Lord of all, whose warriors looked to the hills, grant us of 6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles, bound together in bonds of service and friendship, your blessings.
We have served our Sovereign with loyalty, integrity and cheerfulness; We have been mindful of our traditions, proud of our Regiment and we have upheld our oaths.
We have tried to live good and honest lives and, if we have failed, we ask forgiveness.
We ask your care for all who have served in our Regiment and for their families. And we thank you.
Amen.
Spoken at the Dedication Service of the 6 Gurkha Rifles Regimental Memorial on 18 March 2023.
Front Cover: Detail of
Memorial, Pokhara. Inside Front Cover:
Rear Cover: Major General Derek Horsford CBE DSO and bar presenting the Wallace Memorial Trophy to John Mackinlay, Hong Kong, 1970.
May 2023
‘The Spirit of a Gurkha’ Hari Budha Magar on the summit of Everest, 19
OFFICERS OF THE REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION
President: Brigadier John Anderson OBE
Vice President: Captain Mike Channing mikechanning792@btinternet.com
For many of us, 2023 was a bittersweet year, with times of great elation and times of sadness but, as Margaret Mitchell said, “Life is under no obligation to give us what we expect.” The appalling Russian assault on Ukraine dragged on, massive earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria, war broke out between Israel and the Hamas terrorists and strikes threatened our nation’s health: we changed Prime Minister yet again, while closer to home we lost some of our friends and comrades. But we also had much to be thankful about: our Regimental Memorial was dedicated in Pokhara, Hari Budha Magar (whom our Trust sponsored) became the first double amputee to scale Everest on 19 May, and on 6 May King Charles III was crowned in Westminster Abbey.
Our Brigade continues to prosper, evinced by the significant increase in recruiting: in 2023 we recruited 204, but this rose to 337 for Intake 2024. We now make up some 5% of the British Army and our men serve an average of 24 years: while one should not overstate matters, it is worth recording that all our units continue to set the highest standards – in the last Cambrian Patrol competition 11 of the 19 Gold medals went to our units, at Bisley we took 11 of the first 12 places and filled 69 places in the Army 100, with a 1 RGR Lance Corporal winning the King’s Medal.
Brigade units, many of whom participated in the Coronation, continue to operate globally. 1 RGR in Brunei deployed elements to the USA, Kenya, Fiji, Vanuatu, Indonesia, Thailand, Gambia and Papua New Guinea on either short-term training teams or exercises, while 2 RGR, now part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, deployed to Cyprus on standby. We are forming a third Company of Rangers, but it is inappropriate to comment here on their activities.
Our Corps are equally busy, still growing and serving worldwide: QOGLR, now with seven Squadrons, sent one to Cyprus to serve with UNFICYP; QGE celebrated their 75th Anniversary by winning the Nepal Cup, while QGS will celebrate their 75th Anniversary and
raise their 7th Squadron in 2024. Our Band remains busy, playing in both the UK and Nepal, while Gurkha Staff and Personnel Support achieved a Gold medal in the Cambrian Patrol.
Individuals in RGR also excel, with three new Brigadiers taking post: Jody Davies is now Commander 51 Infantry Brigade and HQ Scotland, Jamie Murray commands 38 Brigade and Northern Ireland Garrison, and David Pack is the Deputy Commander (Plans) 82 US Airborne Division. Changes are also underway in GWT, with Dan Rex taking over as Defence Attaché/Director GWT in Kathmandu and Johnny Fenn making a return to Pokhara as Field Director.
A major fundraising campaign for ‘Project Kaida’, the complete refurbishment of the Gurkha Museum, is now underway and will cost circa £5M. After a lot of hard work by the trustees and staff, the National Lottery Heritage Fund agreed a grant of just over £3M, leaving us with a further £2M to raise. You will be glad to hear that our Trust has made a grant of £50,000, and I urge all our members to support this most commendable initiative.
For our Association the highlight of our year was undoubtedly the realisation of John Mackinlay’s vision when, on 18 March, we were able to dedicate the Regimental Memorial to everyone – men and families – who served in our Regiment. While details of the dedication appear elsewhere in our Journal, it would be wrong not to mention the debt we owe to those involved: John Mackinlay, who conceived, designed and supervised the production of what is a beautiful memorial; Mike Channing, who together with his Committee, took on the coordination of the whole project, including raising the necessary funds; Gopalbahadur Gurung, ably assisted by Purnabahadur Gurung, who led the Nepal team; our sculptor Dharma Raj and, last but not least, the Gurkha Memorial Museum in Pokhara who gave us a prominent site in their grounds.
John Anderson presents Maya ko Chino plaques to Mike Channing and John Mackinlay at the Cuttack Lunch, Oriental Club, 28 April 2023
Our celebration of this memorial is now tinged with sadness, for in the afternoon of 5 December, surrounded by his family, John passed away. We have all lost a loyal and devoted member of our Regiment, and a staunch friend.
We have sadly bid farewell to too many other members, many of whose obituaries feature in the Journal. In particular, having celebrated her centenary last year, Helen, widow of Brigadier Gil Hickey, passed away in late October. She had led a most extraordinary adventurous life and for many of us, she was a true doyenne of our Regiment and our Brigade. Many of us were privileged to attend her Thanksgiving Service on 21 November.
Brigade and Association life continued to be busy and is covered by our Chairman in his Letter and elsewhere in the Journal. We were all delighted when Mike Channing accepted the post of Vice-President, a right and proper recognition of his many years of service to our Trust and to the Association, and we also celebrated the centenary of Jean Patterson on 22 August. For our younger members, Jean is the doyenne of three generations of Gurkha Officers: widow of the renowned Major General Pat Patterson, mother of Hugh (seconded to 6 GR) and grandmother of George, now with RGR.
In June I attended the RGR Annual Reunion, no longer
Sheld at the Army/Navy Rugby match at Twickenham, but at the Royal Household Cricket Club in Windsor. This enjoyable day featured a cricket match between RGR and the Combined Brigade Corps and a display by the Brigade Band. I mention this because the last official photograph of our late Queen with troops was taken there, and it featured our Band: the photographer kindly gave our Association a copy and it appears in this Journal
One penultimate note. Members are all aware that since 2018 work has been going on behind the scenes on the future of our Association. In a paper I issued on 19 October 2023 proposals were made as to how we move to what is best described as “Association Light”, a measure necessitated by the dearth of suitable volunteers to fill Regimental Committee posts. Our Chairman and a special Committee are now taking this forward and everyone will be kept informed.
On behalf of all our members I extend my thanks to the Association Committee and the trustees of our Regimental Trust, and those who run the Cuttack Lunch and other activities. Without their hard work and dedication our Association would be much the poorer.
John Anderson
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN
adly, for many the world did not become a better place in 2023; Putin’s invasion of Ukraine drags on and the Middle East has erupted in a violent and frightening manner with significant potential negative implications for us all while lesser reported crises in Yemen and East Africa continue. As an Association, we have been pretty busy though as we proudly look to the 30-year point since the Regiment was disbanded and, along with 2 GR, formed the 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles in 1994.
The main event of the year was undoubtedly the dedication of our Regimental Memorial in Pokhara on 18 March. This had been a huge undertaking over many years since the original concept of John Mackinlay. It is the most beautiful memorial to everyone connected with the Regiment in its 177 years of service to the Crown; those who served, the families who supported them and the many attached personnel. We owe a huge debt of thanks to all who contributed time, effort and money to make it possible, but particularly to Mike Channing and his team in UK, Gopalbahadur Gurung and his team
in Nepal and, in the final weeks, to Purnabahadur Gurung as Project Manager and his team in Pokhara. Interestingly, many of us learned for the first time, despite our many years’ service, that many of our veterans follow the Bon religion and so the blessing for the Memorial was done by a Bon Priest as well as a Hindu Bahun, a Buddhist Lama and a Christian Minister. The attendance from our veterans and families was wonderful and the subsequent reunion in the grounds of the British Gurkha Camp Pokhara was just marvellous. It was such fun to meet up with so many old friends, including from the Nepal Cup team, shown in the picture, where I had the happiest of times while serving in the Regiment. Although fully reported on elsewhere, I could not fail to mention such a fundamentally important and wonderful day in the history of our Regiment.
Other notable events have also taken place; an enjoyable and successful 6 GR Shoot in January, once again run, with our sincere thanks, by Jeremy Brade and Nick Fothergill. Our regimental lunch club, the Cuttack, ably organised by Alex Shaw, continues to be well attended biannually at the Oriental Club. In June, Brian O’Bree and Gordon Corrigan kindly represented the Association at Shorncliffe when our affiliated B (Gallipoli) Company 2 RGR commemorated the Gallipoli Campaign. We had a good gathering at the 6 GR tent at the GBA Bhela on 8 July and through Manikumar Rai’s good offices we managed to wine and dine quite a few guests as well as ourselves.
David Bredin represented us at the Gallipoli and Dardanelles Service in August. Our All Ranks Reunion was extremely well attended, although sadly not by British Officers, and included the presentation of a lovely 6 GR medal, organised by Tikendra Dewan, to
Duncan with Lokbahadur, Kamal and Pirthiman, Nepal Cup Team players during the Memorial Dedication in Pokhara
those in the UK who had contributed financially to the 6 GR Memorial. Khusiman and his team, once again managed a wonderful day, including a muchreduced charge for our less well-off veterans.
Our busy month of November included good support at the Slim and Gurkha Statue wreath laying and the largest antecedent regimental table at the Gurkha Brigade Dinner. This year, the Remembrance Service and Parade in Whitehall was notable for the GBA contingent being at the front of the marchers, allowing us a wonderful view of the whole ceremony and, of course, TV coverage. It was also good that the British Gurkha Welfare contingent were marching immediately behind the GBA contingent. Our own Service of Remembrance and Reunion in Winchester were particularly well supported, with the change to having the AGM first being considered a real success. On 23 November David Bredin and James Herbert represented the Regiment at the Recruits’ Passing Out Parade in Catterick. This was a first and a most welcome initiative to recognise the importance of the antecedent Regiments and they were very well looked after.
For me, 2023 was a year of 6 GR ladies’ brooches. At a previous AGM, as we discussed ties for the gentlemen, the question of “what do we do for the ladies?” was raised. A decision to commission a silver brooch depicting a 6 GR badge was made and many emails later, over 30 brooches were sold to our members with very positive results. The brooches are still available to members from Nabin and Nabin, excellent Sunars in Station Road, Aldershot, crafted in UK.999 silver at something over £60. The Association was also gifted a beautiful platinum, white gold and diamond 6 GR brooch to sell for charity, the details of which are reported elsewhere, but the most generous gesture resulted in a substantial sum being sent to Tiplyang School in Nepal, the school that the Regiment supports.
Our main activity after the Memorial Dedication has been considering the future of your Association. Early in the year I approached a significant number of our younger Full members, hoping to organise a
next chairman and secretary as I was due to retire in 2024, and David Bredin in 2025. Sadly, for various good reasons, there was a limited positive response and none for Chairman. This issue is not unique to 6 GR and the GBA were also making plans for the eventual absorption of the four antecedent regimental associations, in the same way that they had done for those regiments that transferred to the Indian Army after Partition. Given this situation, your President and Association Committee considered how we might take the Association forward, looking ahead to the next 5 and 10 years. A number of discussion papers were circulated and considered, resulting in your Committee making a proposal which was circulated to all Full members and then addressed at the AGM on 18 November 2023, the minutes of which are included in this Journal. The committee proposal was endorsed by the AGM and on the basis of this authority, the Association has established a sub-committee to consider the changes in detail. Essentially, the proposal is that the Association will not close, but move to a “lighter” operating model (Association Light or AL), making maximum use of the facilities now being offered by the GBA. There is however, much to resolve, both details and general matters with the subcommittee meeting regularly, keeping key stakeholders informed, and working towards a proposal to put to the AGM in November 2024, when hopefully the move to AL will be approved.
In parallel to the discussion on the future, Brian O’Bree continues with our other main ongoing initiative, the Archive Project. Much progress has been made during the year; for example, many oral histories have been recorded, but there is still very much more to do. He is particularly keen to get access to photos, particularly group photos, diaries and papers of historical interest, so if you have some material or some time available, please do get in touch with Brian at brianobree@gmail. com. I can assure you that your support will be gratefully received.
This will be my last chairman’s letter as I will resign in November 2024. It has been the greatest privilege to serve the Association as chairman for the last six
years. I am extremely grateful to everyone who has served on our Association Committee and for their vital support. I would also like to thank John Anderson for his help, particularly when I have been away and to Bhuwansing, Chandra and Purnabahadur from our Nepal Association for their assistance and good fellowship. Finally, I must particularly thank David Bredin, who I recruited as Regimental Secretary, and who I believe has kept us all informed in the most outstanding way and so capably represented our Association. He has become a close friend and
anything that I have achieved could not have been done without him.
Lastly, my most sincere thanks to you, our Members, for your support, consideration and friendship over my six years as chairman, and my very best wishes to you all for the future.
Jai Sixth!
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
In his letter, our Chairman has mentioned the Association’s Information Legacy Project which was strongly endorsed at the last AGM. In preparation for this, we ask all members to consider what papers, diaries, photographs, and cine or video footage of historical significance that they or their relatives may have. It may be in an old suitcase gathering dust in the attic, or in long-forgotten albums in the bottom of some cupboard, but could be added to the 6 GR archive in The Gurkha Museum. Copies of originals can be made.
Do you have unwanted copies of any old Association Journals and the Gurkha Brigade annual Kukri journals? We want these too please for digitising purposes.
If you think you have something which would enable future generations and historians to better understand the life in, and exploits of, the 6th Gurkha Rifles and those who served with it please contact Brian O’Bree either by email at brianobree@gmail.com or by phone on 07733 296 588 .
Duncan Briggs
LETTER FROM NEPAL
BY CHAIRMAN 6 GRRA (NEPAL)
Mike Channing, Chairman Memorial Project Committee, presents Chairman 6 GRRA Nepal with his Maya ko Chino presentation, Pokhara 18 March 2023
Namaste from Nepal. Our association in Nepal continues to be strong and the central committee remain very active, with Lieutenant Purna Bahadur Gurung as the Vice Chairman, Colour Sergeant Jai Bahadur Gurung (21161930) as Secretary, WO2 Chitra Bahadur Gurung (21167335) as Treasurer and a few other committee members.
We are blessed with our senior advisors, Major Gopal Bahadur Gurung MBE, Major Gyan Bahadur Gurung, Major Balkrishna Gurung MVO MBE, and Captain Bhuwansing Gurung. Major Chinta Bahadur Gurung MBE and Captain Bhupal Thapa are actively helping us from Butwal and Chitwan. Captain Padam Bahadur Gurung is always playing a key role from the Kathmandu valley.
This year, we have been successful in submitting a few ‘Dispatches from Nepal’, which you will find elsewhere in the Journal. We hope members will enjoy reading them. This has been the first time we endeavoured to do this, encouraged by the Chairman, Lt Colonel Duncan Briggs.
The geography of Nepal is changing rapidly nowadays. For good or bad, most of the trek routes in the mid-hills of west Nepal are disappearing. British officers may remember their Nepal trek days: the never-ending stone steps, restful choutaras and swing bridges which are increasingly bypassed by dirt roads. The good news is that most people do not have to carry loads on their backs. New and beautiful short trekking routes are opening up.
Because of the massive ongoing road development, travel between Kathmandu and Pokhara takes approximately 7 – 9 hours by car/bus at the moment. It will certainly be safer and reduce travel time in the coming years. However, domestic air flights continue to be timely, robust, frequent and easily available.
Our congratulations to the new Vice President, Mike Channing, and welcome to our friend Jules Irens on his posting to the FCDO in Kathmandu. The highlight of the high-profile visits to Nepal has been the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders KCB CBE DSO ADC Gen, to take the salute at the attestation parade of 337 new Gurkha Trainee riflemen at British Gurkhas Pokhara.
Nepal members pay tribute to the late Lt Colonel John Mackinlay, one of the key architects of the
memorial project. We very much remember his grinning smile.
This year we are holding our Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Kathmandu and a Reunion in Pokhara on 16 and 23 March 2024 respectively. We hold our AGM/ Reunion during the third week of March every year.
On behalf of all the members from Nepal, I thank the Trustees for their annual grant for 6 GRRA Nepal. We use this money to hold our AGM/Reunion in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan and Butwal. Members and their families visiting Nepal at this time of the year are most welcome to join us.
Jai Sixth!
A QUICK NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Welcome to the Journal No. 104 2024. I find it difficult to believe that it is now thirty years since our Regiment amalgamated into the Royal Gurkha Rifles and this Journal is planned to be the last printed physically. We will of course be keeping the Journal going in an electronic form in the years ahead.
