22nd (Cheshire) Regiment Association

Band & Drums Branch

1.    The Band in the Gulf

The Regimental Band were deployed to assist in the Gulf Conflict of 1990-91. Pre-deployment training started just before Christmas Leave and following a period of training in Plymouth, the Band arrived in the port of Al Jubayl in January 1991. Our hosts were the specially formed "32 Field Hospital" which consisted of almost five hundred personnel from all three services. During the period of the conflict, 32 Field Hospital treated over 1,200 patients, including over 500 battle casualties.

The Band personnel were integrated into all the different departments of the Field Hospital such as the Admin Office, Hospital Shop, Reception, Wards and Military Transport (MT). The Regimental Band even managed to keep Regimental Tradition by wearing oak leaves in their head dress on Meeanee Day (17 February) 1991. The Bandmaster 'relocated' some musical instruments from the nearby 'Royal Irish Rangers' so we could play our own Regimental Music on parade.

On Tuesday 26 March 1991 at 0200 hrs the Regimental Band arrived back at Chester for a warm welcome from their families. On a cold and snowy Meeanee Day in 1992 at Fallingbostal, Germany, the Band were presented with their Gulf Campaign Medals by the Commanding Officer.

(Paraphrased from the Oak Tree Magazines 1991 & 1992)

2.    The Band in Bosnia

The Regimental Band were deployed to Bosnia with the 1st Battalion in November 1993 for a six month emergency tour, as part of the United Nations Protection Force. Over 100 armoured vehicles and 800 men and women, together with all the supporting elements, rendezvoused in the city of Split in Croatia. They were then deployed 250 kilometres North over the mountains in atrocious weather conditions to a bitter Balkan winter and a brutal civil war. Their mission was to save lives. The Band did not fight a war, but placed themselves in the midst of one, to bring food, shelter and a degree of sanity to the desperately beleaguered populations of Central and Northern Bosnia. Throughout the six months tour the Band and the Battalion displayed a degree of tenacity, courage and compassion that has earned them many accolades, setting the standard for others to follow.

3.    Public Duties - 1986-1987

History was made when the 1st Battalion of the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment were the first Battalion from outside the Household Division to undertake a full two-year tour of Public Duties in London. The Battalion furnished the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace, St James' Palace, The Tower of London and Windsor Castle. The Band played a very important part in Ceremonial Duties and provided the music for well over 150 Changing of the Guard Ceremonies! Additionally, music was provided for many Guard of Honour Ceremonies, Street Lining Parties for State Visits and Bandstand Concerts in the Royal Parks.

4.    The Lightning Conductors

One of the old Regimental nicknames was the "The Lightning Conductors" this refers to an incident that occurred in Ireland in 1899. The Irish Times states:

"22nd Regiment Troops were on a march and it was a very hot day. Weather fronts were moving through the area. There was significant sheet and other unusual types of lightning and related weather phenomenon. First lightning struck a maxim gun, overturned a carriage, injuring the crew, then lightning struck the rifle of one man and bounced from rifle to rifle again and again. This carried on for about an hour, none were killed but many severely injured. The Regiment maintained perfect order, but as the men tried to assist others or return to ranks they were hit a second and third time and rendered unconscious. At daylight the weaponry was inspected by the Officers and many of the rifles and swords etc. appeared to have been through a fire".

5.    End of an Era

The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment was merged with the Worcestershire and Sherwood Forresters Regiment (WFR) and the Staffordshire Regiment to become known as the 1st Battalion of the Mercian Regiment (Cheshire) on 1st September 2007.  The WFR and the Staffordshire Regiment are now the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Mercian Regiment respectively

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These pages were last updated on: Thursday, 09 October 2008