SHERWOOD FORESTERS

The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) was formed during the Childers Reforms in 1881 from the amalgamation of the 45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot and the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot. The new regiment also included the militia and rifle volunteer units of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.Following mergers it is today The Mercian regiment.



The Childers reforms. The 45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot (raised in 1741) and the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot (raised in 1755) were redesignated as the 1st and 2nd battalions of the The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment), while the Derbyshire and the Royal Sherwood Foresters Militias became the 3rd and 4th Battalions respectively. These were joined by the 1st and 2nd (Derbyshire) and 3rd and 4th (Nottinghamshire) Volunteer Battalions. In 1902 the Nottinghamshire association was made explicit, the name changing to The Sherwood Foresters (Nottingham and Derbyshire) Regiment. The Headquarters of the Regimental District was established at Derby.They saw colonial service and during the First World War the Sherwood Foresters raised 33 battalions, of which 20 served overseas. This was mainly on the Western Front, but also in Gallipoli, Italy, and the Middle East. Over 140 ,000 men served in the regiment, which lost 11,400 killed. The regiment won 57 battle honours, and 2000 decorations, including 9 VCs.

Sherwood