I was thinking of how difficult it must have been for the UK Regimental Associations of the Gurkha units who went to India after 1947 to have kept going for so long and I think luckily for us the enormous difference is that so very many of our soldiers and their families now live in the UK. I would urge as many of you to take advantage of this by attending the annual events with our soldiers such as the Gurkha Brigade Association Bhela and especially our very own 6 GR Regimental All Ranks Reunion, generally held in September in Farnborough. I absolutely believe that as well as our diaspora of veterans in Nepal and elsewhere it is the fact that we have a critical mass of 6 GR all ranks and their
families in the UK that will keep us together in fellowship in the years ahead.
I would particularly like to pay tribute on behalf of all of us to my predecessor as Editor, Rick Beven. Rick did the job magnificently for eight years culminating in last year’s bumper edition, which rightly concentrated on the late Queen Elizabeth and her relationship with us, the only Gurkha Regiment that bore her name. Rick and I go back to 1982 where we were both in the same UOTC and then coincidentally the same platoon at Amiens Company RMAS. Very many thanks indeed numberi for all your hard work and for all of your help to me this year.
We have, as ever, sadly lost friends since the last Journal was printed. It is invidious to single someone out as we miss them all but I wanted to highlight the death of John Mackinlay who gave so much to this Regiment and was one of the leading lights in the creation of the 6 GR Memorial in Pokhara which you can read about in these pages. I am glad John lived long enough to see the amazing result of all his
Chandra Gurung
efforts and the Memorial will stand as a permanent reminder to us of a life well lived.
I want to thank Anne Griffith for her sterling efforts yet again in putting the Family News section of this Journal together which I think we all agree is very much at the heart of this publication. I also want to thank all the other contributors for their input and advice which I deeply appreciate.
Finally, I would like to thank all of you for continuing to support the Regiment. As someone once said, “You can make new friends but you can never make old friends.” It is a privilege to serve as your new Editor.
Jai
6 GR! God Save the King!
Dai Hitchcock
Chairman 6 GRRA Nepal and the Editor (formerly 2IC and OC Mortar Platoon) at the Dedication of the 6 GR Memorial in Pokhara, 18 March 2023
ROYAL GURKHA RIFLES NEWSLETTER
FIRST BATTALION
With jungle skills refreshed and C19 a distant memory, in 2023 1 RGR deployed over 700 Riflemen across the Indo Asia Pacific (IAP) and a further 400 in support of operational activity and SET across the globe. In February, B (Sari Bair) Company deployed to New Zealand, delivering JLC on Exercise PACIFIC KUKRI and rekindling relationships with 2/1 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. C (Mogaung) Company deployed to Darwin in Australia to train alongside 5 Royal Australian Regiment and the United States Marine Corps rotational force in an early demonstration of the AUKUS partnership. A (Delhi) Company deployed to Sichon in Thailand in July for Exercise PANTHER GOLD, training alongside the Thai Army. B (Sari Bair) Company then got the chance to exercise in Japan with the Japanese Ground Self Defence Force and assets from 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team (16 AABCT) on Exercise VIGILANT ISLES.
1 RGR on Exercise SUNDA PATROL
1 RGR hosted His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Brunei
This subunit activity was complemented by Short Term Training Team deployments to Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
Excellently supported home in Brunei by HQ (Burma) Company, 1 RGR has maintained our strong Regimental links with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and have been fortunate enough to host His Royal
Highness the Crown Prince for the first time. Support (Medicina) Company delivered Ex SUNDA PATROL, a jungle patrol competition, for 13 teams from across 1 Division. This pilot event paved the way for a joint the UK / Brunei international competition in 2024, deepening the UK’s links to partner forces across the region. HRH’s visit to Ex SUNDA PATROL enabled the Commanding Officer to give an update on British
B (Sari Bair) Company on Exercise VIGILANT ISLES in Japan
Lance Corporal Nischal Thapa being awarded the King’s Medal as the Army’s top shot by His Majesty King Charles III at Windsor Castle with Lieutenant Maddie Roche RGR in attendance
Forces Brunei and start to build a closer affiliation based on shared interests.
2023 also saw Force Elements held at Readiness for the first time as C (Mogaung) Company validated as a CBRN Protection Group, ready to support UK-based Light Infantry Battalions. Training and operational activities have been complemented by wider success as the 1 RGR Shooting Team retained their Defence Operational Shooting Competition title with Lance Corporal Nischal Thapa winning the King’s Medal as
The return to sunny Folkestone in 2022 was a welcome move for 2 after a lengthy stint in the oppressive yet thoroughly enjoyable Brunei jungle. A reprieve from the heat and rapidly diminishing Launch On Assessment (LOA) it may have been, however, the demand for high performance and readiness remained unrelenting in 2023 as 2 RGR began its push to qualify enough drivers, vehicle commanders and more for the piece de resistance of the UK military training that is Exercise WESSEX STORM. The build-up to such an auspicious event needed to be thorough, concurrently with completing other 16
A Rifleman bayonet training during 2 RGR’s Battle Camp
the Army’s top shot. The Volleyball team were once again crowned Army champions and 1 RGR also made an impression on the slopes, on Exercise FROSTED BLADE and Exercise NORDIC KUKRI as well as in the Army Tai Kwon Do Championships.
A busy year has seen 1 RGR support the UK’s Indo Pacific Tilt, capitalising on Overseas Training Exercise (OTX) and Defence Engagement opportunities to prepare for validation as the IAP Task Force in 2024.
Brigade tasks such as Exercise ORION 23; a large French exercise in Cahors that encompassed Rapid Air Landing from A400s as well as hyper-realistic urban combat. B Company achieved huge success in working well with our French counterparts in the 11th Brigade Parachutiste and displayed an excellent level of skill to avoid shooting (with blanks) the no-play civilians who were going about their daily croissant shopping in Cahors itself.
The push for qualifications and readiness continued in the UKs bleakest, and therefore arguably best, training area in Otterburn. Each company successfully completed live fire up to company level on challenging ranges that included a 20km insertion before the final action.
The bayonet range proved a good opportunity to remind all of the remarkable controlled aggression the man either side of them is capable of and woe betide any Taskforce Hannibal who might stand in their way. It was not only the fighting echelon of the Battalion who needed to be ready for the rigours of Salisbury Plain Training Area but also BGHQ. The HQ conducted several mini-CAST exercises in the run up to their CAST validation on Exercise PEGASUS STRIKE in February. As the Battalion refined our processes and coordination, Battalion HQ felt wholly ready for the stressors of Exercise Wessex Storm thanks to the positive feedback from the Combined Training Group.
Spring arrived in April and yet immediately departed as 2 RGR BG entered the boundaries of Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) for Exercise WESSEX STORM. The Battalion immediately found its rhythm in the Reception, Staging, Onward movement and Integration (RSOI) and Live Fire package which set the
tone for a suitably challenging validation exercise. Success on Exercise WESSEX STORM would confirm 2 RGR’s preparedness to take over as Air Mobile Battle Group 1 (AMBG1) in 16 Brigade. All phases of the exercise drew a gentle purr of satisfaction from Command Task Group (CTG), albeit with some regrettable no-play injuries for Taskforce Hannibal. The Battalion was somewhat put-out when 3 PARA as OPFOR were dragged away from Taskforce Hannibal duties to support Op POLAR BEAR, however, it is likely
relatively uneventful consecration with 16 Brigade
Overseas Training Exercise
2 RGR Rifleman on Ex WESSEX STORM
concurrent live fire ranges with 81st Battalion of the Quick Reaction Force; 16 Brigade’s brother airborne brigade. The FTX involved movement over challenging mountainous terrain with a final attack supported by US and Jordanian partner forces using HIMARS. Special and long-lasting relationships were built between the two forces through remarkable joint training and social events with a decrease in alcohol, an increase of tea and a maintenance of rice consumption.
Summer leave for the Battalion brought about a deserved break from a relentless training cycle whilst maintaining the Lead Company Group at readiness. Moving into September, both the Brigade and 2 RGR were focusing on Exercise PEGASUS AMARANTE which was to be a joint UK, French and Omani OTX. However, a paramotor insertion and subsequent action by Hamas in Israel brought about a rapid re-alignment towards the UK’s response to the regional conflict. Deploying as AMBG1 to Cyprus, 2 RGR was able to support JFHQ in contingency planning as well as partake in joint training with both the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force which developed 2 RGR’s understanding and familiarity with the littoral environment. With many allied nations also milling around Cyprus in case of regional
‘Bollywood on the Plain’ 2 RGR Rifleman dances with Indian soldiers from the Bihar Regiment on Exercise WESSEX STORM
conflict, the Battalion conducted training with our German Fallschirmjäger cousins, which increased understanding of capabilities and built good relations with NATO partners. The deployment to Cyprus was an excellent training opportunity for 2 RGR and a lack of deployment to the region was as a result of an uneasy but desired peace on the Lebanese/ Israeli border. The Battalion looks forward to the opportunities and challenges of 2024 with Jordan and Bosnia amongst the deployments and OTXs that await.
Jai 2 RGR!
A Company final attack during Ex PEGASUS HARBAH with 81st Battalion Jordanian Quick Reaction Force and supported by US Army HIMARS
THE GURKHA WELFARE TRUST
Throughout the year, our team of over 500 staff in Nepal have continued to work tirelessly to deliver financial, medical, and development aid to Gurkha veterans, their widows, and communities. The team continue to not only reach our pensioners to give pensions and provide medical care, but also met ambitious deadlines for the completion of school builds, earthquakeresilient homes and clean water projects.
In the UK a host of our supporters have been raising money through a range of physical challenges and community fundraising initiatives. We have also seen the return of two popular events, Trailwalker and the Doko Challenge. Despite the challenges of the current economic climate, our loyal supporters, including many serving and ex-Brigade members, have continued to give generously to provide the vital funds that we need to continue our work in Nepal.
FINANCIAL AID
We deliver a package of care to Gurkha veterans and widows to ensure they can live with dignity. Our Pensioner Support Teams journey into the hills of Nepal on motorbikes, in 4x4 vehicles and on foot to pay them a pension, check their health and deliver medication in their own homes.
Last year we paid a pension worth 14,500 Nepali Rupees per month to over 3,400 vulnerable Gurkha veterans and widows.
We continue to pay a pension to thousands of impoverished Gurkha veterans or widows in Nepal who are not eligible to receive a British Army pension. The rate is calculated each year using a ‘shopping basket’ of basic goods such as rice, vegetables and firewood. For many this is their only source of income.
We also provide financial aid through other grants. The Home Carers Allowance is a grant for family members of Gurkha veterans or widows who care for them full-time and are not able to work. The Disability Support Grant is provided for disabled dependents of Gurkha veterans and widows to help them live in comfort and with dignity.
We provided a Disability Support Grant to 239 people and a Home Carer’s Allowance to 302 people.
OUR MOBILE SUPPORT TEAMS
As our pensioners grow older, they are increasingly vulnerable, and many are reliant on home visits by our Mobile Support Teams who deliver pensions, carry out health checks and deliver medical equipment, mobility aids and medicines. 54% of our
Rifleman Jitbahadur Gurung, who receives a pension from The GWT
GWT teams often travel by motorbike to reach pensioners in remote locations
pensioners are now over 80 years old, and over 60 of them are centenarians. Without our continued intervention many of them would be totally isolated and unable to look after themselves.
Our medical teams undertook 8,870 home visits over the course of the year.
Winter allowance
Winters in Nepal can be bitterly cold, with the temperatures often plummeting to a chilly subzero. We help Gurkha veterans and widows prepare for the cold weather with a winter gift. In the past we have distributed blankets, warm jackets, hats, scarves, and gloves. Last year, we provided rice cookers, something which was requested by many of our pensioners.
MEDICAL AID
We provide an international standard of healthcare and medication to Gurkha veterans and their families living in Nepal. We do this through our regional
medical clinics, via home visits by specialist staff and by arranging subsidised treatment at carefully selected national hospitals.
Last year we treated 120,920 medical cases and dispensed 53,481 items of medication.
LIFE-CHANGING TREATMENTS AT OUR MEDICAL CAMPS
With the generous support of one of our UK donors, we also provide free medical camps for people living in the most remote communities in Nepal. For many, this is the only medical assistance they receive.
Relatively simple procedures like cataract removals, ear operations and dental treatment can make all the difference to those living in discomfort. We also organise dedicated prosthetics camps where we fit prosthetic limbs, transforming the lives of many adults and children living with disabilities.
We saw a total of 2,245 patients at our four medical camps in Manma, Mugu, Bajura and Sankhusaba.
Shree Prithvi Secondary School
At our Medical Camp in Manma, Kalikot District, we carried out 165 dental treatments, assisted over 35 patients with rehabilitation, and performed more than 168 ear operations, of which 25 patients received hearing aids.
BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR NEPAL’S CHILDREN
Our Schools Programme matches specific commitments from individual donors and charitable trusts to build, repair and improve schools in remote regions of Nepal, in turn providing access to education and a better future for Nepali children.
Major School projects include the construction of new two-storey classroom buildings, a library, gender-separate toilet blocks, handwashing facilities, incinerator, and secure perimeter fencing. School refurbishments include repairs to existing classroom buildings, installation of handwashing stations and toilets. Even the provision of new classroom furniture can make a huge improvement to the learning
environment. All our buildings are constructed to an earthquake-resilient standard to ensure their safety and longevity.
Last year we completed two major school builds, 17 school extensions and 80 school refurbishments.
EARTHQUAKE–RESILIENT HOMES
Nepal is situated in one of the most seismically active areas on earth at severe risk of an earthquake happening at any time. Many people in Nepal still feel the effects of the devastating 2015 earthquake which destroyed homes, families and livelihoods. Since then we have been working to build earthquake-resilient homes for our most vulnerable pensioners so that they will be protected when the next tremors strike.
During the year, we built 73 new homes for Gurkha veterans and widows.
We also awarded Emergency Hardship Grants to 117 people, to provide emergency supplies, essential
items and home repairs for those hit by disasters including heavy monsoon rain, floods and landslides.
CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
Our water projects bring clean water and sanitation to remote communities in Nepal. We install individual tap stands and toilets for households and schools. By ensuring a safe water source and providing a comprehensive education programme on the importance of sanitation we see sharp drops in water-borne diseases such as dysentery.
Bringing clean water to a remote village in Nepal is a mammoth task. There are many steps, from designing the water system and gathering the building materials to constructing the piping and tap stands. However, the most important part of our water projects is getting the village community involved. We empower residents with education on
sanitation and how to maintain their new water system, so they can enjoy the benefits for years to come.
Last year we completed 32 water projects, installed 1,125 tap stands and benefited 6,034 people.
RESIDENTIAL HOMES
Our two Residential Homes provide round-theclock care to Gurkha veterans and widows who would otherwise struggle to live alone. With no comparable facility in Nepal, they set the standard of care for the elderly. In addition, they also host our new and flourishing rehabilitation facilities with dedicated space being allocated for beneficiaries who require further intervention from our specialist Rehab Therapists.
Last year there were 36 permanent residents across the two homes.
ACTIVITIES IN THE UK
Last year we saw hundreds of supporters take on a range of races and endurance events to raise funds for the Trust. Our challengers ran marathons, climbed mountains, cycled the length of the country, trekked to Everest Base Camp, and more.
In May 2023 our Ambassador Johnny Fenn raised over £30,000 for the GWT and Hello World by walking nearly 1,500 miles across Nepal. The journey took 114 days, and Johnny continued steadily despite the unpredictable conditions he faced, including freezing weather, heavy rains, snowstorms, landslides, thunderstorms, and high winds.
Trailwalker 2022
Trailwalker 2022 saw a great turnout of participants ready to take on this gruelling 100km trek across the South Downs Way. Gurkha pipers were on hand to encourage the 191 teams through the start and finish lines.
Teams had a target to finish the 100km course in 30 hours or less and put in an incredible effort to tackle the hilly route as fast as possible. The winning team was the Queen’s Gurkha Signals, who crossed the finish line in an incredible 10 hours and 16 minutes. The Queen’s Gurkha Engineers came in second at 11 hours and one minute, and third was the ‘A Team’ from The First Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles at 11 hours and 38 minutes.
This year we put together a GWT ‘Platinum Jubilee’ team to take on Trailwalker, with the money raised going toward two school projects: Siddeshwar Basic School in Parbat District and Maidan Secondary School in Syangja District. Not only did the Platinum Jubilee Team cross the finish line in less than 24 hours, but they raised an incredible £18,469.
Huge thanks to everyone who supported the event. We also owe a big ‘thank you’ to our mighty team of volunteers, who cheered on challengers and kept everyone fed all weekend.
The Doko Challenges
In June we had two fantastic Doko Challenges in the north and south of the country. Based on the traditional Gurkha Recruitment Doko race in Nepal, the challenge saw participants run 5km on a hilly crosscountry route, carrying a Doko basket weighing either 5kg, 10kg or 15kg, with a time to beat of 46 minutes.
