WHITEHALL is trying to force on us the worst and most ill-conceived changes in the long history of the British infantry.

If this miserable effort is allowed to succeed Lancashire will lose its only county regiment and the defence of the realm will be irrevocably damaged.

The British Infantry Regimental system which has been developed and refined over 300 years relies on fierce local loyalties and inherited traditions to produce close-knit fighting teams of battle-proven effectiveness. The same local character of these family regiments is the basis of appeal to recruits.

Our incomparable infantry regiments are envied and emulated the world over and set the standards for the whole army.

The regimental system works consistently well today and, being infinitely flexible, can be adapted with ease to any future challenge.

Whitehall now proposes to destroy this outstandingly successful system by forcing regiments like the Queen's Lancashire's to merge into large characterless regional units, thereby losing long-standing and carefully nurtured links with local communities which sustain both recruitment and high morale. Rather than tearing the pulsating heart out of our army, defence planners would be well advised to reinforce a great British success.

We demand that the Government keeps its hands off our local regiments and the Queen's Lancashire regiment in particular and abandons this foolish plan which gambles with the backbone of British security.

The "Save the QLR" campaign is now underway throughout Lancashire and former Lancashire towns.

The Bolton branch of the regimental association will be campaigning at the Bolton show at Leverhulme park on Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22, and will be situated next to the Queen's Lancashire regimental recruiting team. Anyone who is willing to sign our petition in support will be able to do so there.

Further petition signing will be taking place at selected venues and times throughout the region in August, September and October.

Anyone wishing for more information or to give more support may telephone me on 01204 667219.

Geoffrey Lowe

(Bolton Branch Secretary)