The Chief of Army Staff’s Cows

THE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF’S COWS

General Sushil Shamsher Rana, the in bamboo baskets. Like any other morning, a purple Chief of Army Staff and the most bougainvillea flower had been placed behind his senior military officer in Nepal, lived ear by his wife and there was a fresh red tika mark in Jhamsikel behind high brick walls on his forehead. He had been selling mullah in this guarded by a company of elite soldiers from his neighbourhood for years, retracing the same paths Ranger Battalion. A white helmeted military to sell his produce to the housewives of Jhamsikel, policeman always stood on duty outside the main Sanepa, and Kupondole. gate, flanked by a pair of gigantic copper vases filled with fresh flowers. At intervals along the wall, When Narayan had started selling vegetables many machine gun posts poked out of watch towers above years before, the area had been a loose network of the green and white buses ferrying children to and Newari villages connected by muddy paths through from the Gyanodaya School. The Chief of Army Staff the green rice fields and bamboo groves. Nothing was the most powerful man in Nepal but, as the remained of those old neighbourhoods except a few Nepalese saying goes, eagles have many enemies. decaying, red-bricked Newari houses swallowed up by Whilst his compound was a haven of green amongst a grey urban sprawl of monstrously ugly development. the urban chaos of Kathmandu, it was a heavily guarded idyll and the new razor wire along the top of As he finished his cigarette, Narayan looked up the wall illustrated the stark realities of his power. abstractly at a peeling proclamation on the other side Military tradition dictated that the Chief of Army Staff was the only army officer in Nepal allowed to “Unattended cattle will be maintain a herd of cows inside the ample grounds impounded and removed. of his compound. A detachment of soldiers was By order of the responsible for looking after the ten chocolate and tan Municipal Council of Lalitpur.” coloured bovines and making sure that churns of fresh milk were delivered to his kitchen every morning. In The old farmer reflected how much the world had the monsoon the cows grew fat on the rich green changed from his youth when cow slaughter was grass inside the compound. In the winter the grass turned brown and the cows were let out of the compound, escorted by two soldiers lazily shouldering their M-16s, to forage for themselves along the grass verges outside the Engineering College. The disruption they caused to the city traffic as they crisscrossed the Pulchowk Road – a major traffic artery – was enormous and a continual source of irritation to the city traffic department.

One day in Bikram Sampat 2063, not long after the second Jano Andolan, Narayan Pradhan, a poor Newari farmer, was squatting smoking a Bijuli cigarette beside the small Durga temple outside the Chief of Army Staff’s compound. His kharpan was carefully placed beside him with that morning’s produce of radishes and spring onions neatly arranged of the road. He read slowly:

forbidden by law and cattle could roam freely through the streets of the small city and even steal the vegetables from his baskets unmolested.

As Narayan rose to continue on his peripatetic bazaar he noticed the Chief of Army Staff’s cows being escorted out of the main gate of the compound. It had been a particularly dry winter, he thought, and the cattle had lost some of the gloss on their hides and their noses were not as shiny and moist as before. What they required was some fresh green mountain grass. The cattle moved slowly along the road snorting in the cold air, their guards in camouflage fatigues following behind them.

The Jano Andolan had brought many changes to Nepal and the city traffic department had been quick to take advantage of one of them: the declaration that Nepal would henceforth be a secular rather than a Hindu nation. A number of new traffic rules had been rapidly promulgated.

In collaboration with a foreign NGO, the traffic department had started a campaign to remove unattended cattle from the city’s roads. In a move that would have pleased the many international institutions in Kathmandu the service had been privatised and made competitive; staff were paid for the number of unattended cows they recovered.

The rescued animals were kept in the grounds of the forestry college and a fine imposed on those who came to recover them. At the end of the week any cattle that were unaccounted for were pushed and shoved up planks into the back of a big Tata truck and ferried to Trishuli Bazaar. The arrival of the truck in Trishuli Bazaar was carefully coordinated to coincide with the weekly market when groups of whiteturbaned Tamangs from the high mountains in the North came to sell their produce. The NGO ensured the cattle were donated to the poorest farmers although a small charge was levied to cover the transportation costs involved.