We were well supported at our first Doko North race at Roundhay Park in Leeds. One of our challengers was Jeffrey Long MBE, who will be 92 this year. A former paratrooper from Bingley, Jeffrey has a passion for fundraising challenges. Despite a back injury sustained during his service, he put in a huge effort and finished the course in 1:57:09.
Our Doko South Challenge was another great success, raising over £7,000 for the Trust. We welcomed 116 runners to Wimbledon Common, where they braved the heat to take on a hilly 5km course. All participants crossed the finish line, with leader Santosh Rai from Nepal Run UK finishing in an incredible 23:25.
The Doko South Challenge, Wimbledon Common
GURKHA MUSEUM
Building on the successes of 2022 (getting a lease signed, winning awards), 2023 was a remarkable year for your Museum, as all our work towards a redevelopment programme began to pay off. I shall, though, save the best for last.
First, I would like to say something of what we have done as ‘business as usual.’ And, as I do, I would remind everyone, that everything we do – outreach, exhibitions, the routine care and conservation of the items of your heritage given into our keeping, the preservation, curation, and access to your archives, outreach and exhibitions all come at a cost. We are a charity, your heritage charity, not a commercial organisation, but must behave in a business-like manner to be financially sustainable. Our financial support from public funds is tiny and we would not be able to survive on that nor admissions income (without becoming unaffordable) alone. We continue to diversify and grow our commercial activity but donations, legacies and the generous support of both the veteran organisations and the serving brigade is important, valued and our lifeblood. As we shift our focus to redevelopment, we cannot lose sight of the need for routine funding. The support of units, families and serving soldiers in their ever more inventive ways is enormously appreciated.
Through 2023 there were several changes and additions to the Museum staff team. In spring 2023 we were joined by Emma Boryer as Head of Fundraising and Marketing. She replaced Charlie Martin, who moved on at the end of 2022 to her much-loved Saints (Southampton FC). Emma is a Royal Signals veteran who has commanded QG SIGNALS soldiers on operations. Her husband, Chris, is late RGR, so she comes to us well-versed in all things Gurkha. Even more importantly she brings an extensive and impressive track record as a senior fundraiser. She is now supported by Victoria (Tor) Anastasi. Together they have already put a lot of effort into revitalising our Friends scheme. I would hope that anyone reading this journal is a
Friend of the Gurkha Museum or, more properly as we now prefer to say, a Friend of Gurkha Heritage, because our work must extend beyond the walls in Winchester. If you are not a Friend, please tell us why not so we can improve our offer (by emailing Development@theGurkhaMuseum.co.uk). You are invited to join via www.TheGurkhaMuseum.co.uk/ Friends.
Early in 2024 we welcomed Lauren Grierson to the new part-time role of Community Partnerships Engagement Officer, and Joseph Harris as Archives and Digitisation Officer. Both posts are part-funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of Project Kaida, of which more below.
Over the year, we have reprised both our ‘Burns’ Night with a Nepali Twist’ and our ‘Museum After Dark’ for Halloween. Both are developing a supporter base of their own – Burns’ Night, in particular, was an early sell out in 2022 and again in 2023. Our monthly Nepali lunches, on the final Friday of the month, are thriving and growing. We have continued a programme of both lunchtime and evening lectures, with a bhat. Our thanks, in particular, this year to Mike Tickner and Gordon Corrigan, and also to Doug Henderson, our Assistant Curator, who gave a very well received talk on the Chindits. Early in 2024, we enjoyed a superb lecture by Mike on the fall of Singapore and an excellent double act by both a British and a Turkish historian on Gallipoli. Hardly a week goes by without an event celebrating Gurkha heritage (www.TheGurkhaMuseum.co.uk/Whats-On).
We have continued with our own programme of children’s/family events, and collaborated with Winchester Military Museums in a very successful family-focussed joint event, coinciding with Heritage Open Days, which we hope will become a regular occurrence.
Our Summer Exhibition was opened on behalf of the Lord Lieutenant by General Sir Mark Mans, a former Adjutant General. For 2023 the focus was on Gurkhas
and State Ceremonial, and it was the second best attended since 2017, with over 600 visitors. Looking to the future, 2024’s exhibition will celebrate the Museum’s 50th anniversary.
Our outreach activity was more varied and wider than ever, including a first-ever visit to Nepal for myself and our Digital officer, Brad Hall. We were delighted and very grateful to be included in 6 GR’s tremendous memorial unveiling. During the visit, I
was able to get up to Gandruk (bravely drinking tin pani raksi with Dai Hitchcock!) as well as spending some time with our friends, the committee of the Gurkha Memorial Museum in Pokhara.
Also, during our all-too brief time in Nepal, Brad worked with Brian O’Bree to record oral histories of veterans of (mainly) the Malayan Emergency. Together with the stories of 2 GR veterans of Brunei, recorded during the 60th-anniversary
Bravest of the Brave – The medals of Colonel E S Phipson, CIE, DSO ...
commemorations at the Museum in December 2022, and those recorded with 7 GR Falklands’ veterans, this is a very substantial start to the oral history programme that will be an important thread of our redevelopment activity.
Subsequently, I was delighted to be invited back to Nepal in November by the DA to attend events celebrating the 1923 Treaty of Friendship, including presenting at the Nepal Army Museum. As part of a
whirlwind tour, I have also visited the Gurkha Memorial Museum, spending three hours with the committee offering advice and support; Kadoori Agricultural Aid Association; GWT; The British Council; the Nepal Army Museum; and attended the opening of an inspirational art exhibition by a young female Nepali artist, Suzana Shrish, “Gurkha Women; An Echo in the Story.” I am investigating ways of hosting that exhibition in the UK.
As part of the foundations for the redevelopment, we
... and Hon Lieutenant Gambirsing Pun, IOM, MC, OBI
finished a major overhaul of the library, separating it into a research area and main library, thereby creating a multi-purpose space for research, lectures, meetings and events with hybrid facilities. And we have improved the kitchen space – creating a servery – to enhance our catering provision. The combined project at c£100k came in on budget, on spec and on time. The intention was to create the global reference centre for Gurkha heritage, an improved experience for users, while also adding to the commercial potential for the spaces.
And so to the future! Our redevelopment programme is now called Project Kaida, reflecting the role of the Gurkha Museum in telling the story of the evolution of a unique military culture, perhaps best encapsulated by that word.
On advice from The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), we delayed our funding submission until the February 2023 funding round. In June 2023 we were delighted to hear that this had paid off and we were given the excellent news that our application, against stiff competition, had been approved and our Round 1, Development Stage, grant was agreed (nearly £300k). This allows us to produce detailed designs (RIBA Stage 2/3 for the project management experts) and a comprehensive Activity Plan, together with funding for the two new posts mentioned above.
The design team was appointed by competitive tender in September 2023 and our Lead Designer is PLB – who were responsible for the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders Museum, the newest gallery at the National Army Museum (the Army at Home) and, the RLC Museum, close to us, in Worthy Down.
We are now working at pace, with PLB, and our Activity Planners, and expect to submit our Round 2, Delivery Phase, bid to NLHF in August 2024. The outcome of that will be known by December 2024 and then, if successful, we would start work on the gallery’s refit in early 2025.
The project encompasses not only a reimagining of the galleries at Winchester, but a complete digitisation of the archives, and a very ambitious
programme of outreach and engagement activity –taking the story to our key audiences.
A very brief word on finances and looking at the top level, only. The total project cost is circa £5.2m, of which £300k is preliminary work (including the library refurbishment and the necessary design work to get us to the NLHF application stage). Of the £4.9M remaining, we expect £2.9M to come from NLHF (and this is the sum provisionally allocated). We must raise the final £2M and good progress is already being made on this including the very generous donation of just over £50k from 6 GR Regimental Trust, for which we are enormously grateful. The very significant contribution from the serving brigade through the allocation of funds from the One Day’s Pay Giving scheme has been vital. It has provided the matched funding for the Development Phase and made inroads into the Delivery Phase. We have secured our first HNW donation and are developing applications to major Trusts and Foundations including Foyle and Weston. There is still a mountain to climb and if we are confident, we are not complacent. I would urge all readers of this journal to consider how they might contribute, in any way, whether personally or through contacts and social capital. You can find out more (including listening in Nepali) at www.TheGurkhaMuseum.co.uk/Project-Kaida.
To conclude, the Gurkha Museum is at its most exciting juncture since its opening in Winchester in 1990, but we have not allowed that to take our eye off the ball of routine activity. Our outreach, engagement and events activity has grown both in person and online. We are busy and productively so. But the main effort, inevitably, is Project Kaida, on which we make steady but exciting progress.
We are your Museum, collecting, preserving and presenting your heritage. We need your support to continue to do this and to do it in new, exciting ways, opening up Gurkha stories to wider audiences. Be part of this story and help however you can.
Dherai dhanyabad.
Daren Bowyer
COMMONWEALTH DAY WREATH LAYING
13 March 2023
Life in a boarding school in the fifties was not the comfortable (and expensive) loaf it is today, with a wide choice at mealtimes, individual rooms, ski trips and polo ponies. Then, we were fed the cheapest cuts of meat with over-boiled vegetables (to this day there is a long list of vegetables I will not eat) and slept in unheated dormitories. Discipline was strict, enforced by liberal applications of the cane, masters wore gowns over their suits and church on Sundays, both morning and evening, was compulsory. Half term was a long weekend and there were two exeat Sundays a term. One was entitled to two baths a week, supplemented by showers (cold) after games each afternoon, and underwear and shirts were exchanged twice a week. It did us no harm at all and after that, the army was pure luxury.
One of the things we did look forward to was the half-holiday on Empire Day, 24 May. We still (just) had an empire then and throughout the world flags were raised, bunting erected, patriotic songs sung and in most public schools a half-holiday was granted. This meant that after lunch there were no lessons and we could go for walks in the extensive grounds, play handball (a sort of squash played
Lord Karan Bilimoria, CBE, DL, Chairman of the Commonwealth Gates Council, flanked by a King’s Gurkha Orderly Officer and Manikumar Rai
in an outdoor alley using the hand rather than a racquet) or read in the library (we had a complete set of bound copies of ‘Punch’ dating from its first edition in 1841, from which I learned a great deal of political history). Then, on 24 May 1958, all we boys (for it was an all-boys school, although one pupil had an affair with the Headmaster’s daughter – he became a brigadier) were paraded to be told by the headmaster, a veteran of the infantry in the First World War, that Empire Day was no more and that it was to be renamed Commonwealth Day. It would no longer be a half-holiday.
Commonwealth Day has had several changes of date since then and is now celebrated on the second Monday in March. Since the erection of the Commonwealth Memorial Gates in 2002 on Constitution Hill in London there has been an annual commemorative service when we remember those who gave their lives in the two world wars in the cause of Empire. Our presence is somewhat of a fudge, as Nepal was never part of the British Empire nor a member of the Commonwealth, despite doing far more for us than many who are members. Presumably, we are included because we are different. An even greater fudge is the inclusion of Mozambique, Rwanda, Togo and Gabon. Mozambique is an ex-Portuguese colony with no prior connection to Britain, but at least Portugal is our oldest ally. Rwanda was a German and then a Belgian colony until 1961. Togo was German and then French until 1960 and since then has been a nest of thoroughly unpleasant dictators who, if not assassinated, prolong their stay in power by manipulating elections. Gabon was a French colony invaded by Gaullist troops supported by the Royal Navy in November 1940 to remove its Vichy government, and since independence in 1960, a jolly merry-go-round of military coups, assassinations and fixing of elections, currently ruled by a president with the wonderful name of Bongo. Some Rwandans, Togolese and Gambons may well have died fighting against the British Empire, but none for it.
Be that as it may, as our President was on his way to large tumblers of raksi, excellent bhat and warm
weather in Nepal I was deputed to lay the wreath on behalf of the 6 GR Regimental Association. As the gallant operatives of our railways were working, or at least present, I travelled by train from Folkestone to London. Why is it that causing enormous inconvenience to the public by already overpaid layabouts is termed ‘industrial action’? Surely it should be ‘industrial inaction?’ Arriving in the metropolis bright and early, bemedaled and bowler-hatted, wreath firmly in hand, my first problem was crossing the road at Grosvenor Place. I am admittedly a country boy, but failing to find a pedestrian crossing I had no option but to revert briefly to a firm belief in divine providence and dash between the occasional gaps in the traffic. I arrived at the site out of breath but unscathed.
The organisation of the commemoration was the responsibility of our own Major Manikumar Rai, and organised like a well-honed machine it was. Each wreath layer (and there were a great many) had a marked seat and there were plentiful ushers to direct us to our own particular place. When Mani had the assortment of diplomats, defence attaches, admirals, generals, air marshals, regimental representatives and assorted hangers-on properly marshalled and in position, our two King’s Gurkha Orderly Officers took post on either side of the memorial pavilion, on the ceiling of which is inscribed the names of those awarded the Victoria Cross and George Cross from the armies of the Empire.
I had known nothing of Lord Bilimoria, except that I had downed large quantities of his excellent Cobra beer over the years, but I now know that his father commanded a battalion of the 5th Gorkha Rifles in the Indian army, with Agansing Rai VC as his Subadar Major. As President of the Memorial Committee, he made an excellent speech, and he was followed by Clive Myrie, a well-known journalist and broadcaster. This was followed by a prayer by a female bishop. Considering that the largest empire army by far was the Indian army, none of whose soldiers were Christian, she did drone on rather longer than might have been considered necessary. A piper of the Irish
Guards played a lament and a bugler sounded last post and reveille for a two minutes’ silence.
Then came the wreath laying. Firstly, a wreath was laid on behalf of the king. Then came the national wreaths. As Mani read out the countries in alphabetical order, in groups of three, their representatives came forward and laid their wreaths in the memorial pavilion. After that came the armed services’ offerings, laid by the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the First Sea Lord, the Chief of Air Staff and a representative of the Chief of the General Staff. Then came regimental and individual offerings. We were represented by Generals Sir David Bill (for the Gurkha Brigade) and Peter Duffell (for the Second Gurkhas), Colonel James Birch (for
the Royal Gurkha Rifles) and myself. There were wreaths from the King’s African Rifles, the Royal West African Frontier Force and the Punjab Regiment, followed by various organisations including those commemorating the ‘Windrush generation’, many of whose members had served in the Royal Air Force.
Once the ceremony, watched by a large crowd, was over, refreshments of assorted pakoras and tea were served. All in all, a memorable day and a triumph for Mani in keeping a plethora of very senior officers, to say nothing of civilians unused to discipline, in order and ensuring that they behaved as he wanted.
From left to right: Our Regiment Before; Mrs Goma Gurung welcomes Mrs Jane Channing; Purnabahadur Gurung, Project Manager, welcomes President 6 GRRA; The Guests arrive – Deobahadur Gurung centre; John Cross with John Anderson; Purna giving his ‘Execution General Outline’ brief; Hats Durbar; Wives in depth behind them!; Chandra and Duncan
From left to right this page : The Buddhist Blessing; Gopal gives the Gurkha Collect; Gopal lays a sayapatri; Chandra, Duncan and John lay wreaths; Followed by the wives; An RNA bugler plays Last Post; More speeches
Far page from the top: Gyanbahadur Gurung with his Mayo ko Choli; All stand for two-minutes silence; The guests arrive; The queue for lunch; Our Regiment remembered; Mike Channing, Chairman Memorial Project Committee; Presentation of the cheque to the Gurkha Memorial Museum
GURKHA BRIGADE ANNUAL REUNION SERVICE AND LUNCH
3 June 2023
Once again, we were blessed with perfect weather for the Gurkha Brigade Association Annual Reunion and Service at RMA Sandhurst on Saturday 3 June.
The service was well attended and included a stirring address by Lord Chartres, the Honorary Brigade Chaplain in this the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Borneo Campaign, so-called “Confrontation”, in which the Regiment played such a major part. Lord Chartres led the service assisted by Pandit Shankarmani Nepal and Lama Guru Kesang Ghale. After the service in the chapel, we all moved
outside for our Act of Remembrance at the All Ranks Memorial, including the Last Post and some beautiful piping.
Drinks and tipan tapan in the Indian Army Room went more smoothly once it was clarified that it was a free bar and everyone took the opportunity to catch up with all their friends from across the Brigade. 6 GR as usual were well represented, but as well as the important usual supporters it was particularly nice to welcome Lyn Titley and her daughter Clair, plus Hattie Griffith and so good to see Paul and Michele Pettigrew.
Outside the chapel for the Act of Remembrance
Lunch was extremely well organised, the baht was well up to standard and with the last-minute absence of a couple of members there was plenty of wine to go around. Twenty of us sat down for lunch with much chat and banter as usual. The speeches were a little painful with the sound system playing up, but this did not dampen the mood and all in all it was a really good day, full of great fellowship both
within our Association and also with members of our brother Associations across the Brigade.
