Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Mercia- UDI 1995)

Over view


The lightly armed forces consist of 44,000 recruits and 35,000 reservists. Most equipment consists of remaining former British and american army supplies augmented with some smuggled in Dutch, Croatian, Albanian, Algerian and on occasion Bosnian Serb weaponry. Most of it's gear is safely stored in the well hidden and mostly subterranean, 5km west of Hay-on-Wye. The small army training collage is 1km south east of Barnt Green.

The defence and homeland security minister is the Federal Conservative MP for Halesowen, Steve Wells.

The joint chief staff is Marshal Philip Marston and his deputy is General Tammy Ajuwe.

Colonel Samuel Starr is head of the Federal Republic's regular army and used to be a British TA Lieutenant befor his defection in 1995.

The Chairman of the Committee for State and Border Security is Geraint Jones.

Army


The army possesses-
 * 1) 42 OERLIKON GDF-005 35/90 35 mm Anti-aircraft artillery pieces,
 * 2) 25 M109A5 - 155/39 mm self-propelled howitzers as the M109A5(+96) variant,
 * 3) Several dozen Milan and Tow 2 - anti-tank missile launchers,
 * 4) 30 Mk 19 40 mm grenade launchers,
 * 5) 35 Brownng 0.50 caliber machine guns,
 * 6) 34 .303 in Vickers machine guns,
 * 4,500 FN FNC 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles,
 * 3,400 AK-47 selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm Avtomat Kalashnikova "Kalashnikov"/"AK" assault rifles
 * 1,250 Zastava M70 7.62mm assault rifles
 * 1) 250 M16 5.56 mm caliber, assault rifles
 * 2) 50 M4 carbine (U.S. issue) rifles
 * 3) 5 Land Rover ‘defenders’.
 * 4) 10 M30 107 mm (4.2 inch Mortar) heavy mortar
 * 5) 4-5 Chieftain tanks (Rumoured usage only)
 * 6) 1 Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé APC
 * 7) 6 Centruian tanks (1 is in storage due to damage caused in the war of indipendence.)
 * 8) 9 or 10 M113 armored personnel carriers (7 are reportedly operational and 2 or 3 others are thought to be in storage),
 * 9) 8 or 9 Leopard 2 A4 Main Battle Tanks,
 * 10) 6 CH-47 Chinook helicopters,
 * 3,500 Glock "Safe Action" Pistols.
 * 1) 1 Swiss made Maxim Machine gun Model 1911 (now back in the Breconshire meuseum it was conscriped from between 1996 and 2006).

The 6 front line army 'regiments' were named after the former 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot, 53rd (South Shropshire) Regiment of Foot, Royal Warwickshire (Alcester county) Fusiliers, South Wales Borderers (former Welsh SSR), the Welch Regiment (former Welsh SSR) and 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot in the UK's army.

Other support units are called the Federal Signals Battalion, The Federal logistic Battalion, Federal Support Battalion, Federal Tank Company, Federal Military Police Company and the Federal Engineers Battalion.

The reserve units are the West Midlands General Reserve Regiment, Black Country Reserve Platoon, Herefordshire Reserve Battalion, Worcester Reserve Regiment, South Welsh Reserve Regiment, Breconshire Reserve Platoon, Hey-on-Wye Reserve Squad, Reserve Federal Engineers Company, Reserve Federal Signals Company and Reserve Federal Support Company.

The Army Signals Research and Development Establishment (SRDE) facility in Malvern, is also under Federal controle.

Presidenial guard
A 15 strong Gurkha presidenial guard named the '25th Gurkha Rifles' (in honer of the former WW 2 colonial unit) was formed on July 1st, 1998. The each carry a Glock "Safe Action" Pistols,traditonal Kukri knife and a FN FNC 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifle.

Forirgen Legion
A forigen contingent has exsisted ever since the first oversease forces arived in 1997.

