Soldiers to move abroad
Soldiers in the former Staffordshire Regiment will be permanently moved to a base in Germany where they can expect cheaper living costs and more money.
The members of the 3rd battalion, (Staffords), now part of the new Mercian Regiment who are currently based in Wiltshire, will be up-rooted and transferred to Fallingbostel, in the North German Plain in 2009.
They are the only group to make the move which is part of the what the Ministry of Defence is calling the 'routine administration of the army'.
It is part of a plan titled Future Army Structures which is meant to expand opportunities for soldiers to take up foreign travel, move between battalions and expand their skills.
An MoD spokeswoman said: "We realise that a period of change is ahead of us and this may require some time to adjust.
"We will still need to recruit many young men and women into the Army and will continue our efforts in this respect. We must remember that one of the reasons why we are moving to multi-battalion regiments is to create more flexibility, allow greater stability for our service personnel and their families for those who wish it, and better career planning.
The spokeswoman said the soldiers will be given extra allowances for living abroad and will enjoy a good standard of living in Germany, with subsidised leave and duty free allowances.
The new Mercian Regiment which was officially formed on Saturday will parade their new badge and uniform in Market Square tomorrow.
