AN Army battalion which traditionally recruits in the North-East is 100 soldiers short of its full strength, it has emerged.

The 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment - formerly the Green Howards - which has a full strength of 600, was reinforced by 300 troops from other units and the Territorial Army when it began its current tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Two hundred regulars from the battalion, which draws its troops mainly from Teesside and North Yorkshire, remained in the UK because they were unfit, underage or committed to training courses.

The Yorkshire Regiment's 1st Battalion is 40 short of its 570 full strength and the 3rd Battalion, which should have 610 soldiers, is 130 short.

Patrick Mercer, MP for Newark and Retford, in Nottinghamshire, obtained the figures through Parliamentary questions.

He said that problems recruiting and retaining soldiers caused the shortfalls and demanded that the Ministry of Defence take action to prevent a staffing crisis.

"Look at these fine men from Yorkshire and understand just what a problem their commanders and officers are having to get an operational unit into the field," said Mr Mercer, a former Army commanding officer.

"They are being let down by shortsighted recruiting and staffing policies and it is the single biggest problem facing the Army today."

Mr Mercer's comments came after Corporal Darryl Gardiner, from Wiltshire, a member of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, who was working alongside the 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment in Afghanistan, died when his vehicle hit a mine near Musa Qala, in Helmand Province. Five other soldiers were injured in the incident on Sunday (Jan 20).

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman confirmed that the 2nd Battalion is 100 under strength, but said that extra troops accompanied the battalion to Afghanistan because that particular role required more personnel than normal.

She said that 200 soldiers from the battalion remained in the UK for a variety of reasons, including illness, injury and ongoing training.

The 2nd Battalion is due to return from Afghanistan in the spring and all four of the Yorkshire Regiment's battalions will be on operations next year.