THE Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has offered some hope to MPs trying to save the names of Welsh regiments including the Royal Welch Fusiliers.
Labour MPs Ian Lucas and Martyn Jones, who represent Wrexham and Clwyd South respectively, were part of a cross-party delegation of Welsh MPs who are battling to stop the Government reducing the famous names of Welsh regiments to mere asides.
The Army is undergoing wholesale changes which will see regiments merged and renamed. But after strong protests from Scottish politicians, regiments like the Black Watch have been allowed to retain their historic names.
The Royal Welch Fusiliers, formed in 1689 and based at Hightown Barracks in Wrexham, have been involved in every British conflict since that date and have gained a reputation as a fierce and reliable fighting force.
But the Government wants to rename the regiment 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh (The Royal Welch Fusiliers).
The delegation of MPs visited Downing Street to pass on a petition to the Prime Minister highlighting the concerns of people in Wales about the move.
They then went on to a meeting with Geoff Hoon, where they took the opportunity to highlight the strong links which the Royal Welch have with Wrexham.
'Geoff Hoon has asked the cross-party delegation to make a joint submission which lays out their concerns,' said Mr Lucas. 'He will then draw this to the attention of General Sir Michael Jackson, the chief of the defence staff, to see what can be done.
'I highlighted to Mr Hoon that in a post-devolution Britain, Scotland and Wales should be receiving equal treatment. the Scottish have won the right to keep their regimental names, we want the same.
'We now have an opportunity to make further representations to the Army's top brass on the issue and will certainly take advantage of it.'
