to provide a Recce troop. H-Det was later renamed Manoeuvre and Support Squadron in 2011 when it was given Squadron status, it still consists of the Recce troop but now also houses the "hoop" (coms for the squadron).

In July 2013, it was announced that that RMLY will be restructured for the Army 2020 plan. The regimental HQ will be shifted to Edinburgh. A Squadron will resubordinate to The Royal Yeomanry while D Squadron will resubordinates to The Queen’s Own Yeomanry. B and C Squadron will be removed from the Army ORBAT. Instead, A, B and C Squadron from the Queen’s Own Yeomanry will subordinate to the HQ at Edinburgh. It will be paired with the Royal Scot Dragoon Guards and subordinate to 51st Infantry Brigade. Defence Secretary Hammond has stated that it may be renamed as the "The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry"

Lineage
(1992) (1973) South Salopian Yeomanry (1795) renamed The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (1971) 4th Volunteer Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (1888) 7th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (1908) 40th (The King's) Royal Tank Regiment (1938) 22nd Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps (1860) 6th Volunteer Battalion, The Manchester Regiment (1888) 10th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment (1908) 41st (Oldham) Royal Tank Regiment (1938)
 * - style="text-align: center; background: #F08080;"
 * style="text-align:center;" colspan="5"|Lineage to 1992
 * - style="text-align:center;"
 * rowspan="14" style="width:20%; "|The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry
 * rowspan="4" style="width:20%; "|The Mercian Yeomanry (1971) renamed The Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry
 * rowspan="2" style="width:20%; "|The Queen's Own Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry (1956)
 * colspan="2" style="width:20%; "|The Warwickshire Yeomanry (1794)
 * colspan="2" style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|The Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars (1831)
 * colspan="3" style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|The Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment) (1794)
 * style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|The Shropshire Yeomanry (1872)
 * colspan="2" style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|North Salopian Yeomanry (1795)
 * style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|The Shropshire Yeomanry (1872)
 * colspan="2" style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|North Salopian Yeomanry (1795)
 * colspan="2" style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|North Salopian Yeomanry (1795)
 * rowspan="3" style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (Royal Tank Regiment) (1967)
 * rowspan="3" style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (Royal Tank Regiment) (1967)
 * colspan="3" style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (1797)
 * rowspan="2" style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|The 40th/41st Royal Tank Regiment (1956)
 * style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|15th Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps (1860)
 * style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|15th Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps (1860)
 * style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|
 * style="width:20%; text-align:center;"|