The Staffordshire Regiment Museum
Encyclopedia
The Staffordshire Regiment Museum is a military museum
in Staffordshire
, England
, dedicated to preserving the honour and history of The Staffordshire Regiment
(The Prince of Wales's), its antecedent regiments and its successor regiment, The Mercian Regiment, from 1705 to the present day. The Staffordshire Regiment
(Prince of Wales') (or simply "Staffords" for short) was an Infantry
regiment
of the British Army
, part of the Prince of Wales' Division
. The regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The South Staffordshire Regiment and The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's).
, 64th Regiment of Foot, 80th Regiment of Foot and the 98th Regiment of Foot, their successors — the North Staffordshire Regiment
and the South Staffordshire Regiment
— The Staffordshire Regiment
and the regiment of today (The Mercian Regiment); and also from the militia
, volunteers and Territorial Army
.
The main exhibition is in chronological sequence with a wide selection of uniforms, weapons and associated items from campaigns in India
, Burma, the Crimea
, Persia, South Africa
, Egypt
and the Sudan
, as well as from World War I
and World War II
. More recent material covers the Regiment's involvement in Northern Ireland
, Cyprus
, Kosovo
, the Gulf Wars (Operation GRANBY
and Op TELIC) and Afghanistan
(Op HERRICK).
The oldest item is a rare Grenadier Company Officer's cap of the 38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot c.1760. The medals display includes those of eight of the thirteen members of the Regiment awarded the Victoria Cross
and medals from all campaigns in which the Regiment has taken part. The collection includes around 11,000 items.
The Coltman Trench
A major exhibit is an outdoor replica of a World War I
British Army
defensive trench system named after Lance Corporal
William Harold Coltman
who was awarded a Victoria Cross
whilst serving with The North Staffordshire Regiment as a stretcher-bearer. The trench is 100m long and 2m wide, it includes dug-outs and other features which are named after the other six Victoria Cross
holders from the Regiment in World War I
.
Other outdoor displays
The Museum's other outdoor exhibits include World War II
Air-raid shelters, weapons (Combat Anti-Tank Gun) and Armoured Fighting Vehicles used or captured by the Regiment (FV432
Mk1, FV103 Spartan
, Iraqi MTLB, Universal Carrier
(Bren Gun) T16 and Ferret armoured car
).
The Museum has an active on-site events programme, which includes historical re-enactment displays. Regular events are World War I
Night in the Trenches and Carols in the Trenches.
Educational and outreach programme
The Museum operates an active Educational Programme which provides for curriculum-based visits to serve multi-subject Key Stage
1, 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) using World War I
, World War II
, and Victorian era
resources. An Outreach Programme exists which delivers lectures on the Regiment's history at off-site locations.
Historical research
The archives (which are available for reference and detailed research) include a wide range of books and documents relating to the Regiment and a variety of source material. There is an extensive photographic collection.
.
, Staffordshire
on the A51
Lichfield-Tamworth Road, 3 miles from Lichfield
and 4 miles from Tamworth
. It is adjacent to Whittington Barracks, the former home of The Staffordshire Regiment
's antecedent regiments since 1881, and the current base for the Regimental Headquarters of The Mercian Regiment and the Defence Medical Services
. The Staffordshire Regiment Museum is situated 6 miles from the National Memorial Arboretum
which is located in Alrewas
, Staffordshire
and has a memorial garden for The Staffordshire Regiment
.
Address
Military Museum
Military Museum may refer to:* Aldershot Military Museum, in Aldershot, England* Athens War Museum, in Athens, Greece* Base Borden Military Museum, Borden, Ontario, Canada* California State Military Museum, California, United States...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, dedicated to preserving the honour and history of The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The South Staffordshire Regiment and The North Staffordshire Regiment...
(The Prince of Wales's), its antecedent regiments and its successor regiment, The Mercian Regiment, from 1705 to the present day. The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The South Staffordshire Regiment and The North Staffordshire Regiment...
(Prince of Wales') (or simply "Staffords" for short) was an Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, part of the Prince of Wales' Division
Prince of Wales' Division
The Prince of Wales's Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all land force units in the West of England and Wales. The Prince of Wales's Division was formed in 1968 with the union of the Mercian Brigade, Welsh Brigade and Wessex Brigade...
. The regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The South Staffordshire Regiment and The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's).
History
The museum was established on its present buildings in 1969, incorporating the formerly separate museums of The North Staffordshire Regiment and The South Staffordshire Regiment, both of which were founded in the 1930s.Exhibits
There are exhibits from the 38th Regiment of Foot38th Regiment of Foot
The 38th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army.-History:It was formed in 1705 and amalgamated into the South Staffordshire Regiment in 1881....
, 64th Regiment of Foot, 80th Regiment of Foot and the 98th Regiment of Foot, their successors — the North Staffordshire Regiment
North Staffordshire Regiment
The North Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, which was in existence between 1881 and 1959. It can date its lineage back to 1756 with the formation of a second battalion by the 11th Regiment of Foot, which shortly after became the 64th Regiment of Foot...
and the South Staffordshire Regiment
South Staffordshire Regiment
The South Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 38th Regiment of Foot and the 80th Regiment of Foot. In 1959 the regiment was amlagamated with the North Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire Regiment...