If the cows did not enjoy the five day journey to their new homes high in the mountains of Dhading District, they were certainly happy when they got there. Tamangs live in idyllic mountain-top villages surrounded by lush forests with clear springs and plentiful grass. However, many Tamangs also live below the poverty line and the cow adoption scheme was a path out of their poverty. The annual report of the NGO showed photographs of contented cows being milked by women with enormous brass ear-rings and of happy farmers making cheese to sell back to the foreigners in Kathmandu. It was a win-win situation according to the report: the city benefited from freer flowing traffic, the animals were certainly happier in their new homes and the Tamangs benefited from their improved livelihoods.

On the particular morning in question, the Chief of Army Staff’s cows reached the main traffic junction at Pulchowk just before morning rush hour. The cows ignored the shouts of the soldiers and wandered off along the road, the rush hour traffic manoeuvring carefully around them.

The soldiers were always glad to be allowed out of their barracks into the relative freedom of the city. There was a tea shop owned by a particularly attractive woman from Manang where they often took a lengthy tea break during their herding duties, their rifles propped against the wall as they flirted with the owner. The soldiers left the cows grazing placidly by the Engineering Campus and went for tea.

Later in the morning, when most Nepalese had eaten their bhat and were either returning or going to work, Narayan the farmer began his journey home. His kharpan was swung across his shoulders, the baskets pleasingly empty and hanging like scales as he dodged the buses and tuk tuks on the busy road home.

Some months later a small paragraph in The Kathmandu Post reported the fate of two Nepalese Army soldiers court-martialled for neglect of duties. They had been severely disciplined and posted to a remote military outpost on the border with Tibet in Dhading District.

DEFEAT INTO VICTORY

Field-Marshal Sir William Slim

Cassell, London, 1956

‘ D efeat into Victory’ is the perfect title for this exemplary book. Rarely in our military history has a commander, having been soundly beaten, gone on Force personnel and formations that supported him. By the time that Slim took over command of BurCorps (as it was known) in March 1942, he had advanced to reorganise and re-train his defeated troops and from Major to Acting Major General in only three then lead them – against the same enemy in the years and within another two months he was a same theatre of war – to resounding and total victory. Temporary Lieutenant General, a meteoric rise. Very few could have achieved it and none was better able to do so than His earlier years had included active Bill Slim during 1942-45. service with British and Gurkha units, There have been many accounts of college, as a member of the Imperial the campaign in Burma during the Defence College and as commandant Second World War but none better of the Indian Army Senior Officers’ conveys – in both broad sweep and School. This accumulation of minute detail – the depths to which knowledge (and contacts) was our forces sank in defeat, and the followed by wartime command outstanding success they enjoyed in of 10th Indian Infantry Brigade in victory, over what had been assumed Sudan and Eritrea (where he was to be an invincible enemy. Throughout wounded twice), and of 10th Indian this book shines the inspirational Division in Iraq, Syria/Lebanon leadership of ‘Slim Sahib’ as his and Persia, where he was twice mostly Indian Army soldiers knew him, or ‘Uncle mentioned in despatches. He was supremely fitted for Bill’ as thousands of British officers and soldiers in high command. all his divisions grew to call him, with a mixture of admiration and fondness. BurCorps consisted of 1st Burma and 17th Indian This book is a very detailed account of both the colleagues of 20 years, Bruce Scott and ‘Punch’ initial defeat in Burma and the stunning victory there Cowan. The corps was, however, outclassed by more of the Fourteenth Army which he subsequently led. numerous, flexible and determined Japanese forces, It is packed with numerous dates, places, unit and and was driven out of Burma into India. Slim inherited personal names and it conveys, almost on a daily command during the ‘Defeat’ phase, but he cannot be basis, the ‘feel’ of the numerous battles. blamed for the cards that he was dealt.

Throughout this account shines the honesty and self-knowledge of its author. Slim freely admits his mistakes – without any excuses – and makes no attempt to spread blame. He is also unstinting in his admiration and praise for the commanders, staff wallahs and officers and soldiers of his polyglot units and formations, as well as the RAF and US Army Air as a student and instructor at staff Divisions, under his old 6th Gurkha friends and Slim describes clearly how the superiority of Japanese strategy, tactics, training and leadership were completely unexpected in Burma, as they had been in Malaya and Singapore. The section headings of ‘Defeat into Victory’ are indicative of the narrative: “Defeat; Forging the Weapon; The Weapon is Tested; The Tide Turns; The Decisive Battle; and Victory”.

In the book, Slim records what he found on taking command: “Our intelligence was extremely bad; we were ill-trained and ill-equipped for jungle warfare; combat units were becoming much below strength in men and equipment; the local inhabitants were not being helpful; there was a wide gap between our forces in the Sittang valley and those on the Irrawaddy; and morale was threatened”.