Finally, our sincere thanks to Mani for his usual excellent organisation and to Sudha and Mick Latter for providing the photographs.
Duncan Briggs
Mani, Paul Pettigrew and Sudha in the Indian Army Room
The multi-denominational service
THE GURKHA BRIGADE ASSOCIATION BHELA
8 July 2023
Saturday 8 July weather forecast 14°–25°C, cloudy with possible rainfall and sunshine later! Definitely an umbrella and waterproof required!
On arrival at 10.00 am the site was a buzz of activity. The ladies’ volleyball teams being cheered on and the Kathmandu Football Club in full flush. Stalls were being set up selling food and drinks, and the Gurkha Museum, the Gurkha Welfare Trust, and Regimental Associations had their tents. Recruit Intake 23 was encouraging the ladies’ volleyball teams with lots of young advice, as well as settling into their pack lunches prior to their Kukri and Taekwondo display.
Bumped into a group of Pundits (a collective choir) and asked them what they were going to do about impending rain. The reply came… “Have faith – no need for an umbrella”. Chastised, but not fully convinced by those confident words, I headed for the 6 GR Regimental Association tent.
Mani Rai (the event organiser) had done his homework. 2 GRRA tents at the end of the VIP tents on the right of the line. At 10.15 am 2 GRRA Association Meeting was in full swing and looking very earnest – no smiling faces there! Where is the 6 GRRA tent I ask? Perfectly sited on the left of the line, right beside the St John Ambulance First Aid tent and an enormous oxygen cylinder. What staff planning does that take – the gas, stretcher, and the defibrillator within four strides – Mani is a genius! Massive activity at the 6 GRRA tent. Duncan maintained strict command and control by ensuring the tent ambience was going to be of the highest standard. Speedy Bredin mentioned he had lots of 6 GRRA ties, badges, books, and hats – did I want to buy any? What I would really like is a glass of red wine I asked…. No problem was the reply…. Out came the glass and bottle. That was a very good start! Brian O’Bree was managing the eating area, with Kushiman advising Brian, he needed more chairs! Who were going to be all these people requiring chairs?
Lunch in the 6 GRRA tent
Did I hear a rumble from above? OMG, a patter of rain. Everyone under the tent. A short rain interlude allowed for coffee or harder stuff to be consumed, then back to the setting up as more people started to visit the 6 GRRA tent. Word was out…. 6 GRRA has the hard stuff on tap. Will Speedy’s wine stock satisfy the onslaught? From nowhere came the 7th Cavalry in the form of Sudha with cold boxes of beers and wine. Honour restored. Sun now shining again and much mirth and laughter. By now the Generals were popping in for their snorters – Gez Strickland, Peter Pearson, David Bills, Col BG, Richard Goodman (Comd BGN). 12.30 pm and 2 GRRA meeting still in progress… certainly no drinks there!
With lunch on the table as organised by Mani and Sudha the 6 GRRA was in good fettle. John Anderson, John Mackinlay, Kushiman, Biru, Gavin and Adrienne Edgerley-Harris, Tim Holt. The 6th Gurkha ranks were coming in waves (standing room only now) and the stories of “When we were in” …. kept everyone laughing. It was good to see Dr Bishal Gurung (son of 60428 Cpl Dal Bahadur Gurung B Coy) a great 6 GR second-generation supporter and Dawa Lama (in Recruit Intake 23) who was a student in Gerald Davies’s Nepal charity for orphans and deprived children on the way to becoming a QGE.
Not forgetting what the Bela is there to promote
the after-lunch banter was diverted to the central football ground to watch Recruit Intake 23 Kukri and Taekwondo display and the start of the Nepal Cup final.
This year the final was staged between the QGE and QOGLR. The match was played with josh and determination and the audience was giving lots of encouragement and professional advice. After 90 minutes the match went into extra time with an expectation of the dreaded penalty shootout. Suddenly QGE found the strength to score in the last minutes of the match and secured the Nepal Cup for the second year running.
For those 6 GRRA members who attended the Bhela in 2023, it was an enjoyable occasion to meet up with old friends and meet some new ones! The fact that the 6 GRRA tent attracted so many visitors was a testimony to the hospitality offered to the guests by its members and the behind-the-scenes administration provided by our stoic organisers. Next year could prove even better – Brian more chairs! Think about bringing a bottle or beer which will add to the general stock, the banter and make the Left of the Line Centre Stage!
2 RGR GALLIPOLI COMMEMORATION DAY
26 July 2023
After a difficult night march through a maze of unmapped wadis followed by several days of fierce fighting, on 15 August 1915, 1/6 Gurkha Rifles at last took the summit of Sari Bair on the Gallipoli peninsula. This was the dominant feature of the whole peninsula. If it could be held then the campaign was won. The battalion fought their way to the top with all British officers killed or wounded, and only the medical officer, forbidden by law to carry weapons, accompanying them. With command now exercised by the Subedar Major (Gurkha Major) Gambirsing
Pun the battalion, or what remained of it, chased off a Turkish counter-attack, dug rudimentary fire trenches and laid a telephone line down the hill to Brigade headquarters. The medical officer, in addition to tending to the wounded, acted as interpreter on the telephone, translating Gambirsing’s reports into English and replies into what was then known as Gurkhali (now Nepali). Now a British New Army brigade was to follow up and secure the ridge. Sadly, it got lost and never appeared. The Gurkhas hung on grimly, repeatedly counter-attacked and shelled, until eventually being ordered to withdraw. What might
Gerald Davies
have been a great victory was not to be.
While the attack and capture of Sari Bair was the Gurkhas’ greatest action of the Gallipoli Campaign, it was not the only time they achieved something that no one else could. Arriving as part of 29 Indian Infantry Brigade (one Gurkha, one Sikh and two Punjabi battalions) on 1 May, six days after the initial landings, they were moved hither and thither to various threatened areas until eventually on 9 May moving into the left of the British line with 1/6 GR left, 89th Punjabis right and 14th Sikhs and 69th Punjabis in support. Ahead of them was a prominent hill held by the Turks. A number of attacks on it by British troops had failed, and now the task was given to 1/6 GR, who took a rather novel approach by attacking from the beach. The hill was taken, the British line moved forward and ever after that hill was named ‘Gurkha Bluff.’
400,000 British Empire troops took part in the Gallipoli campaign, British, Australian, New Zealand, Indian and four Gurkha Battalions (1/5 GR, 1/6 GR, 2/10 GR and 1/4 GR with reinforcements from 7 GR and the all-Gurkha Burma Military Police. In hindsight, once the Royal Navy had failed to force the Narrows, the campaign should have been abandoned. Britain
simply could not maintain two major efforts 1,500 miles apart and the Western Front had to take priority. The failure, however, does not detract from the gallantry shown by our forefathers during those fateful days. The chief of staff to General Sir Ian Hamilton, the first commander of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, said that it was Sir Ian’s firmest belief that if he had had more Gurkhas he would never have been held up by the Turks.
Now each company of the Royal Gurkha Rifles is responsible for keeping alive the knowledge and traditions of one of the Regiment’s battle honours, and B Company of the 2nd Battalion is the guardian of Gallipoli. The second battalion has returned from five years in Brunei, prolonged because of Covid restrictions, and this year they commemorated the Gallipoli campaign on 26 July, the actual date not being possible due to operational commitments. Brian O’Bree and myself and my wife Imogen were invited to represent the 6th Gurkha Rifles Regimental Association.
The commemoration began with a short parade at the war memorial outside the guardroom of Sir John Moore Lines, with wreaths laid by the Commanding Officer, the Company Commander,
B (Gallipoli) Company Riflemen in WW1 Order
Gordon lays a wreath on behalf of 6 GRRA outside 2 RGR Guardroom
the Gurkha Major and myself. After a blessing by the Pandit we adjourned for tea and tipan tapan, followed by presentations on various aspects of the campaign. In one stand we saw an informative video made by the soldiers themselves with a brief on the background to the battle by a young NCO. Another traced the course of the Sari Bair battle on an excellently constructed sand model with the brief conducted by another junior NCO, while the third stand showed weapons and equipment of the period. The latter included the excellent Vickers medium machine gun, ballistically probably the best machine gun ever devised. It came into service in 1912 and was withdrawn in 1962 a few months after I was commissioned, to be replaced by the GPMG. The demonstration concluded with a short speech by the commanding officer, where he reminded soldiers of the importance of remembering the actions of those who came before us and of keeping alive their traditions of courage and tenacity.
The whole commemoration was carried out with dignity and was impressive in the amount of work that had gone into its preparation, and the knowledge of the campaign displayed by those taking part.
Also present for the commemoration were fifteen potential officers, young men who have passed the Army Officers Selection Board and are about to go to Sandhurst, and who have expressed interest in being commissioned into RGR. It is indicative of our elite status that we will eventually accept three of them.
As the officer who first introduced formal English language training as part of the recruit training syllabus from Recruit Intake 1995, I was highly impressed by the standard of English. All briefings were delivered in English, fluent and grammatically correct, and particularly impressive was that the NCO briefers spoke without notes. Of course, it is essential that as an integral part of the British Army, our soldiers must be able to speak English. They operate alongside British units, they attend courses where the medium of instruction is English and they are often deployed on NATO missions where the lingua franca is English. There is however a downside. When I joined the Brigade our Gurkhas did not speak English; indeed, apart from clerks, for a Gurkha to speak to a British officer in English would have been regarded as almost insulting. We had to become fluent in the language. Now Gurkhas do speak English and they want us to know it, making it much more difficult for the British officer to become proficient in Nepali. Indeed, it has been put to me by an officer of a British regiment, who knew nothing about Gurkhas, that as all Gurkhas speak English a saving could be made by abolishing the language course for BOs. This would be a disaster! To understand a culture one must understand its language, and under fire in the heat of battle orders should not have to be translated, however good the soldier’s ability to understand English might be. It cannot be right that most of our soldiers are graded SLP2 or 3 in English, whereas British Officers are required only to achieve SLP1 in Nepali. It is as important as ever it was that our British officers speak Nepali, even if, as I was once told by the Nepali minister for aviation, my Nepali was excellent but that I sounded like a hill peasant!
Gordon Corrigan
REGIMENTAL REUNION
16 September 2023
After a gap of three years, we finally managed to hold our annual Regimental bhela at Farnborough on Saturday 16 September 2023. Our members were very excited and eagerly awaited the day. Just under 400 old and bold were present. This was a good turnout compared to previous years. However, as usual, very few British officers were present. Doors opened at 1300 hrs and the event was officially opened by President John Anderson and Chairman Duncan Briggs by lighting candles.
The day started with tipan tapan and drinks. This was followed by company photographs. Just before the main course, the President and Chairman gave short speeches followed by my own welcome and thanks to all who helped.
After dinner, there was a special programme (the presentation of Commemorative medals to those who donated to the Memorial Project), coordinated by Mike Channing, Tikendradal Dewan and Prakash Gurung. Although the programme was quite lengthy, it was worth it.
The day concluded with Nepalese folk songs and dances performed by local artists, which everyone joined in at the end. The party ended at around 2000 hrs.
2024’s get-together will be on Saturday 14 September at the same place. Hopefully, more British officers will attend.
Jai Sixth!
Khusiman Gurung
6 GRRA All Ranks Reunion
Queen’s Medallists, Dharmendra and Khusiman
BRIGADE GOLF DAY
21 September 2023
This year’s Gurkha Brigade Association (GBA) Annual Golf Day took place on Thursday 21 September 2023 at Weybrook Park Golf Course in Basingstoke, Hampshire. A total of 27 members from the GBA took part this year. Major Khusiman Gurung and I were the only 6 GRRA representatives. As SO2 Personnel and Policy, Headquarters Brigade of Gurkhas, I have been responsible for organising the event for the last seven years. The weather forecast was sunny with a mild breeze. However, midway through the game, the heavens opened for 15 minutes and
covered the course with water and hail stones. Fortunately, the rolling landscape, superb layout and naturally free-draining soils confirmed it is one of the finest all-weather golf courses in the south of England. As can be seen below, both Khusiman and I were successful in winning prizes. The date for the next GBA Annual Golf Day has been fixed for 17 July 2024 at the same venue. It is hoped that the earlier date will attract more serving members of the Regimental Associations.
Dammar Bahadur Shahi
GBA Golfers 2023
Dammar accepting his prize from Lt General Sir David Bill KCB
Lt General Sir David Bill KCB presenting Khusiman with his prize
THE KAI TAK BALL
22-24 September 2023
The Kai Tak Ball and Oriental Survivors Weekend was held 22-24 September 2023. It was firmly the brainchild of 7 GR’s Garfield Smith, assisted by John Bulbeck and was a smash hit. It took place in a sensational Grade 1 listed country house in Somerset , North Cadbury Court, and helped raise money for the Gurkha Museum. Approximately 250 guests attended, of which half were ex-Brigade of Gurkhas. There was a curry dinner on the Friday night and then a sumptuous ball on Saturday, with cocktails, dinner, the Pipes and Drums beating Retreat, live music, fireworks and a casino. In the day there was golf, croquet, boating and tennis. Many old friends had come from the other side of the world including our very own Neil and Jackie Stevens visiting from Perth, Western Australia, while James and Jackie Cheshire came in from Switzerland.
Dai Hitchcock was roped in by Garfield as the 6 GR ‘Galla Wallah’ and in the end the 6 GR contingent was probably the second largest of the entire ball, taking
The 6 GR Contingent at the Ball
Libby and Dai with friends
three 10-person tables, though possibly pipped by 7 GR . Some 6 GR stayed at the main venue but 22 of us camped out in a lovely Georgian rectory called The Grange, Horsington, which we took over entirely and had our own 6 GR house party. The weather was clement, and we were able to use the pool. A certain 7 GR officer and his wife turned up at our Grange mistaking it for their hotel to be confronted with several nearly naked 6 GR officers drinking Bloody Marys in the al fresco hot tub. His wife was definitely
relieved to be told she was staying in another hotel also called the Grange in a neighbouring village rather than with us!
A huge thank you to all for making the effort and to Garfield for the vision and organisation. We hear a sequel may be planned in the future of which more anon.
Dai Hitchcock
Alice, Al, Mani, Libby and Sudha
Tina, Jonny, Libby and Dai
Eva, James, Sudha and Mani
FIELD OF REMEMBRANCE SERVICE
9 November 2023
Once again we gathered in London for the annual Field of Remembrance event at Westminster Abbey and the laying of wreaths at both the Slim and Gurkha statues in Whitehall. Her Majesty The Queen did the walk-about at the Abbey, where we had a record of five Generals present, while Lord Slim and others laid wreaths
at his grandfather’s statue and representatives of all of our Regiments – past and present – did the honours at the Gurkha Statue.
Our Regimental Association was extremely well represented, as it was at the GBA Dinner that night.
Her Majesty the Queen at Westminster Abbey KGOOs at the Slim Statue
The 6 GR Contingent at the Gurkha Statue
John Anderson
GURKHA BRIGADE DINNER
9 November 2023
Members assembled in The Rag for the annual Gurkha Brigade Association dinner on the Thursday before the Cenotaph parade on Sunday. It was preceded by the usual briefing on all aspects of Gurkha business, giving an update on the two rifle battalions, the Gurkha service units, and the Gurkha Welfare Trust report by Al Howard.
Particularly heartening was the news that the recently completed Gurkha recruit course, which comprised 250 men, was to be bolstered in 2024 to 350. Sadly, we suspect, because of disappointing Brit infantry recruiting numbers.
After the briefing, we headed to dinner and noted that the 6 GR contingent was the largest present and required an additional small table to be added to the normal round version. This proboscis was manned by Ray Pett, Jeremy Brade and John Conlin and instantly assumed by the occupants to be the high table. However, members on the far side begged to differ and ex-banker Dai Hitchcock asserted leadership by organising the annual “book” on the length of the chairman’s speech. All members put in a fiver and eagerly awaited the result, to be timed by Jeremy Brade’s stopwatch.
The old burhos tended to be pessimistic, with John Anderson at 24, Ray Pett coming in at 25 and Mike Channing claiming 30 minutes. John Conlin attracted much derision with a bid of 16, which was written off as Yankee exuberance. Most of the other bids were in the low twenties and high teens, but more attention should have been paid to Mani Rai’s bid of 17 minutes. Rumours had it that he might have written the actual speech but this was written off as “fake news” and, besides, on the London Stock Exchange and on Wall Street this would have been “insider information.”
Such criminal activity is punishable by the Met’s fraud squad – and we knew the Mani was incapable of such dastardly action.
