Two generations from family served The Mercians

The family history of Mareah Goody is living testimony to the importance of a threatened army unit to South Staffordshire and the Black Country – and the possible consequences of its loss.

The Third Battalion The Mercian Regiment (3Mercian), formerly the Staffords, is set to be axed in cuts aimed at slashing 20,000 troops from the strength of the British Army by 2020. The move will severe a 300 year link between the region and the military.

And Mrs Goody is among those fighting a rearguard action aimed at getting the Ministry of Defence to drop their controversial proposal.

Mrs Goody, of The Hayes, Willenhall, has seen the last two generations of her family serve with The Staffords – and her 17-year-old son Josh was planning to follow in that proud tradition.

She explained: "He took his oath of allegiance in the Mayor's Parlour in June last year and started at the Army Foundation college in Harrogate in September.

"He was allocated to 3Mercian because that was the battalion with direct links to the regiment his ancestors had served in. Then a couple of weeks ago he was told that 3Mercian was being cut and he would have to join either one or 2Mercian instead. He was absolutely gutted.

"It was all he had wanted to do since the age of 12 after joining the army cadets as soon as he was old enough.

"It is dreadful that 300 years of military history should be thrown away like this."

Her husband Tony, a 51-year-old training manager who served with the Staffords for almost five years and is the step father of Josh, added: "Four generations of my family served with the regiment and my grandfather will be turning in his grave over the way it is now being treated.

"The sacrifices he and many others made are now just being tossed away. It is heartbreaking."

Mrs Goody added: "My youngest son Jack is 16 and also wanted to join 3Mercian because of the family connection but now he realises that the Ministry of Defence wants to axe the battalion he intends to join the Paras instead."

Colin Quinton the 53-year-old manager of Wolverhampton's Wulfrun Centre who served 14 years with the Staffords, commented: "This shows the full impact of breaking a direct link between the military and the region that dates back to 1705.

"The authorities have got to rethink this plan."

Army veterans and their families have now launched a campaign to save 3Mercian and other units threatened with the axe in Government plans to cut the regular army by 20,000 troops by 2020.