The Army board, under pressure from the Treasury, recently embarked on the latest rounds of reorganisation and cuts of the Infantry arm of the British Army.

These were money orientated cuts despite the political spin. Our local regiment, the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment paid dearly in as much as they have been earmarked for disbandment. This regiment came together under this name only 10 years ago, having been formed from the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire) and the Gloucestershire Regiment. Both units brought with them 300 years of unbroken service to the Crown.

The Army Board used as one of their reasons for disbandment a unit's recruiting and retention record in the last ten years. They have chosen to forget that the RGBW, due to the last merger, did not recruit for the first two years of their existence due to sufficient soldiers from the two merging units, and what followed was a dip in recruiting whilst the regiment found its feet. Since that time the regiment is only about 10 men short of full establishment.

Our hope is there will be a change of heart. Some are hoping for a change of government. The Conservatives have indicated they would reverse the cuts. However, the Conservatives have in the past presided over some of the most savage and thoughtless cuts on the Army.

Despite this unnecessary act the Regiment of Wiltshire still exists despite the potential disbandment of the RGBW. The reason is the Government has done something that I don't think has any historical precedence in as much as the Defence Minister named the two forming regiments of RGBW (DERR and Glosters) during his announcement in Parliament as being realigned to other units, in the case of DERR to the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, where they will be merged.

In doing so they will maintain the Regimental historical golden thread, in as much as they take with them their history and traditions.

The regiment has one of the best regimental museums in the country. It is located next to Salisbury Cathedral. I would advise anyone who thinks the Wiltshire battalions have no past to take a trip to Salisbury, I am sure you will change your mind.

M J McIntyre (Ex-DERR)

Hungerford