— The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The South Staffordshire Regiment and The North Staffordshire Regiment...
and the regiment of today (The Mercian Regiment); and also from the militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, volunteers and Territorial Army
Territorial Army
The Territorial Army is the part time volunteer force of the British Army. With around 35,500 members, the TA forms about a quarter of the overall manpower strength of the British Army. TA members regularly volunteer to serve overseas on operations, either with TA units, or as individuals...
.
The main exhibition is in chronological sequence with a wide selection of uniforms, weapons and associated items from campaigns in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Burma, the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
, Persia, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, as well as from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. More recent material covers the Regiment's involvement in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, the Gulf Wars (Operation GRANBY
Operation Granby
Operation Granby was the name given to the British military operations during the Gulf War. 53,462 troops were deployed during the conflict. The total cost of operations was £2.434 billion of which at least £2.049 billion was paid for by other nations such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia; £200...
and Op TELIC) and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
(Op HERRICK).
The oldest item is a rare Grenadier Company Officer's cap of the 38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot c.1760. The medals display includes those of eight of the thirteen members of the Regiment awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
and medals from all campaigns in which the Regiment has taken part. The collection includes around 11,000 items.
The Coltman Trench
A major exhibit is an outdoor replica of a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
defensive trench system named after Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
William Harold Coltman
William Harold Coltman
William Harold Coltman VC, DCM & Bar, MM & Bar was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross , the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
who was awarded a Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
whilst serving with The North Staffordshire Regiment as a stretcher-bearer. The trench is 100m long and 2m wide, it includes dug-outs and other features which are named after the other six Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
holders from the Regiment in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Other outdoor displays
The Museum's other outdoor exhibits include World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Air-raid shelters, weapons (Combat Anti-Tank Gun) and Armoured Fighting Vehicles used or captured by the Regiment (FV432
FV432
The FV432 is the armoured personnel carrier variant of the British Army's FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. Since its introduction in the 1960s it has been the most common variant, being used for transporting infantry on the battlefield...
Mk1, FV103 Spartan
FV103 Spartan
FV103 Spartan is a tracked armoured personnel carrier of the British Army. It was developed as the APC variant of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family. The vehicle can carry up to 7 personnel, including 3 crew members. Armed with a single machine gun, it is almost indistinguishable from the...
, Iraqi MTLB, Universal Carrier
Universal Carrier
The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrong. Produced between 1934 and 1960, the vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War...
(Bren Gun) T16 and Ferret armoured car
Ferret armoured car
The Ferret armoured car, also commonly called the Ferret Scout car, is a British armoured fighting vehicle designed and built for reconnaissance purposes. The Ferret was produced between 1952 and 1971 by the UK company, Daimler...
).
Other activities
Events programmeThe Museum has an active on-site events programme, which includes historical re-enactment displays. Regular events are World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Night in the Trenches and Carols in the Trenches.
Educational and outreach programme
The Museum operates an active Educational Programme which provides for curriculum-based visits to serve multi-subject Key Stage
Key Stage
A Key Stage is a stage of the state education system in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the British Territory of Gibraltar setting the educational knowledge expected of students at various ages...
1, 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) using World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
resources. An Outreach Programme exists which delivers lectures on the Regiment's history at off-site locations.
Historical research
The archives (which are available for reference and detailed research) include a wide range of books and documents relating to the Regiment and a variety of source material. There is an extensive photographic collection.
Museum volunteers and friends
The majority of the museum curatorial and educational programme staff are provided by volunteers. The museum is also supported by a dedicated branch of the Friends of The Staffordshire RegimentThe Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The South Staffordshire Regiment and The North Staffordshire Regiment...
.
Location
The museum is located in WhittingtonWhittington
-Places:In England:* Whittington, Derbyshire* Whittington, Gloucestershire* Whittington, Lancashire* Great Whittington, Northumberland* Whittington, Shropshire* Whittington, Staffordshire* Whittington, WorcestershireIn Australia:* Whittington, Victoria...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
on the A51
A51 road
The A51 is a road in England running from Kingsbury in Warwickshire to Chester. The road follows the following route:*Kingsbury*Tamworth*Lichfield*Rugeley *Little Haywood*Great Haywood*Weston*Sandon...
Lichfield-Tamworth Road, 3 miles from Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
and 4 miles from Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
. It is adjacent to Whittington Barracks, the former home of The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The South Staffordshire Regiment and The North Staffordshire Regiment...
's antecedent regiments since 1881, and the current base for the Regimental Headquarters of The Mercian Regiment and the Defence Medical Services
Defence Medical Services
The Defence Medical Services are an umbrella organisation within the Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom, which organises all medical, dental and nursing services within the British Armed Forces.-Structure:...
. The Staffordshire Regiment Museum is situated 6 miles from the National Memorial Arboretum
National Memorial Arboretum
The National Memorial Arboretum is a national site of remembrance at Alrewas, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It gives its purpose as:-Origins:...
which is located in Alrewas
Alrewas
Alrewas is a large village and civil parish within Lichfield District, in Staffordshire, England. It lies on the A38 road, approximately 5 miles north of Lichfield...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and has a memorial garden for The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of The South Staffordshire Regiment and The North Staffordshire Regiment...
.
Address
- The Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS14 9PY, United Kingdom.