It consiusts of 3 German defectors, 10 Polish volentears, 70 Croation troops, 25 Dutch troops, 60 Chaddian Merceneries and 33 Angloan merceneries are also part of the army.


 * 1) 1 Flakpanzer Gepard self propelled Anti-aircraft system.
 * 2) 1 9K22 Tunguska-M1 self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon (SPAAG)
 * 3) 5 OERLIKON GDF-005 35/90 35 mm Anti-aircraft artillery pieces,
 * 4) 75 Glock "Safe Action" Pistols.
 * 5) 2 CH-47 Chinook helicopters,
 * 6) 5 Brownng 0.50 caliber machine guns
 * 7) 150 Zastava M70 7.62mm assault rifles
 * 8) 250 AK-47 selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm Avtomat Kalashnikova "Kalashnikov"/"AK" assault rifles
 * 9) 4 M-95 Degman Main Battle Tanks tanks (all 4 are reportedly in storage)
 * 10) 1 DAF YP-408 6x8-drive armoured car (it is known to be in storage and awaiting repairs)
 * 11) 2 LOV-1 APCs (They are both reportedly in storage).

Navy
The tiny National Navy has only 3 ex-UK police Fast Response Targa 31 boats and 3 Sea King helicopters.

It also has-


 * 1) 15 FAMAS bullpup rifles,
 * 2) 10 9x19mm Walther P99, German semi-automatic pistols
 * 3) 6-8 Enfield revolvers (rumored usage only)
 * 4) 3 Brownng 0.50 caliber machine guns.
 * 5) 15 Glock "Safe Action" Pistols

Airforce
The small National Airforce poseses 15 active aircraft-


 * 1) 1 Hispano HA-200 "Saeta" (Arrow) trainer,
 * 2) 1 Denel AH-2 Rooivalk attack helicopter,
 * 3) 2 CH-47 Chinook helicopters,
 * 4) 2 206 Kiowa helicopters,
 * 5) 2 Hawker Hunter ground attack aircraft . The 2 Hawker Hunter ground attack aircraft are known to be broken and in storage.
 * 6) 2 Shenyang J-6C fighters
 * 7) 6 Hawker Siddeley Harrier 'jump-jets'.
 * 8) 3 Hawker Siddeley Harriers.
 * 9) 2 F-4 Phantom IIs. They are known to be in storage.

They also have-


 * 1) 200 FN FNC 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles
 * 2) 100 Glock "Safe Action" Pistols.

Spcial forces
The elite airborne Wyvern Corps consist of 175 men, Training was given to volunteers by 5 renegade SAS members, who are now the Wyvern Corps’ leaders


 * 1) 2 CH-47 Chinook helicopters,
 * 2) 2 BO-105 helicopters,
 * 3) 2 [| Bell UH-1 Iroquois],
 * 4) 6 UH-1H "Huey" helicopters. One of the "Huey" helicopters is known to be broken and in storage
 * 5) 2 Bell 206 Kiowa helicopters. 1 is to be in storage.

They also poses-


 * 1) 50 FN FNC 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles,
 * 2) 20-30 Glock "Safe Action" Pistols
 * 3) 6-8 L85A1 bullpup rifles
 * 4) 12-14 RPG-7 rocket launchers (roumored usage only).

The National Air force and the elite airborne Wyvern Corps operate from the commandeered RAF Cosford in Albrighton, RAF Hereford and an emerency air strip a few km west of New Radnor.

Border Patrole Force
The small Border Patrole Force posess-
 * 1) 45-50 FN FNC 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles,
 * 2) 16-17 Shorland reproduction armourd cars,
 * 3) 35 Somali style Technicals,
 * 4) 3-4 Heckler & Koch G36 rifels (rumored usage only),
 * 5) 5-6 El Tigre rifles,
 * 6) 75-100 Glock "Safe Action" Pistols
 * 7) 3-4 Morris CS9 repoduction armored cars.