He then goes on to describe how he set about addressing those weaknesses, whilst losing his entire air support, and being compelled to move prematurely to support the Chinese divisions in Burma.

BurCorps was soon attacked on multiple fronts by larger, more mobile Japanese forces, which outflanked his positions. Losses were heavy. General Wavell ordered a withdrawal and Slim soon found himself conducting a fighting withdrawal from Burma into India, the longest retreat in British military history – over 900 miles.

In India, Slim then took over command of XV Corps, covering the Japanese coastal threat to India from Burma. He fell out with his Army Commander, General Irwin, who took personal control of the XV Corps advance back into the Arakan in Burma, which was a disaster. Irwin sacked Slim, but soon sent him the famous signal: “You’re not sacked, I am”.

Slim was promoted to Acting General and given command of the new Fourteenth Army, consisting initially of three divisions. By 1945, it included 13 divisions: eight Indian, two British, two West African and one East African, as well as Indian parachute and motor brigades, four independent brigades and Army and RM commandos. Slim also had operational control of the divisional-strength ‘Chindits’ and ‘Vinegar Joe’ Stilwell’s US/Chinese forces. By 1944, Fourteenth Army was the largest army in the world, over a million strong.

‘Defeat into Victory’ describes how Slim turned the new, untried, Fourteenth Army into a formidable fighting machine which, under his inspiring leadership, routed a much larger Japanese army in Burma, sweeping 1,000 miles from inside India throughout the length of Burma by May 1945, killing 100,000 Japanese on the way.

Slim’s army always fought on a shoe-string budget; Burma was the least of Britain’s concerns during the war, as Slim well understood. He never complained about it during the war and he doesn’t in this book. He was at the back of the queue for weapons, ammunition, equipment, transport and reinforcements. Compared with those fighting in the Western Desert or European theatres of war, they became known as ‘The Forgotten Army’.

He therefore planned and trained to operate on light scales, with minimal road transport, and to use the jungle, shunning roads when necessary. Linear defence and attack were replaced with encirclement and ambushes and there was a huge increase in air support and resupply.

His avuncular image could be misleading; Slim was clever and exceptionally knowledgeable about the art of war but – above all – he was a truly outstanding leader, who could inspire exhausted, hungry, demoralised soldiers and their leaders. Unusually, he had served in both British and Gurkha battalions, in peace and war, so he could converse in fluent Gurkhali, Urdu (the working language of the Indian Army) or the sort of English that ‘squaddies’ understood. His African divisions had a much higher proportion of British officers than in the Indian Army and many British NCOs, so his message got through to all his troops during his frequent, inspirational visits.

Slim takes no swipes in the book at those – above and below him – who let him down, or awkward, ‘semi-detached’, subordinates like Orde Wingate or ‘Vinegar Joe’ Stilwell. He instead heaps praise on his commanders, staff officers and fighting men – and not just those in the infantry, armoured and artillery units, but in the myriad logistic and administrative outfits. He turned the latter – by direction, training and inspiration – into confident, self-reliant fighting troops who could defend themselves and their vehicles, stores and locations against Japanese attack.

The book also makes clear that Slim was no ‘Mr Nice Guy’; he ruthlessly enforced standards. For example, he inherited a terrible rate of malarial infection, which accounted for 120 medical evacuations for every wounded soldier, with battalions on average losing 12 men a day to malaria (do the math). Slim’s solution was to impose and enforce daily ingestion of anti-malarial drugs. Following his snap inspections, three commanding officers were summarily relieved of command where daily intake was less than 95% – a lesson that spread like wildfire and reduced the incidence of malaria tenfold.

One message that comes through strongly in the book is Slim’s disdain for the Japanese. He did not see them as ‘supermen’, as many others did. Whilst recognising their initially-superior training and tactics, he was disgusted by their wanton cruelty. Early in the book, he describes an incident when a victorious Japanese unit tied twelve wounded British soldiers to trees and bayonetted them in front of Burmese villagers. At the War’s end three years later, he ignored the orders of General MacArthur, the Allied CinC, that Japanese senior commanders should be allowed to retain their swords and not be disgraced in front of their men.

In SE Asia, all Japanese officers surrendered their swords, in front of thousands of Japanese POWs, to British officers of similar or higher rank. Slim writes that: “No Japanese soldier who had seen his general march up and hand over his sword would ever doubt that the Invincible Army was invincible no more. Field Marshal Tarauchi’s sword is in Admiral Mountbatten’s hands; General Kimura’s is now on my mantlepiece”.

