Day Release
November 16th, 2005, 11:27 AM
Anger over merged regiment's name
BBC News (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/4441274.stm)
16 November 2005
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40390000/jpg/_40390573_soldiers203.jpg
The regiment has won awards for its efforts in the Balkans
There is anger in Cumbria over the decision by army chiefs to drop the word "border" from the name of a merged unit for the north-west of England.
Cumbria's 300-year-old infantry unit, the King's Own Royal Border Regiment is to be merged with the Queen's Lancashire and the King's Regiment.
The title for the amalgamated unit was originally to be the King's Lancashire and Border Regiment.
However, it will now be known as the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.
'Unwieldy title'
Eric Martlew, MP for Carlisle, has branded the decision "ill-timed", as the regiment is serving one of its last deployments under its old name in Iraq.
Colonel Simon Strickland, regimental secretary with King's Own Royal Border Regiment said: "We consulted widely within the family because it was decided more and more that the new title was unwieldy.
"It was clumsy and we needed something that was more succinct and kept the royal tradition, but also had a very definite north west pointer to it.
"And I think we have done that.
"You have got to remember that the other two regiments are also unhappy because they are losing their titles, but that was part of the point.
"We are going to the future, with a new regiment, let's have a new title."
The process of merging will begin next year, and is expected to be complete by 2007.
BBC News (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/4441274.stm)
16 November 2005
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40390000/jpg/_40390573_soldiers203.jpg
The regiment has won awards for its efforts in the Balkans
There is anger in Cumbria over the decision by army chiefs to drop the word "border" from the name of a merged unit for the north-west of England.
Cumbria's 300-year-old infantry unit, the King's Own Royal Border Regiment is to be merged with the Queen's Lancashire and the King's Regiment.
The title for the amalgamated unit was originally to be the King's Lancashire and Border Regiment.
However, it will now be known as the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.
'Unwieldy title'
Eric Martlew, MP for Carlisle, has branded the decision "ill-timed", as the regiment is serving one of its last deployments under its old name in Iraq.
Colonel Simon Strickland, regimental secretary with King's Own Royal Border Regiment said: "We consulted widely within the family because it was decided more and more that the new title was unwieldy.
"It was clumsy and we needed something that was more succinct and kept the royal tradition, but also had a very definite north west pointer to it.
"And I think we have done that.
"You have got to remember that the other two regiments are also unhappy because they are losing their titles, but that was part of the point.
"We are going to the future, with a new regiment, let's have a new title."
The process of merging will begin next year, and is expected to be complete by 2007.