To everyone’s surprise, the actual time came in at 14 minutes, with John Conlin the winner, which made him very popular at the post-dinner bar drinking session. The rest of the evening was great in its camaraderie, but we did note the absence of “The Black Bear” by the Gurkha piper on parade. Must try harder next year and our own mission is to bolster those 6 GR numbers further to claim two tables. I hope to see you there.
John Conlin
ACT OF REMEMBRANCE
The National Memorial Arboretum
11 November 2023
Under the auspices of Major Rob Cross and his team, over 82 veterans and their families gathered in the Visitors Centre of the National Memorial Arboretum on the morning of 11 November. The group included members of the various Gurkha Associations and supporters of the GWT, as well as a number of didi-bhahini haru who added a welcome
splash of colour to the rather overcast, albeit dry weather. As usual, we were lucky to have a small contingent from 242 Sqn Queens Gurkha Signals with a Piper. For the contingent commander Captain Bhopal Gurung, it was a very special occasion as he had, as a signaller in 2011, been involved in the construction of the Chautara!
This year we were joined by Robert Llewellyn-Smith, one of our members whose two great uncles fought and died in the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915; one of whom had commanded 1/6 GR shortly after the battle of Sari Bair.
After a coffee or two and a good gaph, we were marshalled onto ‘Heroes’ Square’ at 12.30hrs; slighter later than usual to allow the Service at the centre of the Arboretum to finish. We processed behind the piper and made our way to the Chautara where we formed a half circle. Chairman of the GBA (Colonel David Hayes) commenced the Act of Remembrance with a short briefing on the Brigade after which he read out Turner’s ‘tribute to the Gurkha’. Citations by Laurence Binyon and that found on the Kohima Memorial were read out before the Last Post was sounded and two-minutes silence was held.
Wreaths were then laid by representatives of all the GBA Associations, as well as the GWT, BGVA, BGE SN and some individuals.
Before reading the ‘Prayer for the Gurkha’, Brigadier John Anderson gave a brief description of the background and building of the Chautara.
With over 80 veterans and their families present, the Brigade was better represented here than ever before. Nevertheless, we urge everyone to join this very moving annual event at a time of year when the trees are at their finest and trust we have an even better turnout from 6 GRRA next year, which is scheduled to take place on 9 November 2024.
David Bredin
Colonel David Hayes, Chairman GBA, at the Chautara
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
CENOTAPH PARADE
12 November 2023
This was a very credible 54-man turnout by the GBA contingent on Horse Guards for the Cenotaph march past on 12 November, with some sixteen of us representing 6 GR. Friends in high places had allotted us pride of place at the front of the march in the A1 position, enabling veterans of the Guards Division, loitering in some more junior location further down the line, to have a sharp, well-drilled body of men at the front of the parade to help them keep in step.
Smart as a carrot we led off the square at 9:40 am, juddering to a halt outside the entrance to Downing Street by 10 am. There we passed a very pleasant 45 minutes standing in a loose array repositioning sandbags whilst the rest of the parade caught up. Things became more serious from 10:45, with the single-gun salute firing off at 11.00. From our vantage point at the front of the parade, we had a clear and uninterrupted view of the Cenotaph and could admire the Royal Family‘s drill as they laid their wreaths. Twenty minutes and many wreaths later a path was cleared so that we could lead off.
To the sound of the Massed Bands of the Guards Division, Colonel David aimed us at the corner of Hyde Park and we did not deviate before veering right towards Horse Guards. Princess Anne was on the dais to take the last salute as we rocketed past the cheering crowds, performing a move not recently seen at Sandhurst, the Metal Barrier Swerve, to avoid a road furniture collision, continuing to the far end of the parade ground where we ground to a halt in imperfect unison, turned to the right, gained height and fell out.
With inspired foresight, Mani had booked out the Punjab restaurant in Shaftesbury Avenue for the GBA lunch which, with skilful navigation, we reached in time for a Cobra whilst the rear half of the parade was still marching past the Princess. The beer was cold, the curry was hot and post-march spirits were high. This is a meaningful as well as a hugely enjoyable event, and I would encourage anyone who is not otherwise engaged on Remembrance Sunday and likes to march and eat to the sound of applause to join the 6 GR Cenotaph toli next year.
Jeremy Toyne
‘Before the Punjab’
From left to right, (standing then seated): Krishnakaji Gurung, Ombahadur Thapa Kaucha, Hon Lt Tulbahadur Gurung, Mike Channing, Dipakkumar Pradhan, Amrit Gurung, Ramlal Shrestha, Jeremy Toyne, Durgabahadur Gurung, John Conlin, Julian White, John Walker, Brian O’Bree, Duncan Briggs, Minbahadur Gurung, Prembahadur Bura
‘After the Punjab’
6 GRRA ANNUAL REUNION
18 November 2023
This year’s activities in Winchester were in a revised format, with the AGM taking place at 10:00 sharp before the Remembrance Service, necessitating early awakenings for those of us who live far from Hampshire.
A total of 21 of our 176 full members attended the AGM, which looked back on a busy year that included the dedication of the 6 GR Memorial in Nepal. Following numerous papers and committee meetings the Chairman also covered the impending move of our Association into the wider GBA, something that is now fast approaching.
Following the AGM, we walked through November mizzle to the cathedral. With over sixty attending, the Remembrance Service witnessed one of our largest-ever turnouts. It was good to be facing out into the main nave of the cathedral rather than being tucked away in the aisles. As usual, Canon Brian Rees officiated and constructed his John Mackinlay laying the Regimental wreath
Remembrance homily around John Macrae’s poem
In Flanders Fields. The lesson was read by Ken Neville-Davies. This year the Regiment remembered the loss of our last British Officer to be killed in action, Lieutenant Hugh Wallace, who died in August 1963 in the early days of the Borneo Confrontation. Poignantly, it was Hugh’s brother-in-law, Donald Ruffell, who turned the page and read his name. John Mackinlay laid the Regimental wreath. Nirmal
Thapa, late Pipe Major of 1 RGR, played the lament, for a moment drowning out the background noise of the Christmas market which was taking place elsewhere in the cathedral.
After the customary photograph, this time in the cathedral rather than outside, everyone gathered at the Gurkha Museum for drinks and bhat in the MacDonald Gallery. As is now customary, a number
The 6 GR Book of Remembrance
of guests attended this year’s service and lunch. They included Colonel David Hayes, Chairman GBA, his wife Lucy, and Paddy and Vivienne Smyth. Once again, Bhindya’s team prepared and served a wonderful curry.
The meal ended with the traditional toasts to the King, to the People of Nepal and of course our Regiment. This was followed by Nirmal piping around
the tables, including our beloved ‘Black Bear.’ And then it was a long journey home along darkening roads reflecting on the last lines of Macrae’s poem:
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
John Mackinlay offers the traditional quaich to Ex-Pipe Major Nirmal Thapa
Rick Beven
Lunch in the MacDonald Gallery Caption
GURKHA COMPANY RECRUIT INTAKE 23
PASS OFF PARADE 23 November 2023
Ablustery and chilly parade ground at Helles Barracks, Catterick, in North Yorkshire in November was the setting for the passing out parade of the 2023 intake of Gurkha recruits. The antecedent regimental associations are invited to send representatives who take places of honour at the front of the viewing grandstand. 6 GRRA was proudly represented by Majors David Bredin and Gerald Davies, accompanied by Captain James Herbert.
As one would expect, the recruits, soon-to-be soldiers, marched on with immaculate drill to the sound of the band and pipes of the Brigade. You could sense the strong connection and pride – both ways – with their DS and the OC of Gurkha Company, 2nd Infantry Training Battalion marching with them. It was a particular pleasure to note the attendance of the Guards Garrison Sergeant Major and the Para Depot RSM, who would, without doubt, have been impressed by the quality of the parade and turnout of the young men and, off the square, by their military skills.
The guest of honour taking the salute was the Right Honourable Dr Andrew Murrison MP, at the time a government defence minister. In his speech, he was able to make a direct connection with these particular recruits for he had visited Pokhara during their selection at the start of the year. He was, naturally, most enthusiastic about the Brigade and the quality of our men.
The senior officers’ inspecting party included our own Major General Gez Strickland, which made a nice arc given that he was one of the last officers commissioned into 6 GR. Gez was accompanied by Cathy and they had an additional connection as Gez
Major General Gez Strickland DSO, MBE inspecting Recruit Intake 2023
had been a brigade commander stationed in what is now Europe’s largest garrison town.
The stand was filled with representatives of the Nepali diaspora, including many relatives of the young men on parade as well as those of the DS. Afterwards, there was an opportunity to meet them and the recruits and staff which was a delight and to have bhat. Then, time to depart with a great sense of pride and pleasure in the continuity of more than 200 years service and the certain knowledge that the young soldiers passing out would be an asset to their units, the army and the United Kingdom.
James Herbert
6 GRRA SHOOT AND DINNER NIGHT
Stanford Hall
18-20
January 2024
The Annual 6 GRRA Shoot took place again in the magnificent surroundings of Stanford Hall. It was as ever a tremendous event and made possible only by the wonderful generosity of our hosts, Nick and Lucy Fothergill, assisted by their son Ivor, himself an amazing shot. A huge thanks to them and their ever-cheerful Estate staff. Approximately 150 wellpresented birds were shot and much fun was had by all.
The organisation was quite simply superb with many volunteers for the various tasks and all passed
off with aplomb. Particular thanks to Jeremy and Karen Brade and Tina Blackmore for producing an incredible blend of great food, wine and a very welcoming ambience especially at the Black-Tie Dinner on Friday night after the day’s shooting. Many thanks as well to Mark Austin from 10 GR, who set the bar high by cooking us a lovely bhat on the Thursday night . Everyone as usual leaned in and helped with the various tasks and it ran like clockwork.
The 6 GR flag flew proudly over the Hall throughout our stay while Regimental Silver was on the table in the spectacular Dining Room. We had a Gurkha
Drinks in the Library
Jake Austin
piper, Krishna, to pipe us into dinner and had a truly memorable evening with some piano music from a well-lubricated pianist after the toasts had been drunk.
Next year we sadly cannot return to Stanford for the moment as the shoot proprietor has given it up but we hope to return in time. Meanwhile, Jules Irens and Caroline Dalmeny have very kindly offered to host us for free at Cowdenknowes House in Berwickshire, Scottish Borders, for the weekend of 25-26 January 2025. Ten guns have already confirmed. We would like to also thank Jules and Caroline for their most welcome offer of such generous hospitality.
Dai Hitchcock
Alex, Ian and Charles
Dai and Alex in the Shoot Wagon
The Guns
Stanford Hall flying the 6 GR Flag
A break for refreshments (Nick Fothergill looking on)
Gurkha Piper Krishna piping after dinner
TOBY BLACKMORE CONTINUES:
The start of the New Year can often be unrewarding. That is unless you have a day shooting at Stanford Hall with a band of ex-6 GR and other Gurkha characters with camp-followers in tow. This year was remarkable for two reasons. First, the heavy drinking team were not still up at 0300hrs knocking the corks off champagne bottles with kukris before wielding shotguns six hours later. Secondly, the Sixth shot surprisingly well. The fact that Brade was facing the correct direction of ‘enemy threat’ for the first drive reflects this. After a couple of exceptional afternoon drives, the day finished with a goose drive. Noteworthy because it almost put Jake Austin’s lights out when a 12kg goose, shot by Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor, plummeted from 60ft to land a foot beside him!
The day done, the Gurkha piper played guests into an exceptional dinner in the majestic painted dining hall. After dinner, there was a significant moment (apart from Hitch on the piano) when Macgregor of Macgregor, noticing the only contemporary portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie in private hands south of the border, raised a toast with the very same quaich his forebearers presented to the Young Pretender.
Special thanks to Jeremy Brade for his ‘bando’, to Karen and helpers, to Jake for the excellent bhat, and to Nick and Lucy Fothergill for being such generous hosts.
The day marks a special occasion in the calendar, a time of reunion, a moment to share stories and an opportunity to take the mickey out of each other relentlessly. Wives, partners and family are welcomed in equal measure, and I think they revel in observing an eclectic mix of strong characters –who might just be starting to grow up?
Toby Blackmore
Clockwise from above left:
Ian, as ever surrounded by women, although his clothing gets more eclectic!
The Guns outside Stanford Hall
Jeremy and Charles
Charles, Toby and Jack
LT COLONEL JOHN MACKINLAY
A SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING
9 February 2024
It was a rather grey and damp morning on Friday, 9 February 2024, when more than 300 people squeezed into the beautiful Grade 1 listed All Saints Church in East Meon, a predominantly Norman building dating back to the 11th Century, steeped in history, where John and Rachel had been members of the congregation for many years, and at one point, John had been a Church Warden. As you will read in Rodney Shoesmith’s obituary of John, his life was very full and varied, and the large congregation included many of those who had known John in each of the several phases of that life; it included a sizeable contingent of 6th Gurkha Association members, who had travelled from far and wide to be there to remember and celebrate a life well lived.
John’s widow Rachel, bravely faced the congregation and introduced the service speaking briefly, but movingly, of their life together; John’s grandchildren, Polly and Beth, read Rudyard Kipling’s “The Elephant Child”, (which had been a work of great significance to John), and his children, Will, Bert and Clare each shared a phase of John’s life story, illustrated with some amusing anecdotes. Jake then read ”Epitaph on a Friend” by Robert Burns and Alice read “The Gaelic Blessing”, followed by son-inlaw Andrew who read the New Testament lesson. The Rev. Canon Terry Louden, who had been, for 17 years, a former Vicar in East Meon, and was well known to John and Rachel gave the Address, which focussed on John’s many attributes, and his contribution to village and church life in East Meon.
During the service there was a noticeable lightening of the light coming through the windows, which, with the wonderful, rousing hymns, sung with gusto,
brightened the celebration of thanksgiving for John’s life, which all shared. Following the service, it was just a short walk to the reception held in the nearby Old Court House – a large medieval Hall – which the congregation filled to capacity. Although movement was therefore difficult, there was much catching up with familiar faces, some not seen for a long while. The service and reception were a masterpiece of organisation and production by Rachel and her family, a memorable and fitting tribute to John.
Mike Channing
DIARY OF EVENTS
OBITUARIES
6 GRRA DEATHS AND OBITUARIES
With great sadness the Association notes the deaths of the following members since the last issue of The Journal
GRAHAM Captain Tom, who died on 13 June 2023.
HEDGES Major Bill, who died on 11 October 2023.
HICKEY Mrs Helen, widow of Brigadier Gil Hickey OBE MC*, who died on 27 October 2023.
HICKS Captain Eric, who died on 9 April 2023.
MACKINLAY Lieutenant Colonel John, who died on 5 December 2023.
PATTERSON Mrs Jean, widow of Major General Pat Patterson CB DSO OBE MC, who died on 12 April 2024 (obituary to follow in 2025 Journal).
SMITH 2nd Lieutenant Peter, who died on 4 April 2024 (obituary to follow in 2025 Journal).
WARDROPER Mrs Angela, wife of Lt. Colonel Michael Wardroper, who died on 28 October 2023.
TOM GRAHAM
Tom Graham or ‘Tam’ as everyone called him joined 6 GR from the Black Watch just before RGR amalgamation and served as Motor Transport Officer in Hong Kong. He passed away on the 13th of June 2023, aged 75.
Tam was born in Aberdour in 1947, the son of Thomas, a First World War veteran and his wife Janet. Educated at Burntisland Secondary School, aged 15, he decided to join the Army as a Junior Leader and was recruited at the Infantry Junior Leaders’ Battalion at Parkhall Camp, Oswestry, in Shropshire. His training was demanding; Snowdonia, Sennybridge, and the Brecon Beacons formed the young men who were to become the future Senior NCOS and Warrant Officers of the Regiments of the Footguards and Infantry of the Line. After two years Tam joined the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in Minden as part of the British Army of the Rhine.
As his career progressed he served in Cyprus, Libya, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Belize and on numerous occasions Northern Ireland. On being
promoted Warrant Officer Class 1 he was appointed Regimental Sergeant Major of the 1st Battalion, The 51st Highland Volunteers, based at New Queens Barracks, Perth. He often commented that the pinnacle of this part of his career was the privilege of organising the presentation of new Colours by Her Majesty the Queen Mother on the North Inch, Perth, on 4 July 1986. Tam was subsequently commissioned and served as Unit Families Officer in Berlin from 1987 to 1989, just before the Berlin Wall came down. He then ensured that some three hundred-plus families moved smoothly into the Battalion’s next station at Ballykinler in Northern Ireland. His attention to detail and sympathetic style made him a well-liked and respected Families Officer by all the families in the Battalion. On completion, he was posted to 6 GR at Cassino Lines accompanied by his lovely wife Helen and their family. His Gurkha platoon took to him immediately, they respected his professional no-nonsense approach and the manner in which he went about ensuring their welfare. Tam was a typical highlander; softly spoken and modest, and yet everyone sensed that this was a man not to be messed with or taken for granted. He was great fun to be with.