In summary, I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about the war in Burma, or who seeks an insight into true leadership, from a man who went from a Private in a British TA battalion to the commander of the superb fighting machine that was Fourteenth Army; victorious and ‘Forgotten’ no more.

General Ray Pett

UNOFFICIAL HISTORY

Field-Marshal Sir William Slim Cassell, London, 1959

By the hot weather of 1925, the Adjutant of Thirty years later the Field-Marshal’s massively 1/6 GR was Captain WJ Slim MC. Seated successful memoir Defeat into Victory was published behind his desk with a gleaming Sam by Cassell and followed by Unofficial History in 1959. Browne and the glacial assurance that Defeat into Victory is above all a historical record by is the mark of every adjutant, it would be surprising a primary source who was central to the event, but to learn that this particular adjutant was leading Unofficial History as the name implies was not, and a double life. To the 6th Gurkhas he was the lordly was written more in the style of Mr Mills. There are figure, immaculate in his khaki drill and glassy riding nine chapters, each one is a stand-alone story told boots, who regulated the lives of the 1st Battalion. in the first person and based on a real-life action in But to his readers in the Daily Mail, The Sketch, and which the author was involved. In the early chapters the Illustrated Weekly of India (to name but a few) he the story teller is an Acting Captain of an English was Mr Anthony Mills, the ubiquitous story writer and infantry regiment and by the last chapter he is a journalist. For by 1925, in a secret partnership with Major General commanding an Indian Army Division Philip Pratt, he was a regular contributor to a number in Iraq. It is quite clear throughout that in each of journals in several countries. His main reason for action Slim is the protagonist, only the names of key writing was – cash, he had no private means and personalities around him have been altered. When each story could bring him up to fifteen guineas. he is a junior officer he writes boldly and critically

about personalities, the unpleasant situations and the incompetent figures who harass him and his men. Later when he is the Commander, he writes more sensitively about the shortcomings of those around him but remains unswervingly critical about himself and in a confident manner points out the lessons he learned from these incidents.

In the early actions he describes the leap-frog moves of the Warwick’s advance across Iraq with total engagement and understanding, in particular the space of the desert as it appeared to him from the saddle (mounted because he was acting as a Company Commander), the pop-pop-pop of enemy rifles from far away and the 18-pounder guns swinging into action behind him. Later, in the chapter titled Student’s Interlude, he writes from the perspective of the battle adjutant of an unnamed Gurkha regiment describing the withdrawal from a punitive raid on the fictitious village of Panch Pir. Once again the moving parts of the battle are marvellously set out, this time among the ravines and mountain tracks of Waziristan. Slim the protagonist is mounted for most of the action on the Adjutant’s charger except when his syce is summoned to take it away to safer places. A red flag signals the critical moment when the covering pickets withdraw helter-skelter down the khud-side until they are beyond the fire of the Pathan skirmishers who will have immediately occupied the vacated position above. Like John Masters in his Bugles and a Tiger, Slim animates his narrative with tiny details; a Gurkha rifleman now under fire pauses as he crosses a stream to grab a live fish and stuff it into his ammunition pouch.

Masters came to the North West Frontier 10 years after Slim, did they meet each other in this context? – perhaps not. However, we know from Masters (Road to Mandalay) that they did meet, rather dramatically in the Persian operation that Slim described in the last chapters of Unofficial History. Masters was Adjutant in the 4 GR vanguard and a staff car approached from the direction of the enemy. General Slim got out and hailed the CO. “Good morning, Willy. There is nothing ahead until you get to the fourth hairpin. They’ve got an anti-tank gun there.” As the car drew away Masters and the CO both noticed a large hole through the back of the staff car’s body.

Slim so evidently enjoyed the personalities around him in these incidents. In his chapter Aid to the Civil we meet the entire structure of colonial officials in the turbulent city of Garampur from the Deputy Commissioner down to Jallaludin Khan, the Special Magistrate whose interpretations of the law were not always strictly impartial at the Hindu-Muslim interface. In this story Slim unflinchingly describes himself ordering a section of British troops to fire on the riotous mob by the Juma Masjid; the incident is fictitious but nevertheless has a disconcerting similarity to the much darker event of 1919 in the Jallianwala Bagh of Amritsar.