Other issues
RAF Madley is under joint UK/Hereford and Worcester control. This was done in exchange for the UK giving the rebels access to the sea via. RAF Shawbury is still under UK goverment controle.

The defence and homeland security minister is the Federal Conservative MP for Halesowen, Steve Wells.

The joint cheif staffs is Marshal Philip Martston and his deputy is General Tammy Ajuwe.

Military history
The next 17 months saw a brief struggle of independence, starting at the The battle of King's Norton. The reluctant separatists knew it was the only way left open to them. As well as this both the rebels and the UK government sought to crush the localized 9 month rebellion by the Smethwick street-thug come 'warlord' "Hoodlum Johnny" (he was only ever identified by hi street name and his real name is still unknown). In all battles were fought by the Federal Republic against either the UK or "Hoodlum Johnny" and or with the Welsh SSR.

The defeat of "Hoodlum Johnny" in the April of 1996 at the The battle of Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station lead to Winson Green returning to UK rule and Smethwick joining the Federal Republic.

Democratic elections occurred in mid-1996 and The Independent county of Shifnal and Codsall willingly joined the union on March 1st, 1996, as pressure from loyalist forces grew in south Staffordshire.

The Federal Republic's borders with UK were fully secured by January 1st, 1997, after the rebel victory at The battle of Dymock, and a long siege of the entire nation then issued. None the less June 6th, 1997 would witness the small border incursion known as The battle of Swan Village.

The growing tension with the socialist, communist radicals and trades union veterans who were trying to illegally take over in the Welsh valleys (as the Welsh Valleys SSR), lead to the honourable defeat and reluctant assimilation of the Welsh SSR in the March of 1997, after the Battle of Clun, in which Clun Bridge was accidently destroyed by the Welsh in the face of a determined federal assault. Realising that the UK forces around Chepstow were about to take advantage of this, Both nations would join forces against the British Government in the Battle of Monmouth and Battle of Cwmbrân. The act of Union was finalised in the August of 1997, by the singing Treaty of Merthyr Tydfil (Merthyr Tudful).

The Independent county of Breconshire joined the union voluntarily on March 1st, 1997.

A 15 strong Gurkha presidenial guard named the '25th Gurkha Rifles' (in honer of the former WW 2 colonial unit) was formed on July 1st, 1998.

Combat Record
 The 26 battles that were fought by the Federal Republic with or against either the UK, The Welsh SSR or "Hoodlum Johnny" were- 

1995-

 * The battle of King's Norton
 * South Birmingham insurrection
 * 1) The battle of Northfield
 * 2) The battle of Longbridge
 * Dudley military campaign
 * 1) The battle of Halesowen
 * 2) The battle of Kingswinford
 * 3) The battle of Old Hill
 * The battle of Smethwick Galton Bridge
 * The battle of Smethwick
 * Inner Birmingham military campaign
 * 1) The battle of Winson Green 
 * 2) The battle of Selly Oak
 * 3) The battle of Ladywood
 * 4) The battle of Edgbaston

1996-



 * The battle of Wenlock Edge
 * Kinver military campaign
 * 1) The battle of Pensnett
 * 2) The battle of Wednesfield
 * 3) The battle of Kinver
 * 4) The battle of Gornal Wood
 * 5) The battle of Shifnal
 * Southern rural military campaign
 * 1) The battle of South Worcestershire
 * 2) The battle of Alcester
 * 3) The battle of Tewkesbury
 * The Battle of Tame Bridge Parkway railway station 
 * The battle of Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station

1997

 * The battle of Dymock
 * The battle of Hinckley
 * The battle of Wednesbury and Pleck
 * Battle of Clun.
 * The South Welsh Campaign
 * 1) Battle of Monmouth
 * 2) Battle of Cwmbrân
 * 3) Battle of the Dulais Valley
 * The battle of Swan Village

(Italic text = The conflicts with "Hoodlum Johnny"). (Bold text = Joint Federal-Welsh operations.)

Also see

 * Mercia- UDI 1995