Tom Graham, outside the 6 GR Guardroom, Cassino Lines, Hong Kong
On completion of his tour of duty in Hong Kong, he returned to the UK pending retirement. In 1994 he was appointed Camp Commandant of Cultybraggan Training Camp in Perthshire before taking over as Camp Commandant of Barry Buddon Training Camp until he retired, aged 65.
Tom Graham gave so much to his Regiment, always spoke fondly of his service with 6 GR, and is sadly missed by all those who had the privilege of knowing him. He is survived by his widow Helen and their three daughters and a son. We offer our deep condolences to all of them.
WILLIAM JAMES HEDGES
Bill was born in Tilehurst, Berkshire, on 11 April 1930. He was the eldest son of Hubert, an Estate Agent who had served in the RAF during WW1. He went to school in Reading, then on to Sandhurst where he was in the same cadet company as Colin Scott and Demi Walsh who went to 1/6 GR; Derek Organ also 1/6th was an instructor. Commissioned in July 1950, Bill joined the 1st Battalion The Royal Berkshire Regiment. While with the Battalion in the Middle East, he had the distinction of being the Middle East Land Forces Champion Shot.
He seconded to 2/6 GR from May 1954 to February 1956. Based first in Kluang and Segamat and then Seremban, the Battalion was fully involved in antiterrorist operations. When not on jungle ops the British Officers let their hair down – Bill sent me some photos of himself and others (including my parents!) enjoying fancy-dress and other parties. The CO was David Powell-Jones and Bill found himself, alongside Neil Anderson as Regimental Signals Officer, in Battalion Headquarters as the Intelligence Officer having taken over from Eric Hicks (who also sadly died this last year).
When Bill was accepted for a Regular Commission in 1956 he transferred to 1/7 GR. During his seven years with 1/7th he did a spell as Staff Captain ‘A’ in
Barrackpore. In 1963 he decided to transfer to the RAPC, no doubt to prepare himself for his future in civilian life. He became Staff Paymaster of 99 Gurkha Infantry Brigade in Singapore and retired from the Army in 1969.
He married Minette in 1958 and emigrated to Canada in 1969 where he settled in Toronto with his family, now including son Richard and daughter Honor. His post-Army career was mostly in the financial world where he considered his favourite job was the decade he spent as the Finance Director of a Zoo, saying the salary was better than a Major General’s.
In recent years I have been privileged to be added to a few of Bill’s old friends from his days with the Gurkhas with whom he kept in touch by email, usually very humorous. For his wit and friendship, he will be much missed.
Neil Stevens
Bill Hedges
Bill died on 11 October 2023, aged 83. He was predeceased by Minette and is survived by son Richard and daughter Honor and their families to whom we send our sincere condolences.
This has been compiled with kind input from Richard Hedges, Keith Robinson late 7 GR, Neil Anderson and John Knights both late 6 GR.
Brian O’Bree
HELEN HICKEY
A version of the eulogy given by Trisha at her mother’s funeral at St Margaret’s Church on 21st November 2023:
Helen Kathleen Hickey (née Munns), wife of the late Brigadier Gil Hickey, was fondly known amongst her nearest and dearest as ‘The Matriarch’. She was born on 27 April 1922 and died on 27 October 2023 at 101 years old.
Born in Muzaffarpur, India, she spent her early years being home-schooled by her mother before returning to school in Richmond. She loved learning and excelled in every subject including sports, becoming Head Girl and Captain of Lacrosse and Tennis. She was offered a place at Cambridge but decided to join the Foreign Office where she worked throughout the war. She recalled that this included some of the most exciting and the most frightening moments of her life.
When revisiting the Foreign Office in more recent years she recounted, to the ever-increasing crowd
around her, her experience of fire watching on the roofs of Westminster with her kneecaps violently shaking as she and her team wrestled with the large fire hoses as the bombers targeted London.
She was one of the party to accompany Churchill to the Yalta Conference at the end of the war. She was possibly the only person to be able to claim to have shared a long and bumpy jeep ride from Sevastopol to Yalta with an American driver, a Russian guide, and an English sergeant, the latter being the armed guard for Churchill’s Official Papers she was carrying to the Yalta Conference.
She then spent four years living in Brooklyn and working for the newly formed United Nations. She took every opportunity to fulfil her love of the Arts by seeing every show on Broadway she possibly could. This was followed by a spell in Paris.
Helen and Gil had been childhood friends in India and when she returned to the UK on leave to stay with her parents they met up again, got engaged and married on 22 September 1951 at St Paul’s Church, Dover. She instantly became part of the Gurkha fraternity and specifically the 1/6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles. Her love of Nepal and commitment both to the Regiment and to The Brigade of Gurkhas was second
Both Helen and Gil were very keen on sport and it was at this point in her life, encouraged by Gil, that she took up Earlier on in her life, she had been an excellent rider and tennis player and later on, she
Helen on her 100th birthday
would cheerfully water ski and enjoy a long trek in the hills of Nepal. She was a member of The Walmer and Kingsdown Golf Club and continued to play enthusiastic golf until well into her nineties.
Helen spoke acceptable Gurkhali and as a staunch supporter of the Regiment was involved in an active capacity throughout Gil’s working life. In the early years, this included stepping up to the plate and filling in as the CO’s wife, weighing babies and, in the absence of the WRVS, helping the Gurkha Sergeant Major equip and prepare the Regimental wives and their families for their inaugural move from Hong Kong to Tidworth in the UK.
Helen and Gil spent many years travelling in SE Asia following his career. Always supportive of him, always compassionate and caring, not just for her own children but many others whom she took in, loved and looked after in difficult times. She had a deep and committed Christian faith. Whilst in England, Charles, her eldest son at the age of 10, returned home for the holidays to find his promised “own”
room had been occupied by two small Italian girls, whose mother had had a serious head injury, so he had to go back to share with his brother and sister. The girls were still there for long intervals years later in Hong Kong and Malaysia and had been joined by their elder brother, who collected snakes!
On Gil’s retirement from the Army, they bought Lantern Lodge and settled in St Margaret’s Bay. It was the first time they had owned their own house and it became their pride and joy. Their hospitality knew no bounds and their door was always open to old and young alike. Helen became and remained a stalwart of the local community. She was active in supporting many charities, including The Gurkha Welfare Trust and heading up the local branch of Save the Children Fund and indeed received a commendation from the latter for her long and active service. The branch was highly active and successful; they worked hard and had a lot of fun.
On one occasion when they had set up their Save The Children Fund stall selling Christmas Cards at a
Helen and Gil’s wedding photograph
local Ploughing Match, as the clouds darkened and it began to drizzle, whilst scrambling for a sheet to cover the cards, she said: ‘Ladies let’s lie on the cards to keep them dry’. Obligingly they did so. As one of her team recently reminisced, she said, “It was very effective, but we all ended up with very wet backs!”
Latterly when asked if she had a choice of living anywhere on Earth, where would she live; without hesitation, she replied: “St Margaret’s Bay”. Despite or because of her globe-trotting, she loved England, particularly Kent and St Margaret’s most of all. She loved both the village and the local community.
Helen was up-to-speed on politics, knew her mind and always felt privileged to have the Vote. She was often to be found at hustings or sitting outside the Village Hall Polling Station. Full of life, well into her nineties, she had signed up to a University Course in Politics. Still able to enjoy the anvil of vigorous controversy she would often deliver a timely and sometimes risqué mot juste. As someone who clearly knew her well said after her passing: “...We were privileged to learn a little about her extraordinary past while seeing that she never lost her drive to create a better future. She was unambiguous in her opinions and I hope that whoever welcomes her at the next place, is ready to answer some tough questions!”
A mother to Charles, Trisha and Brian, mother-in-law to Georgina and Sharon, grandmother to Luke, Alice, Patrick and Mona, and aunt, great aunt and great, great aunt to many more, she had the gift of making every family member feel they were special and her favourite. Her unconditional love knew no bounds. Helen, “The Matriarch,” was a remarkable woman who will be sorely missed.
FROM FELICITY WHITEHEAD:
Michael had the good fortune to know Gil and Helen almost all his life, from the time that he was a little boy in India. I met them much later on, and realised very quickly what wonderful people they were. What was so apparent about Helen was her great warmth, humour, and kindness. Her devotion
to Gil and the family was patently obvious, and her loyalty and affection for The Brigade of Gurkhas, and particularly 6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles were both inspiring and exemplary. She was a beloved friend and will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.
FROM GAY HUNT-DAVIS:
When I got married to Miles in Hong Kong in January 1965 Gil Hickey was commanding 1/6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles, ably supported by his wife Helen. My parents and I arrived in the Colony just 4 days before my wedding and I had never met Gil or Helen before. On the morning of our wedding – a bright clear cool day – Helen collected my mother from the hotel in Kowloon where we had been staying, took her to the local flower market and on to the Mess to arrange said flowers. Later on the Staff car picked up my father and me and we all met up in the Hickey’s quarter at Beas River for a lunch of cold ham and salad. I was then shown to the spare room where my wedding dress and shoes were laid out and to the bathroom next door. Deciding I ought to be squeaky clean for the Big Event I hopped into the shower only to discover that the hot water had not been turned on and there was no towel! I dried my shivering self on the little embroidered hand towel than hung next to the lavatory. Being young, shy and the bride of a very junior officer I never told Helen of this domestic mishap. There were very few British Officers in the Battalion at that time and Helen introduced me to the mysteries of baby-weighing, quarter inspections and the niceties of garden judging. This last included the very gentle tugging of the best flower which might well have been a cut bloom carefully inserted into the soil. She was the perfect Commanding Officer’s wife: compassionate, kind, firm and caring and I learnt almost everything I ever knew about Gurkha families from her.
BRIAN O’BREE ADDS:
In his obituary for Gil in our 1998 Journal, Roger Neath included praise for Helen’s key role as CO’s
wife: “Would that the Army system could have recognised the achievements of Helen Hickey and other British Officers’ wives, left behind with the families in Tidworth to organise the move of the Gurkha families to Malacca, then re-group them all in Hong Kong when Gil brought the men there after the first Borneo tour, only to have to fend for themselves on Hong Kong again during the second tour in Borneo. Gil never forgot.”
From personal experience, I remember Helen’s kindness to ‘waifs and strays’. Sent back to the UK from Malaya to boarding school before my seventh birthday, during one of my first terms, it was Helen and Gil who drove to Camberley with their children to take me out on an exeat for a fun day at Chessington Zoo. Most recently, just three months before she died, it was a pleasure to visit Helen at Lantern Lodge in July last year, happily surrounded by her 100th birthday cards.
At Helen’s funeral, in addition to Trisha’s very full tribute to her mother, other family members gave some most amusing memories of Helen’s love for life and interest in all that that was going on. More than once it was said that Helen had the knack of making you feel the most important person.
‘A remarkable woman who will be sorely missed’ will indeed be echoed by all who knew Helen, the most ‘senior’ in age of our members. We offer our heartfelt sympathies to Charles, Trisha and Brian, her daughters-in-law, grandchildren and her extended family.
Brian O’Bree
ERIC
MICHAEL GRAEME HICKS
Eric was born in Kensington, London on 18 January 1930 and as a child, he lived for some time in Florence, Italy. He went to Wellington College in 1943 where he enjoyed his sport. As well as being Captain of Fencing he played hockey and squash for his house. Awarded an Exhibition in History he went up to Keble College, Oxford in 1949. After Oxford, he
joined the Army and was commissioned into The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment).
In 1951, as a Lieutenant he seconded to the 2/6th Gurkhas based in Kluang, Johore, Malaya. He joined A Company under Desmond Houston. Neil Anderson writes “He was a convivial colleague and owned a smart MG which he drove with some elan. I have a feeling he may have competed in the Singapore (timed) hill climb on the Gap Road with Desmond who drove a British Racing Green Austin Healey” and about a separate occasion “... that the ever-generous Eric Hicks might have been the wines member, the party certainly cost a packet.”
Eric’s next appointment was with the Gurkha Wing of the FARELF (Far East Land Forces) Training Centre at Ulu Tiram, Johore. On his return to 2/6th, now based at Segamat, Johore, he took over command of Support Company from ‘Trigger’ Tregenza. At the beginning of 1955, the Battalion moved to Seremban and heard that during 1954, jointly with one other unit, they had killed the greatest number of terrorists. But Eric’s time with the Battalion was not all ‘jungle bashing’. Now a Captain, he found time to play golf and in October 1954 he took part in the Brigade of Gurkhas Golf Meeting. Representing 2/6th with Desmond Houston, they won one team match and were runners-up in two others, and in the Individual Medal Eric came fourth overall. His last job was in Battalion Headquarters as an Intelligence Officer in 1955 before finishing his secondment and returning to his regiment. He was remembered as a welcome addition to the 2/6th for his contribution in several fields, not least to life in the Officers’ Mess.
We know little of his time before he left the Army other than, from a photo sent by his stepson Jon, that he served on the staff of HQ 2 Division in Germany possibly between 1956 and ‘58.
After leaving the Army, he emigrated to Canada in the 1960s. He spent most of his 30-year post-Army career in Toronto, Canada, in the Book Publishing Business, editing and selling books to librarians and bookstores across Canada and playing host to many
authors when they travelled to promote their books. In 1974, he married Therese Camillieri and inherited two stepchildren, Jonathan and Patricia. They lived first in Scarborough, Ontario, before moving to Entobiocoke in 1990. Jon noted, “He loved to play golf, tennis, ping pong, travelled often, enjoyed reading, fine dining, fine wines and brandy and was always the life of the party.”
Bill Hedges reported “I met Eric again quite by chance in Toronto in 1969 after I had retired from the British Army... and emigrated to Canada in May 1969. We remained good friends ever since.” Also: “Eric was very well-read and a wonderful raconteur. The life and soul of any party!” It was Bill who passed on the news of Eric’s death to the Association.
Eric died on 9 April 2023, Easter Sunday. He was a loving stepfather to Jonathan (Jon) and Patricia (Pat), grandfather to Jennifer, Michelle, Jessica and Kirstyn and great-grandfather to Sadie and Isla. Our sincere condolences go to Therese and all Eric’s family.
(I am most grateful for input from Eric’s stepson, Jon Camilleri, Wellington College Archivist Caroline Jones, Bill Hedges (who sadly died just 6 months after Eric and who not only served with Eric in 2/6th but knew him in Canada later on), plus Neil Anderson and John Knights who served alongside Eric in 2/6th.)
Brian O’Bree
JOHN MACKINLAY
John died on 5 December 2023, aged 79. He was a soldier, an academic, a historian, a writer, an artist, a teacher, a countryman – an extraordinarily talented individual in so many fields. He was a persuasive and quietly enthusiastic man, imaginative and full of ideas. His legacies abound for all to see or read but his final triumph was the Regimental Memorial in Pokhara. This was John’s project from conception to completion and it was fitting that he and Rachel were able to travel to Nepal as soon as it was completed and to be present at the first Remembrance gathering held there in November 2022.
John was born in 1944 in Quetta. His father was with Jardines in Calcutta and was also a volunteer officer in the Bengal Artillery. Following the outbreak of war in the Far East, his regiment was mobilised and moved across India to Quetta. Relatively newly married, John’s mother went too and remained there, later with her newborn son, until hostilities ended, when the family was able to return to Calcutta. John had an idyllic childhood in India and his immersion into the ways of the sub-continent and its languages was to stand him in good stead later.
At age eight he was sent back to board at prep school in Scotland, with his father’s family as guardians until his parents returned to the UK in 1956. Later they bought Cross Keys in East Meon, which remains the family home to this day and, over the years, the scene of much Mackinlay hospitality. From his prep school, John moved on to Loretto which was the alma mater of most Mackinlay men. The army was to be his choice of career and he was successful in the selection process for Sandhurst, where he joined in 1962.
John enjoyed his time at Sandhurst. During the summer recess of 1963, he organised and led a successful cadet expedition to Venezuela to collect specimens for the Natural History Museum. Travelling by Shell oil tankers both ways, with all their stores, it was an adventure carefully planned by John and the team were well able to cope successfully with the inevitable challenges that came their way.
John took great delight in regaling the fact that he had been expelled from Loretto towards the end of his final term and that he had been under close arrest at the time of his commissioning parade at Sandhurst – in both cases, arguably, for displaying leadership but which was not seemingly appreciated by the authorities. There was great relief that the latter incident did not bring his embryonic military career to a premature end.
After two years at Sandhurst, during which time he had been selected for the Brigade of Gurkhas, John was commissioned and joined 2/6 GR then based in
Seria, Brunei, but operating in the forward border areas with Indonesia, during Confrontation.