Several large and memorable figures appear from these pages. Kelly, the US Marine deserter whose violent and energetic repair of the jammed Lewis gun came too late to fire on the surprised Turks running for cover. There was Chuck the slow-talking bank robber whom we meet in the act of abandoning his getaway car from a very recent job. In the story that follows, Chuck manages to remove all the luxury food items from a closely guarded hospital compound. The robbery is discovered by a controlling and vexatious officer whose behaviour compels the reader to root for Chuck.

In Student’s Interlude the uber-personality is Subedar Ratanbahadur Rana and the story (told in part in a preceding article in this Journal) concerns a raid on a village in Waziristan by the British. During the withdrawal when a quick getaway was essential and the angry Pathans were closing in on the rear guard, a mule carrying a Vickers gun sheds its saddle and

the load crashes to the ground, spilling a myriad of spare parts. The bits are gathered up by a platoon and Subedar Ratanbahadur Rana checking the area before his men move on finds the discarded pack saddle. Facing the Pathan snipers above he waves it above his head and roars out provocatively “LOOK AT ME!” Slim clearly enjoyed the incident immensely and Ratanbahadur’s credit with his men is sky high. In a 1987 letter (to JM) Gibbos, aka Lieutenant Colonel HRK Gibbs, explained that the incident with the Vickers saddle was a real event. A Scottish regiment, recently arrived on the frontier, had not learned how to pack the saddle and in the haste of the withdrawal the gun and bits fell out and were picked by the Ratanbahadur character. He was real officer, but not of that name. The real version was also a large and boastful man, who alas was wrongly selected for Gurkha Major and was in the end cashiered for fiddling the mess accounts.

Slim clearly admired the Chucks and the Ratanbahadurs in real life. He would not have hesitated to punish them if they had come before

At their meeting on 31 October 2019, the Trustees agreed that with immediate effect the 6 GRRA Trust should provide financial support for groups of 6 GR veterans who might gather for local reunions. This would essentially apply to UK and Hong Kong, as

Nepal was a special case already supported by the

Trust. The intention was to run this for a trial period.

The perceived parameters were that any eligible gathering should include 15 ex-6 GR veterans, and for UK, five of these should be paid up

Association Members. An application for support should be made to the Association Chairman at least 12 weeks before the event including a budget so that the Chairman could get approval for the level of financial support. It should be him for disciplinary reasons, but the recurring theme is that the rogues prevailed over the obsessive nitpickers who obstructed their paths. This idea relates to Slim’s dictum that when faced with a logistical impasse “God helps those who help themselves.” In one sense his dictum urges reasonably for the energetic use of initiative, but in another it might suggest that regulations should be bent or disregarded completely when they obstruct the path to the objective.

Unofficial History is a cracking good read and at the same time explains the development of an exceptional young man who became the most famous Gurkha officer. More directly than any biographer, it shows how Slim’s periodic exposures to violence and the continuous procession of real-life characters that he dealt with in these situations shaped the man, tested his ideas and prepared him for both victory and for defeat.

6 GRRA TRUST SUPPORT FOR SOCIAL FUNCTIONS

John Mackinlay

noted that as the Trust has Charitable status, the support has to be limited to: the cost of hiring premises, or supporting the needs of those experiencing hardship or distress. A simple final account of the event, indicating the use of the funds, would also be required.

Please also note that all supported social events, including those in Nepal and the All Ranks Reunion in UK will now be required to provide a budget, explaining how any grant will be spent before payment, and a simple final account to be submitted after the event.

Budgets and accounts should be submitted to the Chairman and Honorary Secretary by email.

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 6th QUEEN ELIZABETH’S OWN GURKHA RIFLES REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION Saturday 16 November 2019

Present

The President, The Chairman, Members of the Committee and 23 Members and their guests

1. Welcome and Opening Address

a. The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and stated that having the AGM and

Reunion Lunch after the Book of Remembrance in

Winchester Cathedral had proved to be popular with the majority of members. b. He stated that 2019 was a special year for 6 GRRA as it marked the 60th Anniversary of the award of the “Royal” title so that 6 GR became 6th Queen

Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles. He gave a special welcome to Lt Colonel Antony Wakeman, who had been present at the award of the “Royal” title at

Buckingham Palace in 1959 and to Canon Brian, who had presided over the Book of Remembrance

Service for a number of years, and his wife Susan. c. He stated that with approximately 50 attending lunch it was our best turnout for a while and he hoped that the new format would encourage more members to attend. He asked that if members enjoyed the day to pass on the message to others. d. He said his intent was to move quickly through the Agenda to allow extra time to talk about the

Association membership and for The Chairman of the 6 GR Memorial Project Committee to brief members of the progress so far.

