Three new Army reserve units coming to Hartlepool - meet them at the Tall Ships Races military village

It was announced this week that three Army reserve units are to be established at Hartlepool’s Army Reserve Centre, in Easington Road.

And each unit will be represented at the Tall Ships – which takes place from July 6-9 – where they will be displaying their equipment and showing off their skills within a military millage area on the Marina.

Hartlepool Armed Forces Liaison Group announced the new units at an event held at the Headland’s Heugh Battery Museum to mark national Armed Forces Day on Saturday.

The new reserve units will comprise a platoon of 8th Battalion, the Rifles, a troop of 71 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, and 150 Transport Regiment troop, of the Royal Logistics Corps.

Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Mike Facchini, chair of Hartlepool Armed Forces Liaison Group, said: “It’s great news for the town to be getting three units.

"We haven’t had a unit in the drill hall for about a year when 883 Postal and Courier Squadron RLC basically disbanded.

"The aggregate size of the three units is bigger than any unit we have had there since 2000 when we previously had an engineer squadron.”

Approval for the new units was granted by the Ministry of Defence after work by Army regional command and centre landlord the Reserve Forces and Cadet Association.

Two of the units have affiliated Cadet detachments in Hartlepool.

People will be able to meet their personnel and find out what each unit has to offer at the Military Village.

It can be found at the former Jackson’s Landing waterfront site throughout the Tall Ships from Thursday, July 6, to Sunday, July 9.

Hartlepool cadets, armed forces associations and a strong Royal Navy contingent are also due to be there.

Cadets, local service organisations and members of the public came together on Saturday for the small Armed Forces Day event at the Heugh Battery Museum, home of the UK’s only First World War battlefield.

During the ceremony, the union flag was raised and saluted, and the battery’s 25 pounder artillery gun was fired.

An open day at the Army Reserve Centre is also set to take place on Saturday, August 12.