John later wrote: “My first three years with the 6th Gurkhas were probably the happiest and the most memorable of my early life. I loved the 6th Gurkhas, the Second Battalion and have the fondest memories of this time and my friends”.
On arrival, John was immediately kitted out in jungle order and sent to Bario, in the border area in Sarawak, to join A company on an operation. It was a ‘jumping in at the deep end’ introduction to jungle warfare. Subsequently, John went off on language and other courses and when he returned to Bario, he was appointed Intelligence Officer, a job which he entered into with great zeal with newly learned skills. By the time the deployment ended, John was a competent and experienced young officer, passing the two tests that had been set on his arrival by the commanding officer – to achieve competency in the language and a level of jungle craft to command a fighting patrol on the border.
John the Gurkha officer –he loved the men and was quickly accepted by them. During the operational deployments he lived and worked with them; there were no distractions. He was self-assured, competent, humorous, and rarely, if ever, lost his cool. He arrived with Calcutta Urdu and very quickly learned Gurkhali, as well as Malay, and became an excellent communicator. He was a countryman at heart and shared those common interests with the soldiers.
came to an end and John remained in post for the move to Kluang, in West Malaysia. It was then time for his first long leave before being posted to Paklihawa, Nepal, as Assistant Recruiting Officer. Paklihawa was an oasis in the Terai and John was in his element being back on the sub-continent. It was his first opportunity to go on a trek and he saw life in the hills as it had been for centuries, before the building of roads that would change the way of life forever.
After a rest period, the battalion returned to operations with John continuing as Intelligence Officer; however, he was soon to take over B company, initially temporarily, but Confrontation
On return to the battalion in Kluang, his career followed a conventional path – Regimental duty interspersed with courses and staff appointments. He entered the Staff College in 1975, after which came a staff job in Rheindahlen. That was followed by a tour at Sandhurst as a company commander. John’s last tour with the Regiment, in the early 1980s, was as Second in Command in Hong Kong. By that time, he had already decided to pursue a different career path and he retired from the army in 1991,
John outside Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge
having been a Defence Fellow at Churchill College, Cambridge, and later completed his PhD from King’s College, London. In between times there were other staff jobs and the pivotal one was serving as a staff officer with the UN Peacekeeping operation in the Sinai, a field in which he specialised. His book, The Peacekeepers, was published in 1989. His tutor at King’s recently wrote that “John was a real pioneer in thinking about new forms of peacekeeping in the 1980s and 1990s. He was a very thoughtful and serious student building on his own experiences”.
John the academic – having left the army, he moved into the world of War Studies academia where he had a long and distinguished career. John held posts variously at Brown University, Rhode Island; the George Marshall Centre, Garmisch-Partenkirchen; the Joint Services Command & Staff College, Shrivenham, as part of the King’s College team; and the Centre for Defence Studies at King’s College, London, where he was a teaching fellow. Further books were published during this time: Rethinking Counterinsurgency (2008): Insurgent Archipelago (2009) and Globalisation & Insurgency (2013), amongst other material.
John was a self-effacing man of many parts who led life to the full and pursued many varied interests.
He was an accomplished painter, joining, in 2006, a group of talented local artists which saw his style develop into the bolder, colourful creations that are now so familiar. His paintings sold well at exhibitions. His colourful triptych of three Gurkha soldiers was exhibited in the Gurkha Museum. He wrote several articles relating to artists in war which were published. Whenever travelling, he was rarely without his sketching and painting gear.
John’s interest in the natural world was instilled in him as a child in India and then later growing up in Scotland where there were many opportunities for stalking, shooting, fishing and bird watching, all of which became passions for him. He was a good shot; he loved his dogs. He was a skilled fly fisherman, whether on the manicured banks of Hampshire’s
chalk streams or, with parang in one hand and rod in the other, cutting through the undergrowth beside his beloved River Meon. John was extremely knowledgeable about birds, always travelling with his binoculars and the appropriate bird book.
In later years, John’s trips to Nepal became more frequent, either for the occasional Regimental event, for trekking or just R&R. These visits provided him with opportunities to paint and bird watch as well as catch up with the gossip from the Regiment’s burhos in Pokhara. Homeward bound, passing through Kathmandu, there was always a visit to Gopal and his family. Gopal had joined the Regiment at the same time as John and they had a very special relationship for some 60 years.
For the Regiment, the Association and the wider Gurkha community John did much. First and foremost, he was a familiar face at Association events. He took over the editorship of The Journal from the 2010 edition transforming it into the high-quality magazine it is today. He was a prolific contributor with articles often accompanied by his own artwork. His design skills also stretched to ties, commemorative medals, assorted printed matter and Regimental T-shirts. At the time of the 2013 Durbar in Nepal, John came up with the idea of a Loyal Greeting which required all present, some 740 or so, to sign their names on papers that later, back in East Meon, became a twenty-five-foot-long scroll. He masterminded the project to completion including the design and manufacture of an elegant dhungro to keep it in. It was subsequently presented to the late Queen and now resides in the Windsor Castle library. John was a key member of the team that designed and commissioned the case for the Regiment’s Book of Remembrance and he was the instigator of the annual service of Remembrance in Winchester Cathedral. He masterminded the highly successful Slim presentations. Finally, there is the Pokhara Memorial about which much has been written elsewhere.
The Naya Bato school In Aldershot was set up around 2010 to address the needs of older Gurkha
retirees living in the town by providing a forum once a week during term time to help them understand the challenges of living in the UK and to provide an opportunity for fellowship. When the founder retired, John took over the running of the group and recruited other former members of the Regiment to help. John had a natural ability to teach, whatever the subject and whomever was being taught. Running the school, and teaching there, was a huge personal commitment on his part and he developed a large loyal following from the grateful attendees, particularly during the shooting season when he organised deliveries of surplus pheasants from the local East Meon shoot.
John met Rachel Richardson at a party in Yorkshire during his first long leave and the rest is history. They were married in St George’s Church, Hannover Square, London, in 1968 and they became an
Angela aged 21
inseparable team. Three children followed and later five grandchildren; to all of them, John was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. His eldest son, Will, went to Sandhurst and was commissioned on the day that John retired from the army.
John’s final act for the Regiment was to lay the wreath at the 2023 Remembrance service in Winchester Cathedral, a little over two weeks before he died – it was a brave act and he was supported by his family and many friends. At the Service of Thanksgiving for his life, All Saints’ Church, East Meon, was filled to capacity with some 300 people, which is a measure of the high regard in which John was held. We mourn the loss of a wonderful man and a good friend. His worldliness and love of life were an inspiration to all.
ANGELA WARDROPER
Angela Wardroper, who has died aged 86, was the epitome of that unsung heroine, the Army wife. A promising and beautiful actress, shortlisted for the part of Joan of Arc in Otto Preminger’s 1957 Saint Joan, she sacrificed her histrionic ambitions in favour of a life entirely new to her when, in 1969, she married Michael Wardroper, an officer of the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Over the next 16 years, she would move house 11 times. Often there were long separations without any form of communication with him, and she was left unsure of whether, when or in what state he might return. Angela faced each new challenge with her unfailing good humour and determination to make the best of things, and to get on with it, even if there were times when she could be heard muttering, with a wry smile: “I will never recover from this!” It was to prove an enduring 54-year marriage of love and devotion through many hard and good times.
The first married quarters in which she found herself, with two small boys, was a ramshackle
Rodney Shoesmith
affair in a remote part of Hong Kong with an intermittent electricity supply, suffocating heat and humidity, and no transport. It was a long way from the most basic grocery store.
Her husband was away when, one day, her threeyear-old son went missing. In near desperation, she mounted up (she was an accomplished horsewoman) and with others widened the search for him, facing the prospect that he was lost for good. Eventually, he was found on his tricycle, peddling hard straight towards the Chinese border where he would likely have been abducted.
A few years later, in Zimbabwe during the transition period to independence, she found herself alone in the house and discovered a female terrorist sheltering in the servants’ quarters armed with a loaded AK-47 Kalashnikov rifle, whom she confronted and disarmed. The woman became one of her trusted household servants.
As a camp follower, without a home of her own, she ensured she had all the accoutrements that made each new billet a “home from home” for her family. She was a charming hostess, fiercely loyal but at all times retaining her own distinct personality; she was never reticent in expressing her views and opinions in a forthright manner for which she was invariably respected and appreciated.
She went out of her way to look after the other Gurkha wives and their families. When she became the senior wife of her husband’s regiment, these responsibilities increased; at times she found herself holding the fort when everyone else was away and maintaining the morale of the families. She was devoted to the welfare of the Gurkha soldiers and learnt to speak their language, she could also speak bazaar Malay and a little Cantonese. It was a demanding life but she immersed herself in it.
In 1978 she represented the Brigade of Gurkhas at the centenary of the WRVS (Women’s Royal Voluntary Service), now the Royal Volunteer Service.
Angela with her beloved acrylics
She was born Angela Scott in London in 1937 and was brought up by her mother during the Blitz and the turbulent and uncertain war years while her father was away overseas serving with the RAF. Coincidentally her husband was also brought up by his mother during these war years while his father was away in the Indian Army serving in the Far East.
Angela had such a zest for life, she was so full of fun and laughter. She always said that it was those early years with the Army which helped her to do other things and to enjoy such a happy and fulfilled life.
She died unexpectedly in hospital at Salisbury on 28 October 2023 with her husband and son, James, at her bedside, her other two boys were living abroad at the time.
Michael Wardroper
(Editor: Michael submitted Angela’s obituary to the Obituaries section of ‘The Daily Telegraph,’ as a paean to that unsung heroine, the Army wife. ‘The Telegraph’ edited it for publication but were prevented by their rules from using it because some time had passed since Angela had deceased).
This year, 2024, marks the 30th anniversary of the amalgamation of 6th GR into the Royal Gurkha Rifles but it also marks the 60th anniversary of the first involvement of the regiment in cross-border Claret operations against the Indonesian forces in Borneo.
General Walter Walker’s strategy of attacking Indonesian bases inside Kalimantan was the decisive action of the war but it involved a real struggle with the British prime minister’s and the colonial offices about provoking Indonesia’s President Sukarno into a wider war. The UK government wanted to divest the two colonies of Sarawak and British North Borneo, but the obvious solution, a Federation of the Malay States, Singapore and the North Borneo territories was attractive to Kuala Lumpur, but they weren’t
prepared to fight for it. British forces did it for them, in one of the most successful counter-insurgency campaigns in our lifetime.
The Claret ops were not covered well in histories of the campaign because everyone was sworn to silence and nothing really leaked out until around 1975. Harold James and Denis Sheil-Small’s book The Undeclared War was published in 1971, before public disclosure. There is less excuse in the later effort, James Lunt’s 1996 history Jai Gurkha, which contained many inaccuracies.
During my first deployment in 1963, the strategy was largely defensive in nature. The Indonesians withdrew when I led a small patrol to rescue a police unit that had been ambushed, for example. The enemy
seemed happy to shoot up the police but reluctant to take on the army, so it was a great surprise when a large group raided Sarawak’s Third Division and Hugh Wallace was killed.
Claret ops for the regiment began very cautiously in 1964. Each operation was tightly controlled and rehearsed. The understanding was that it was to be a “shoot and scoot” tactic to avoid a larger battle that would leave bodies – or, worse, prisoners, in enemy hands. Despite the best planning the first Claret op patrol by 1/6th was ambushed inside Indonesia and two riflemen were killed. In keeping with the “shoot and scoot” tactics their bodies were left. I had an argument with the Battalion Intelligence Officer, Miles Hunt Davis, about wanting to retrieve the bodies, but the Claret rules strictly forbade it. The government’s greatest fear – that the bodies would show that British forces had been operating the other side of the border – was not realised when, through diplomatic circles, we learned that the two dead riflemen had been misidentified as Indonesian
and the bodies were given a military funeral in Pontianak, the regional capital. It had been a closerun thing and was not repeated in our later Claret Ops when all men returned to base each time.
By 1965 all the caution was thrown to the winds. As a twenty-three-year-old I was planning Claret ops across the border regularly and Colonel Gil Hickey let me do it, presumably as long as I didn’t screw up. We were in First Division Sarawak and the enemy was well positioned in strength across the border. But their weakness was that they were supplied by boats using a river that ran parallel with the border. It positively invited ambushes.
I recall Colin Scott’s A Company sitting on the riverbank seeing only civilian boat crews until the alarm was raised by some civilians and A Company retreated at high speed for the border. Gordon Herring’s B Company had a successful river ambush, but the enemy was patrolling the border to catch the ambush groups on their way back to the border,
with ammunition low. In the final sprint to the border Gordon and Lieutenant Kharkaprasad Pun found a dropped British pack and picked it up. The delay let the enemy get closer and light machine gun fire stitched the ground between them but fortunately missed both of them.
A very successful ambush by Ted Hill’s C Company was not rewarded by the MC he and other officers expected he would get and he had to be satisfied with a MID. I debriefed each action on their return and one rifleman after Ted’s ambush mentioned that they had seen a blond-haired officer in one of the boats and initially withheld fire because he thought he might have been a captured British officer. But he saw small silver stars on his epaulettes and
concluded he was the enemy and killed him.
We had been running agents across the border as the villagers had relatives on both sides of the border and visited each other regularly. Each month I collected a bag of swag from Brigade HQ in low denomination local currency notes, to be used to pay for information. Sometimes we gave them cheap cameras and they took photos of the enemy, astonishingly without suspicion or arrest. One of the agents produced a juicy morsel that begged for action. He reported that he had been visiting a relative’s village several miles into Indonesia and had been stopped by a group of around twenty soldiers. He said he was brought before their leader who introduced himself as General Nasution, the
6 GR on Claret Operations
Company’s defensive position, Sarawak
Gurkhas cooking in the jungle
Commander of the Indonesian Army. The villager was questioned by him in depth but as he appeared innocent was released. General Nasution then said he would return on this day exactly four weeks hence and he would pay a lot of money to the villager if he could gather information on British forces, bases and size of garrisons, names of regiments and regular patrol routes. The villager was then released. This sounded too good to be true!
I discussed this with Colonel Hickey and we both agreed that it sounded fishy, but how did the village know the name of the CinC? It could easily be a trap but it was too good to pass up. I flew by helicopter to Colin Scott’s A Company base and gave him the plan. He was keen to go after that earlier, very frustrating river ambush attempt. We left on the day before the agreed date and set up Claymore mines along the trail. We camped overnight and got into position just after first light. I was carrying a small camera in the event we were successful as we could not drag the general’s body a number of miles to the border. We sat all day and the General didn’t show. We camped a second night and got into position a second time. No show…it could be a trap, so we retrieved the Claymores and headed for the border in quick time. We made it without a problem and returned to the A Company base, on top of a hill that was entrenched like a First World War system. Halfway up the hill, Colin stopped and I nearly bumped into him. “You have to remember, John,” he said, “I’m thirty-six years old!” I was horrified…how could they send such elderly men into danger?
Colin went on to command the battalion very successfully and General Nasution went on to survive
the communist killings in 1966 and played a big part in Indonesia’s future. By then all of this was history. As Battalion IO in 1965, I had written two versions of the War Diary. The non-Claret ops reports were classified “Confidential” and I was able to get copies from the Gurkha Museum, many years later, but the Claret ops War Diary was classified “Top-Secret” and, when I had signed off on each report, the document went up to Brigade and I never saw it again. While initialing one copy a Major from Brigade HQ came into the ops room. I stood up respectfully and greeted him. He looked down at my report and, seeing “Top-Secret” at the top of the page, enquired whether I was “positively vetted”, the security clearance required for all Top-Secret access. When I said no he got irritated and said “Then you shouldn’t be reading a Top-Secret document!” “Well, I have to”, I responded, “I wrote it myself!”
A fitting end to the Claret operations was the award of the VC to Rambahadur Limbu in the spring of 1966. Reading the citation, it was evident to anyone who had served in Borneo that 10 GR had been on a Claret op, but “the powers that be” allowed the fudge factor. This was only permitted by the silence of the thousands of men involved, or aware of, the Claret operations. With embedded reporters and a TV news thirst for action, it would be very difficult to do today. All of us who served in Borneo during Confrontation can draw a lot of satisfaction from the fact that six million citizens of Sabah and Sarawak live in a free and democratic country today because of our actions.
John Conlin
LAMA AND ACCENTOR
The lama lived in a cave in a side canyon below Shyammochen Pass, an hour from the nearest village. We heard about him from the goat herders grazing their shaggy black Mustangi goats along the banks of the Kali Gandaki, one of Nepal’s largest rivers. They were quasi-biblical figures in Chinese down jackets with goatskin slings tucked in their waistbands. One of them used his to hurl a stone against the canyon wall. “I use it to scare away snow leopards,” he told us nonchalantly.