2. Apologies for Absence

The Honorary Secretary stated that he had received apologies from Brigadiers Bourne and Thomas, Lt Colonel O’Keeffe, Major Beven, Captain Gordon-Creed and Captain Herbert. b.

3. Matters Arising (Not covered in Agenda)

a. The Secretary stated that all the Matters Arising were to be covered under their respective Agenda

Item as follows: (1) Subscriptions – covered under Item 7. (2) Re- Registration – covered under Item 6. (3) Journal on the 6 GR Website – covered under

Item 6.

4. Financial Report

a. Major Manikumar Rai, as the outgoing Finance

Officer, circulated the 6 GRRA Accounts up to 30 Sep 18 at the meeting and gave a summary as follows: (1) Income: (£8,984.00) (a) AFCIF investment income: £208.00 (b) Sales of chattels: £355.00 (c) Subscriptions: £2,780.00 (d) Cuttack Lunch £5,434.00 (e) Donations: £200.00

(2) Expenditure (£7,588.91) (a) Cuttack Lunch: £4,913.41 (b) Journal: £1,500.00 (c) Memorial Service Costs: £75.00 (d) ISA Fee: £1,000.00

(3) Account Summary. (a) Excess of income over expenditure: £1,395.09 (b) Current Cash Funds: £2,915.14 (c) Cash Funds RBS Account: £4,310.23 (d) Current AFCIF investment: £5,804.60

(e) Total Net Assets: £10,114.83 The Chairman drew attention to the decrease in subscriptions from £2,910 in 2017 to £2,780 in 2018. He stated that this was partly due to the change of 6 GRRA account from Lloyds to Royal

Bank of Scotland. Some members had not changed their standing orders and others had stopped paying when payment from their standing order did not go through. He asked the Honorary Secretary to review the Membership list and identify defaulters. Those who did not pay their 2019 subscriptions were not to be sent the Journal 2021. Action: Honorary

Secretary to contact defaulters. Editor to place a notice about payment of membership fees in the Journal (Chairman to draft) and distribute the next Journal ONLY to

members who had paid their subscriptions.

5. Journal Report

a. In the absence of the Editor who was on duty at a

Charity Event for GWT, the Chairman thanked the

Editor once again for a superb Journal and asked that a vote of thanks be recorded in the Minutes for his sterling work. b. The Editor reported that 396 copies of the Journal had been distributed including 20 to Nepal and

Darjeeling. He stated that he was not happy with the new printers and would return to using the previous printers. The total cost was £5,870 broken down as follows: (1) Design – £1,400 (2) Printing – £3,620 (3) Postage – £850. c. The Editor announced that the 2020 Journal (Edition 100) would be based on Field Marshall

Slim and his service with 6 GR. The Chairman added that a lecture was being planned to mark the centenary of FM Slim joining 6 GR at the

Gurkha Museum in May 2020. d. The Chairman stated that the Regimental Trust had approved a grant of £5,500 for the next Journal, but that this should not restrict the production of a quality Journal. If necessary, further funds could be made available. He concluded by asking the

Association’s thanks to be recorded to thank Major

Beven for producing another excellent Journal.

This was agreed, unanimously.

6. Website Report

a. In the absence of the Comms Officer, the Chairman briefed the meeting based on the notes provided by Capt Herbert, who reported that: (1) The website which was launched a year ago, was rebuilt using a new system over the past few years to make it easier to edit and update. This year extra effort was being made to use the website for more news – such as the medals acquisition; the anniversary of the granting of the royal title, etc. (2) The most recent journals have also been published on the website using “page turning” software. It was hoped that future journals would be published in this way. The web versions of the Journal are redacted to remove personal/family information. The Editor of the Journal was thanked for his efforts to supply the redacted versions. (3) The new website requires all members to re-register for use of the “Members’ Area”. In some cases this has proven to be a challenge with gremlins in the website. Not all members re-registered. If you have not done so, please email the Comms Offr, James Herbert (james.herbert@gemcommunications.co.uk) during the next few months to trigger the registration process. (4) In due course, the intention is to fully revise the member’s directory once the Chairman’s work in updating and capturing the details of the entire membership had been completed.

