1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment

The 1st (Cheshire) Battalion The Mercian Regiment is an infantry battalion within the British Army. The battalion is currently organised as an Armoured infantry battalion and paired with the regiment's reserve battalion, the 4th Battalion. The battalion originates from one of the few last infantry Regiments that were disbanded / amalgamated in the army.

History
In 2006, following the major Delivering Security in a Changing World reforms, the Cheshire Regiment was reduced to became the 1st (Cheshire) Battalion The Mercian Regiment and based at Alma Barracks (Catterick Garrison) as a light infantry battalion assigned to the 4th Mechanised Brigade. Just a month after their formation, from Nov 07 - May 08 the battalion saw a deployment to Iraq on Operation Telic 11. After returning, they moved to Marne Barracks and saw two more deployments; Apr - Oct 10 (Op Herrick 12, Afghan National Police Mentoring) and Oct 12 - Apr 13 (Op Herrick 17). In 2014, the battalion moved to Picton Barracks.

When Army 2020 was published, the battalion saw some major changes, but not major in terms of structure. The battalion stayed in Picton Barracks but moved under the new 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade and paired with the reserve battalion, the 4th Battalion. Following the Army 2020 refines, the 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade was to convert to the 1st Strike Brigade and the battalion is to move under the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade. Today, the battalion had the following special units:
 * Battalion Headquarters
 * Headquarters Company
 * A Company
 * B (Malta) Company
 * C Company
 * D (Dragon) Company
 * Support Company
 * Assault Pioneer Platoon - Corps of Drums of the 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment