Page 5 - Mercian Eagle 2016

I’m delighted to be able to write another foreword to what I hope
you find to be an excellent journal. Communication remains fundamental to any organisation, and the Mercian Regiment is no different.
Many of you will know that as a Regiment we blazed the trail for the remainder of the Army by employing a full-time Communications Officer in Regimental Headquarters, and Niall Mann set the standard for others
to follow. Even though Niall has
recently moved on – and we wish
him luck – he has left a legacy of
new and improved communications
for his recently appointed successor,
ones that exploit the digital arena
and rely much on individuals ‘pulling’
information from common sources,
rather than waiting for a newsletter
through the door. Whilst this may
seem a strange opening paragraph,
I receive more comments about
communication from Regimental
Headquarters than almost any other
single subject, most commonly from
those who are either unable or unwilling to recognise the greatest factor impacting upon the Regiment today; change.
Change is everywhere we look, and from where I sit most of it for the better. As a Regiment approaching our tenth year, we should be no strangers to reform, and I congratulate those who are able to grasp the opportunities that the post-Afghanistan Army can offer. All three battalions bear
the brunt of this change, with 4 MERCIAN now completing their very successful ‘pairing’ with 2 MERCIAN and switching to support 1 MERCIAN. All this and more is only possible with the magnificent leadership of our commissioned and non-commissioned officers. Perhaps more discretely we now have Mercians right at the heart of almost every formation headquarters. Army Headquarters is awash with our people,
and the Eagle is found throughout the training organisation, reflecting our professionalism and excellence where it matters: in preparing our soldiers for operations – again, whose very nature is evolving more rapidly than ever before.
Our Associations continue to thrive, and I am delighted to report that The Mercian Regimental Association is now beginning to really prosper. With the support of our antecedents, it can only grow even stronger; able to support the needs of Mercians for many years to come. Few would disagree
that this comradeship is much needed, and the recent purchase by the Staffordshire Regimental Association of the King’s Head in Lichfield – the birthplace of the ‘Staffords’ – has shown just how incredibly powerful the Associations can be. I know we all wish this venture the very best of luck, and the pub offers a warm welcome to all Mercians.
One change however brings some sadness, and as the Infantry reconfigures itself, we say farewell to the Prince of Wales’ Division within which our antecedent regiments served for many years. We must now cement our place within the King’s Division, and I encourage each and every one of you to foster positive relationships with the Duke of Lancaster’s and the Yorkshire Regiments.
Finally, and with an eye to later this year, may I wish everyone a very happy tenth birthday. There are many events planned for ‘Mercian 10” and we should take time to reflect just what we have achieved between us in only a very short time. ‘Stand Firm Strike Hard’ and we can face the future, with its inevitable changes, with enormous confidence.
Foreword
Brigadier Andrew Williams OBE Colonel of The Regiment
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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