AN ARMY battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, named after a British military hero, could be axed in a move to cut costs.

The Ministry of Defence has said The Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of Wellington’s), named after the Duke who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, could face cuts as part of a shake up to reduce the Armed Forces from 180,000 to 150,000 in five years to save £38 billion.

No plans have yet been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), but it has been reported the regiment’s deputy Colonel-in-Chief is set to campaign against the plans. Arthur Wellesley, the 8th Duke of Wellington, has reportedly written to the head of the Army, General Sir Peter Wall, to urge him to save the name of the battalion.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is Colonel-in-Chief of the battalion, which has fought in military campaigns including the American War of Independence, the Boer War, and the First and Second World Wars, with nine of its soldiers awarded the Victoria Cross.

An MOD spokesman said: “No decisions have been taken.”