7. Membership

a. The Chairman stated that his review of the 6 GRRA Accounts for 2108 revealed that urgent action was required to address the issue of nonpayment of Regimental Association subscriptions.

The situation was serious with much less than half of Full and Associate Members actually paying subscriptions. b. He continued to say that from December 2018 he had sent out 141 personal Emails and 17 letters to perceived non-payers of subscriptions to which he had 40 email and four letters in response. He received many positive responses and donations

c.

d. e. f. to cover lost years and the results in the accounts show a 41% increase in subscriptions from £2,780 in 2018 to £3,935 in 2019. He offered his sincerest thanks to those who had responded. The Chairman stated that there was however still a long way to go. From the analysis of the 6 GRRA Membership List and the 2019 bank statements, the total Members were 356; Full = 211; Associate = 83 and Honorary = 62. Paying members (Full + Associate) = 294. Identified Paid Up Members = 139, with a further 28 not identified giving a total of Paid Up Members = 167 i.e. only 57% of the 294. In discussion with the Trustees on 31 October 2019 it was agreed that: (1) The Chairman should write again to those who have not paid. (2) The 2020 Journals should still be sent to those who have not paid, but that this would be the last year. (3) A “Lapsed Members Roll” should be introduced in 2020 for those members who fail to pay annual subscriptions. Their details would be kept and Lapsed Members would not be qualified to vote in the

Association nor would they receive the annual

Association Journal. (4) The Chairman should write a flyer and an article on the issue of subscriptions for the

next Journal. The Chairman noted that the difficulty in identifying subscription payments via the banks statements was that there was no clear requirement for a full name to be put on the Standing Order Form. A new SO Form had been drafted that requires the members to fill in their name. He drew attention to the policy implications for the Association of a large non-paying membership. Important decisions required a quorum of 1/3 of the Full Members; i.e. currently 71 of the 211 total membership. Although not quorum, he asked those present to support the establishment of “Lapsed Members Roll” by a show of hands. The setting up of a “Lapsed Members Roll” was agreed unanimously.

8. Forthcoming Events 2020

a. The Honorary Secretary distributed the GBA

Forecast of Events and highlighted the following: (1) 9 Nov 19 – Remembrance Service, Gurkha

Chautara, NMA Stafford. (2) 14 Nov 19 – Cuttack Lunch at the

Oriental Club. (3) 9 Mar 20 – Commonwealth Gate

Memorial Service. (4) 1 May 20 – Cuttack Lunch at the Oriental

Club (cancelled). (5) 2 May 20 – – RGR Reunion and Army v Navy

Rugby, Twickenham (cancelled). (6) 6 Jun 20 – GBA Memorial Service and

Luncheon at RMA Sandhurst (cancelled). (7) 11 Jul 20 – GBA Bhela at the Aldershot sports field. (8) 10 Sep 20 – GBA Golf Competition. (9) 5 Nov 20 – Field of Remembrance Service/

GBA Dinner at the Army & Navy Club. (10) 7 Nov 20 – Remembrance Service, Gurkha

Chautara, NMA Stafford. (11) 8 Nov 20 – Remembrance Sunday Parade. (12) 4 Dec 20 – Cuttack Lunch at the Oriental Club.

9. Memorial Project

a. The Chairman thanked Captain Channing,

Chairman of the 6 GRRA Memorial Project

Planning Committee (MPPC) and his committee for all their hard work and making such great progress on a project that has inevitably been difficult to define. b. The Chairman of the MPPC briefed Members on the progress of his Committee’s work. The

Planning Committee Report is attached at Annex

A of the Minutes (Not included in the Journal as

Mike Channing’s article on the 6 GR Regimental

Memorial project is at pages 10-11. Editor). c. The Chairman stated that Lt Colonel O’Bree had taken on the task of creating a Regimental

Roll of Honour to record all ranks that have died on active service with the Regiment. This was to be a practical document in A4 size for reference purposes.

10. Any other business

a. 6 GR-RGR links. The Chairman explained that with the support of Colonel RGR (Major General

Gez Strickland DSO, MBE) and Chairman RGR RA (Colonel Dan Rex) links between that antecedent regiments and RGR have now been formalised. In 1 RGR 6 GR’s link will be with Medicina Company and with 2 RGR with Gallipoli Company. As well as this it has been accepted by RGR that we, 6 GR, can also establish links with Mogaung Company in 1 RGR. For 3 RGR, soon to be formed, we had been asked to nominate a battle honour for a company link and we have chosen Monte Chicco from those offered. b. Medicina Battle Field Tour. The Chairman informed the meeting that a group of around 25 members Income from Assets Investment Income Sale of chattels by auction Subscriptions Sales Cuttack Lunch Donations Micellaneous

Total Receipts

of the Association would be visiting Medicina in April 2020 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the battle. This would be a joint visit with the KRH Association, the successors to 14/20th Hussars. It is hoped that RGR and KRH will also be involved.

