A VETERAN Territorial Army colonel has compiled the first ever history of a regional regiment.

Col Martin Lee-Browne, who grew up in Rendcomb but has lived in Fairford for the last 50 years, has compiled an account of the account of the history of the 1st Battalion The Wessex Regiment (Rifle Volunteers) launched this week at The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum in Gloucester.

One Wessex, recounts the regiment formed in 1967 out of the old TA battalions of the Gloucestershire, Royal Berkshire, Wiltshire, Royal Hampshire, Devonshire and Dorset Regiments.

Over 4,000 men served in the regiment until it was amalgamated into another regiment in 1995.

"It’s a very specialist book," said Col Lee-Browne, who served in The Wessex Regiment for 28 years. "It’s the first time anyone has ever written the history of a single TA battalion.

"We had an amazing job as part of a regimental battalion working with the regular army."