| Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) | |
|---|---|
 Cap badge of the North Staffordshire Regiment. | |
| Active | 1881–1959 |
| Disbanded | 31 January 1959 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Line infantry |
| Garrison/HQ | Whittington Barracks, Lichfield |
| Nickname(s) | The Black Knots |
| Colors | Maroon, black and silver |
| March | God Bless the Prince of Wales (slow march) The Days We Went a'Gypsying (quick march) |
| Anniversaries | 31 July, Third Battle of Ypres |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel of the Regiment | The Prince of Wales |
I have always thought that if one was prepared to take the rough with the smooth they would ultimately balance out, but this has not been the case with the North Staffordshire Regiment, who throughout their history, have had far too much of the rough and far too little of the smooth.
Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks[1]
The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was in existence between 1881 and 1959. The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was created on 21 April 1758 from the 2nd Battalion of the 11th Regiment of Foot.[2] In 1881, under the Childers Reforms, the 64th Regiment of Foot was merged with the 98th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of Foot (originally raised in 1824) to form the Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment). In 1921 the regimental title was altered to the North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's).
Formed at a time when the British Empire was reaching its peak, the regiment served all over the Empire, in times of both peace and war, and in many theatres of war outside the Empire. It fought with distinction in World War I and World War II, as well as in other smaller conflicts around the world. These other wars included the Second Sudanese War, the Second Boer War, the Anglo-Irish War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War.
In 1959, as part of a defence review, the North Staffordshire Regiment, by now reduced to only a single regular battalion, was amalgamated with the South Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) which was, in 2006, amalgamated with the Cheshire Regiment and the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot) to form the Mercian Regiment. Today the traditions of the North Staffordshire Regiment are continued by the Mercian Regiment.