11. Date and venue of next AGM and Reunion

a. The next AGM and Reunion will be held at the Gurkha Museum on Saturday 14 Nov 2020 after the Book of Remembrance Service at

Winchester Cathedral. b. There being no further business the meeting was

6TH QUEEN ELIZABETH’S OWN GURKHA RIFLES Regimental Association Income and expenditure account for the 12 months ended 30 September 2019

closed at 1315 hrs.

12 months to 30 September 2019 £ £605.00 £208.00

£3,935.00 £5,750.00 £170.00

£10,723.00

12 months to 30 September 2018 £

£208.00 £355.00 £55.00

£2,780.00

£5,434.00 £200.00 £7.00

£8,984.00

(Continued)

Expenditure

Reunion Piper ED Pay AGM Room Hire Charge Reunion Lunch Payment Cuttack Lunch O’Bree Presentation Badge O’Bree Presentation Winchester Cathedral GBA Annual Subscription 6 GR Journal Cuttack Lunch 6 GR Journal Mailing Costs Allmand Service Costs ISA Fee (Ex VAT) Hon Sec Expenses Donation to Medicina Coy 1RGR

Total Expenditure Excess of Expenditure over Income

12 months to 30 September 2019 £

£100.00 £633.50 £648.00 £3,339.00 £60.00 £776.00 £150.00 £390.00 £1,400.00 £2,093.40 £2,118.12 £100.00 £1,200.00 £74.58 £100.00

£13,182.60 -£2,459.60

Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 30 Sep 19 Cash Funds (RBS) £1,850.85 Investment Assets (AFCIF) £5,845.65 Assets retained for the Charity’s own use £7,696.50

Liabilities

Total Net Assets

£0.00

£7,696.50

12 months to 30 September 2018 £

£4,913.41

£75.50

£1,500.00

£1,100.00

£7,588.91 £1,395.09

£4,310.23 £5,804.60 £10,114.83

£0.00

£10,114.83

The accounts of the Association were produced by Mr MFH Adler, ISA (6 GRRT Secretary and 6 GRRA Treasurer)

6TH AND 7TH GURKHA RIFLES ACCEPT ROYAL TITLES BUCKINGHAM PALACE 10 June 1959

Back: Rfn Budhiparsad Gurung, LCpl Makansing Gurung, Rfn Chhabilal Rana (all 6 GR), Cpl Kulbahadur Limbu, Cpl Jaibahadur Gurung, LCpl Ganbahadur Rai (all 7 GR).

Next: Sgt Sahabir Pun, Capt Lalgopal Ghale MM (2 GR QGOO), Lt Manbahadur Rai, Capt AC Wakeham (all 6 GR), Major RB Kenney, Major TP Rhodes MBE, Capt Harkasher Rai (QGOO), Sgt Lakhbahadur Limbu, Cpl Karkabahadur Rai (all 7 GR).

Standing: Capt ANC Florey, Major JA Lys MC, Lt Col WM Amoore DSO MBE (CO 1st Bn), Lt Col PB Winstanley MC (CO 2nd Bn), Lt Col HRK Gibbs (all 6 GR), Lt Col JTH Morris, Lt Col HC Pulley QBE MC (BGLO), Lt Col MHF Magoris MBE (CO 1st Bn), Lt Col ER Hill (CO 2nd Bn), Major RE Taylor (all 7 GR).

Sitting: Lt Col HMM Hackett MC, Lt Col FB Abbott DSO, Maj Gen JG Bruce CB DSO MC (President 6 GRRA), Maj Gen JAR Robertson CB CBE DSO* (MGBG), FM The Lord Harding of Petherton GCB CBE DSO MC (Col of Regt 6 GR) (all 6 GR), FM Sir Gerald Templer GCB, GCMG KBE DSO (Col of Regt 7 GR), Brig AJH Ross MC, Col RBE Upton, Lt Col SF Harvey-Williams (all 7 GR).

Portrait of Field Marshal The Viscount Slim by Juliett Pannet