TA regiment fear as troops return from Afghanistan

The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry – a Territorial Army regiment dating back to 1794 – is to be split up so the Army can create a Scottish Yeomanry instead, due to defence cuts.

It will mean the loss of about 100 soldiers in the Midlands including in Telford and Dudley. And it comes despite Government plans to double the number of TA soldiers nationally to 30,000 over the next five years.

The plan is a shock because the Yeomanry has been actively recruiting in recent months. The regiment is made up of Shropshire troops at the regiment's headquarters in Dawley Bank in Telford and four squadrons with the Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire soldiers based at Vicar Street in Dudley and which is allegedly due to be sold off.

There are also squadrons for Cheshire and the Duke of Lancaster's Yeomanry based in Wigan. The Ministry of Defence has stressed no decisions have been made but an insider has said an announcement is expected in the next month.

The source, who has asked not to be named, said: "It is a betrayal. We have dozens of soldiers in Afghanistan for the second time and they've been there six months. They're due to come back only to be told their regiment faces being disbanded."

The source added plans for a Scottish Yeomanry had not been well received: "It's been tried before but was a failed experiment because there was trouble recruiting for it. That's not a problem we've had here."

Britain spends £34 billion a year on defence but the government wants an eight per cent cut.

Army spokesman Belinda Steel said: "No decisions have been made about any cuts to any TA units."