The tradition of the Regiments of Staffordshire having a Staffordshire Bull Terrier as a mascot started in the 19th century. In 1882 The
South Staffordshire Regiment received orders to march with
Lord Wolseley to the relief of
General Gordon, under
siege in Khartoum. The Regiment boarded trains in
Cairo with their Staffordshire Bull Terrier, "Boxer". However, as the train began to move the startled Boxer leaped to the tracks and was last seen by the men lying dead or unconscious. The regiment reached
Assiut where they waited several days for orders for the final phase of their march, at which point Boxer staggered into the camp looking very thin and exhausted. He collapsed at the men's feet, having walked over 200 miles through the desert along the rail tracks to get back to his regiment. It was then that the regiment adopted the tradition of a Bull Terrier as a mascot. After the Second World War, the tradition began of giving the mascot the name "Watchman". Watchman began his duties and accompanied the regiment to the
Royal Tournament in Olympia on 25 May 1949.
Watchman V Watchman V took over duties on 5 October 2009. He carried out his duties as part of the 3rd Battalion (STAFFORDS) of the Mercian Regiment, until it was withdrawn in 2013. He then took out duties as part of the Staffordshire Regimental Association. Watchman V's handler is Greg Hedges. Due to the widespread use of social media, he has become the biggest profile Watchman to date, amassing nearly 20,000 followers on Facebook. He attends regimental events, military parades, remembrance ceremonies and national events such as the Garden of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey. Watchman V has been presented to HRH Prince Harry at the Garden of Remembrance in Westminster Abbey. He has also been introduced several times to HRH Prince Philip at the Garden of Remembrance in Westminster Abbey. He proved to be a very popular mascot and was awarded Freedom of numerous villages and several towns in Staffordshire, most notably Tamworth Borough in 2014 and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough in 2016. He also holds the Freedom of Uttoxeter, Heath Hayes and Wilmblebury, and Hednesford. As part of the Regimental Association he also holds freedom of many other places such as Cannock, and Hanley, in Stoke-on-Trent. The granting of Freedom to Watchman and his handler by several major towns in Staffordshire was part of a campaign by Staffordshire politicians, led by Cllr Robert Pritchard of Tamworth Borough Council, to ensure the Watchman tradition continues, now the 3rd Battalion of the Mercian Regiment (STAFFORDS) had been withdrawn and the Staffordshire Regiment has been disbanded. Such was the pride and affection for Watchman, the Staffordshire civic community wanted to ensure he could continue to parade with the Mercian Regiment in their own towns, as he is not their official mascot. In 2016 Watchman was entered into the "Westminster Dog of the Year" competition by Staffordshire MPs It was the first time a military mascot has been entered into the competition. The MPs organised a public campaign to help Watchman V win the public vote element of the competition. The final was held in
Victoria Tower Gardens on Thursday 8 September. Sgt Watchman V won the public vote in the competition and was crowned the 2016 competitions "paw-blic" vote winner. In October 2016 Watchman V's handler, Greg Hedges, was shortlisted for the
Express & Star "Big Thank You" awards in the Ambassador of the year category. The winner, chosen by a public vote, was announced in February 2017. Watchman won his category. At the
Field of Remembrance ceremony held at
Westminster Abbey on 10 November 2016, Watchman was introduced to
HRH Prince Harry and
HRH Prince Philip. Watchman and his handler also featured in the
Royal British Legion's Festival of Remembrance event, broadcast on BBC1, broadcast on Saturday 12 November. This was on a section covering the experiences of soldiers from the Staffordshire Regiment in the
1st Gulf War. Watchman V held the rank of Colour Sergeant. He was promoted to sergeant as part of the 2015 St Georges Day celebration held in Tamworth Castle Grounds and Colour sergeant on 21 December 2017 at the Kings Head Pub in Lichfield, as part of the Ferozeshah day celebrations. A project has been launched to build a life-size bronze statue as a tribute to the Watchman, their handlers and the Staffordshire Regimental family. Watchman also has a
Facebook page,
Twitter and
website. Watchman V formally semi-retired on 5 March due to ill health and most of his role was taken over by Watchman VI. Watchman V lives with his handler and Watchman VI, he is frequently featured on his social media pages with Watchman VI and also attends some events and parades. Watchman V was buried with full military honours in St Edwards Square in Burton upon Trent on 31 January 2022 Alongside Watchman I,II,III,IV.
Watchman VI Watchman VI was presented to the regimental association in September 2018. He is a cousin of Watchman V and took over most duties from his predecessor on 5 March 2019. He was promoted to
Lance Corporal on 5 March 2020 st Swynnerton Training Camp by the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire
Ian Dudson and consort Jane Dudson. == References ==