The source of the river lies in the remote district of Mustang, on the Tibetan side of the Himalaya. Part of the ancient Kingdom of Lo, it still has its own King, Raja Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista. We had had tea with him a couple of days before in his dusty village capital at Lo Manthang and presented him with a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label.
A rainbow of prayer flags flutters in the breeze around a small gompa or monastery next to the cave. Its solitary guardian, Tenzing Lama, greets us in traditional maroon robes at the top of a steep staircase cut into the rock. Although he is only fiftyone he is already wizened and old.
He talks to us in a mixture of Tibetan and Nepali. A hermit and not used to visitors, he tells us the local villagers supply him with food and wood. There is a stream at the base of the cliff that provides drinking water. Faggots of wood – a precious commodity in this treeless moonscape – are stacked neatly outside his sleeping quarters.
The cave at Chungi Gompa contains a stalagmite that is sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus. We circle around an ancient place of pilgrimage by torchlight whilst Tenzing points out images of Shiva and Buddha on the cave walls.
Tenzing fled from Tibet to India as a child after the Chinese invasion in 1959. For many years he lived in India. Then, like the lama in Kipling’s Kim, he had a calling. “I followed the sound of conch shells”, he says, “telling me where to go.” He travelled on foot to Nepal. “I ended up in the village near here and then an old woman told me about this cave. When I came here I knew this was the place I had been searching for.”
Before we leave he blesses us and presents each of us with a white Tibetan scarf in farewell. “I will die here” he tells us, smiling.
Coming out of the cave I notice a cinnamon-coloured bird the size of a sparrow flitting around the gompa. It is an Alpine Accentor, a bird of the high Himalaya. As we leave, it flutters down to feed on some crumbs of tsampa the lama has left outside his hermitage.
For a second I am reminded of some words from a different religion about the fall of a sparrow. Then we are back outside in the harsh sunlight of the mountains.
Rick Beven
LAND OF THE BRAVE
This article was written for the Kolkata edition of The Statesman. It was published (without the photographs) on 28 June 2002, the day that the former King Gyanendra Shah of Nepal arrived in Kolkata on an official visit.
Ispent 10 of my 16 years in the British Army with the Brigade of Gurkhas. During those years, I visited Nepal as much as I could and trekked in the mountains that were the Gurkha’s ancestral homeland, even though nowadays most of the Gurkha recruits come from the major cities and the Terai. I wanted to understand where our soldiers came from and how they lived. Gradually, however, the mountains wove their spell on me and I returned because I loved them and the people that lived amongst them. I also became aware of a story that had not been told. During this period, I read everything I could about the Gurkhas and Nepal. There are many books about the Gurkhas but there is almost nothing written by a Gurkha or from a Gurkha point of view. The old men that I had met in the hills, who had fought in World War II and in the jungles of Malaya and Borneo, had never had their say. There is a saying that “When a man dies a library is lost”. I wanted to record some of the old bahadurs’ experiences for future generations. This was the genesis of a trek that took me from Darjeeling to Dehra Dun across the middle hills
Honorary Major Lyangsong Lepcha, 2/2nd Gurkha Rifles and 28 Army Education Corps, in traditional Lepcha attire. Kalimpong, West Bengal.
of Nepal, Kumaon and Garhwal between January and June this year: a distance of 2,300 km in 109 days.
From the outset, I had decided that it would be too dangerous to do the trek on my own. In addition, my route, especially in the far west of Nepal, involved trekking in remote areas, far from any roadhead, where I would need to carry a week’s food supply. I finally planned for a team of four: a guide, two porters and myself. I broke the trek into four legs: from Darjeeling to Kathmandu, Kathmandu to Pokhara, Pokhara to the Mahakali River and the Mahakali to Dehra Dun. I bought a mini disc recorder and microphone to record my interviews with the ex-British Gurkhas that I met on my trek. I intended to record a hundred interviews.
I started my trek at the end of January from a misty Chowrasta in Darjeeling. The only border crossing point for foreigners going to Nepal is at Kakarbhitta in the Terai. For three days I trekked through dripping mountain mists, dark Teutonic pine forests and somnolent tea estates sizzling with the sound of cicadas. On the road to Naxalbari, I was surprised to see some busts of Marx and Lenin under the cool shade of a banyan tree; they looked incongruous against the green paddy fields and palms. There
was a perceptible change in the atmosphere when we crossed the border into Nepal. People seemed to be more open and friendly. Perhaps it was because I could speak the language, but I felt that I was amongst friends. In Damak, I was able to interview the last Gurkha to win the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest award for valour. Honorary Captain Rambahadur Limbu VC, MVO was born and brought up in the Taplejung district of East Nepal and won his VC charging an Indonesian machine gun post during the confrontation between Britain and Indonesia in Borneo in the sixties. I asked him why he had not chosen to return to the hills on retirement. “Two reasons”, he said: “There are no health facilities where my village is, and the quality of the education is poor.” It was a story that I heard repeated many times during my interviews and it encapsulated the lack of development in the mountainous regions of Nepal.
I realised that people from different backgrounds see the world differently when we were trekking through thick sal forest in the Terai between Damak and Dharan. “Watch out for the robbers and the jungli elephants,” a group of villagers warned us one morning when we had to cross a large swathe of primary jungle. When we ventured into the labyrinth of towering trees, my porters worried about the elephants whilst I was more concerned about being robbed. There are no elephants in the hills and my porters were terrified of the unknown. Luckily, we did not encounter either on our journey.
One of my most interesting interviews was with an 87-year-old shaman in the mountainous district of Okhaldhunga in East Nepal. When I arrived at his village it was late afternoon. The old man was high up on the side of a mountain cutting grass for his cattle. A message was sent up to him and an hour later, a wiry sparrow of a man stood to attention in front of me and gave me a huge salute. Later that evening, over many glasses of
Rifleman Sancha Tamang, 5th Gurkha Rifles and 153 Gurkha Parachute Battalion, photographed at GWT Trisuli pension paying point.
potent hill ruxi, he told me he used to be the jangri or shaman for his regiment during World War II. There was no room in his small house for us to stay but his family cleared a space for us on their porch and he offered me his bed. The next morning, he performed a shamanic ceremony to ensure us a safe journey.
Throughout East Nepal, I had seen signs of the ongoing Emergency between the government and the Maoists. There had been checkpoints and soldiers dug in around their barracks along the Mahendra Highway where the Army appeared to be in control. In the hills, we were in Maoist territory and it was a different story. The Maoists had destroyed all the local police stations I passed on my route and
forced the army and the police out of the rural areas into the district capitals. I saw very few government forces outside these district headquarters during my four-month trek. It was the Maoists who held power in the hills and there was a palpable fear of them amongst the majority of the hill people I stayed with.
We encountered our first Maoist patrol in Okhaldhunga when we were questioned by a group of 30 guerrillas. I was surprised at how young they were, most of them looked between 16 and 18. They wore camouflage uniforms and carried old, flintlock muskets and crude homemade grenades. I asked the leader what the aim of the Maoists was. “Ninety per cent of Nepalese are poor,” he replied, “we are going to take from the rich and give to the poor.” I later discovered that the Maoists’ control of rural areas extended to the rim of the Kathmandu Valley. Their control of the countryside was not physical but psychological, utilising the fear of reprisals and punishment beatings.
I spent three weeks resting in Kathmandu before starting the second leg of my trek. It was March and there was still a lot of snow on the mountain passes of the Langtang and Rashuwa districts. One night, we were snowed in at the tiny hamlet of Somdang in Rashuwa district. Outside, a pair of black yaks were totally unperturbed at having to spend the night out in the deep snow. The next morning, we waded through snow up to our waists for four hours, squinting our eyes against the danger of snow blindness, to cross the 4,000-metre-high Pangsang Bhanjyang pass. In Northern Dhading, we heard wolves howling in the mountains on the Tibetan border. The villages in this area were the most remote that we stayed in during our trek; at night the villagers moved around their village using the light of bamboo torches. One old man told me, “In one day, I can collect enough ningalo (bamboo) to provide me light for 15 days, whereas it takes me three days to walk to the bazaar to buy batteries.” There was no electricity, no health posts and no toilets.
The weather became more changeable in April as we neared Pokhara. One morning, we were desperately
trying to find water on the side of a mountain so that we could cook our morning meal only to reach the top just as a heavy hailstorm started. For half an hour, we were pelted by hailstones as big as mothballs on top of a freezing cold ridgeline. Luckily, we located a dharamshala or shelter and we were able to warm ourselves inside and hang up our soaking clothes. The next morning, the views of Annapurna and Machapuchare at sunrise more than compensated for the misery of the previous day.
In the village of Ghandrung, I stayed with my old friend, Mayadevi Gurung, a widow who used to be married to a Gurkha soldier. I was amazed at her devotion to her husband who had died 15 years before. Every morning she gets up, places incense and marigolds in front of his old army photograph and completes her morning puja. She has no children and only a little land. The Gurkha Welfare Scheme – a charity that looks after the welfare of ex-British Gurkhas – provides her with a small grant to help
make ends meet. Many of the old pensioners that I met were World War II veterans who had been discharged at the end of the war without a pension and who had returned to the hills. Nearly all of them are subsistence farmers. The majority of them are now in their late 70s or early 80s and are no longer in a position to look after themselves. The small welfare grant of 2,100 Nepalese rupees a month makes a huge difference to their quality of life.
My route in the west took me through the centre of Rukum, a Maoist stronghold where the Maoist movement originated in 1996. The Maoists have set up a parallel administration in this area. I saw very little evidence of any development in the villages I stayed in and they were some of the poorest I had visited in Nepal. We were stopped and questioned on several occasions by armed Maoist patrols curious to know what we were doing in their area. They were adamant that they were going to wrest power from the Nepalese government. The Maoists
Relaxing at the end of Leg 2 at the chautara in British Gurkhas Pokhra.
Left to right: The author, Dawa Pun (Guide), Kumar Lama and Minbahadur Tamang.
appeared to have a reputation of invincibility that is far from reality. On the path up to the district headquarters of Jajarkot, we were stopped and questioned by a young Maoist armed with a pistol. Another young man armed with a pistol did the same as we left Jajarkot. Yet there were a least several hundred heavily armed soldiers and policemen holed up in their barracks in the district headquarters. In my opinion, both sides are at an impasse: the Maoists cannot defeat the Royal Nepalese Army and they in turn cannot defeat the Maoists unless they receive external support. The result is a bitter insurgency, the cessation of development in the hills and widespread suffering for ordinary Nepalese people.
I had hoped to cross the western border between India and Nepal at the border crossing point at Baitadi but was prevented from doing so by an obdurate Indian border official. “We have no authority to let foreigners pass”, he said, “go back.” Going back involved a three-day detour by foot, bus, rickshaw and jeep taxi to Pithoragarh in Kumaon. I caught a jeep taxi to the suspension bridge across the Mahakali River where I had been refused entry and resumed my trek.
After Nepal, Kumaon seemed to be a developed
country. There were metalled roads, an efficient transport system, concrete paths linked the small white villages, the houses had electricity, and shops sold medicine in every village. We had also left the problems of Nepal’s Emergency behind us. There were no curfews or checkpoints and the feeling of fear evaporated.
In Kumaon and Garhwal I trekked on old muletracks built by the British Raj a century ago. It was pleasant to think that 100 years before, Gurkha Regiments had marched up and down these tracks amongst the pine-covered mountains. One evening we stayed in a temple, sharing our food with a sadhu who complained about our cooking. We visited the garrison towns of Ranikhet and Landsdowne, which had started life as home to regiments in the old British Indian Army. We spent a day jostled by pilgrims and orange and saffron-clad sadhus beside the Ganges at Rishikesh. On my last day, I was chased by an elephant on the road to Dehra Dun. Fortunately, a passing car on the road frightened it away and I was able to escape.
Before Independence, Dehra Dun used to be the Regimental Centre for Gurkha Regiments and it is immortalised in many of the old Gurkha marching songs. It also approximately marked the westernmost extent of the old Kingdom of Nepal before the warriors from the hills had run up against an expanding British Empire nearly 200 years ago and been forced to withdraw. I had walked across the length of the old kingdom and recorded the experiences of 85 ex-British Gurkha servicemen. Most of them were poor farmers struggling to feed their families and themselves in a country that was in the grip of an ever-widening insurgency. They had always greeted me with courtesy and hospitality, sharing their food with me, happy that an officer from their regiment had walked many miles to visit them. And their farewell was always the same; “Pheri, pheri bhetaunla”, they said as I left, “may we meet again.”
Rick Beven
Formerly in the British Army’s Brigade of Gurkhas
A Maoist memorial to fallen fighters, Far West Nepal
Gurkha Captain Bakansing Gurung, 1/6th GR, sitting outside his ghumane ghar, Bangu village, Lamjung
Captain Birbahadur Thapa
NAYA BATO SCHOOL
ALDERSHOT
Amongst my inward recollections on joining 2/6 GR in Kluang in late 1968 were feelings of incomprehension and isolation, as I realised that even most of the British Officers spoke mainly in Gurkhali with only the occasional clues like “HQ Coy” or “4 tonner” to guide my understanding.
I therefore sympathise with many of our elderly Gurkha widows living around Hampshire who attend our classes. Some never had the opportunity to attend school in their villages and never learnt to read and write in Nepali, so attempting to understand English after the age of 65 plus, is a big ask.
Many arrived with their husbands and families more than 10 years ago but once their husbands
have passed away they are on their own. We do not therefore attempt to teach them syntax or grammar but merely try to give them a little self-confidence in coping with western bureaucracy and officialdom which abounds in our daily lives.
The School was formed around 2010 when a retired Civil Servant called Tim Dunmore and a retired schoolteacher, with the blessing (but with no financial support) of Rushmoor Borough Council set up classes in a disused building in Aldershot to take elderly ex-Gurkhas who were otherwise endlessly walking the streets of the town.
John Mackinlay got to hear about this useful project and quickly joined the team and sometime thereafter recruited me and Captain Birbahadur
Naya Bato Students
Thapa. John took over the school when Tim retired and then handed it over to me in 2022. Whilst this is a Brigade-wide project open to all ex-Gurkhas and their families, I am proud to say that 6 GR members have taken an active role in its progression, and with Major Bhagwansing Thapa and his wife Rita recently joining us, this tradition continues.
We meet every Wednesday morning during term time in the Mormon Church in Aldershot and usually start with a 30-minute presentation either by an outside speaker or by one of our staff. Thereafter we break down into three classes, depending upon the abilities of our students. These classes then run for an hour and several of the teaching staff are local volunteers with no Gurkha connections or knowledge of Nepal, which always amazes me.
We get a little financial help from Maddhat Shamuha (the local Nepalese Self-Help Charity); the Mormon Church provides their Church Hall for free and we
have received advice and occasional presentations from the Gurkha Welfare Office in Aldershot. Recently we had visits from the chairman of the GBA, Colonel David Hayes (7 GR) with the GBA Secretary, our own Major Mani Kumar Rai, then Duncan Briggs and more recently a second presentation by Gerald Davies.
Without all this support we could not continue to function so if you are reading this and feel that you could give a short presentation on whatever interests you, then do let me know. It need not be in Nepali as “Captain Biru” and Captain Bishnu Shrestra (7 GR) can translate as you go. On the other hand, if you give it in Nepali, you do need the occasional use of English, so that our volunteer staff (including me!) know what you are saying!
We would welcome all who wish to visit us.
Richard Morris
A PUKKA CHHE
GURKHA!
21160427 Sergeant Durga Bahadur Gurung joined the Regiment on 3 November 1972 and on completion of 18 years as a Sergeant proceeded on retirement. During his service, he served in Brunei, Belize, Cyprus, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
Durga is a ‘pukka 6th Gurkha’ and is seriously devoted to the Royal Family. He cherishes Her Majesty’s second visit to the battalion on 24 February 1989 when stationed at Queen Elizabeth barracks, Church Crookham, and was honoured to meet and even shake hands with Her Majesty when the visit included the Warrant Officers and Sergeants’ Mess. He also clearly remembers Her Majesty’s first visit to the Regiment at the same barracks in 1977 when the battalion had lined up at the battalion gymnasium. He is proud to have taken part in a parade during Her Majesty’s visit to Hong Kong during Her first visit to the island in May 1975.
On hearing the sad news of Her Majesty’s passing away Durga immediately shaved his head, as a mark of respect. This Hindu practice is only performed at the death of one’s parents. Proudly donning his 6 GR blazer and Gurkha Hat he travelled all the way from Swindon to Westminster Hall on 15 September 2022 and after queuing for eight hours was finally able to personally bid farewell to Her Majesty.
Tikendradal Dewan
Sergeant Durga Bahadur Gurung in the queue outside Westminster Hall
ATLANTIC CROSSING
THE TALISKER WHISKY ATLANTIC CHALLENGE –THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST ROW
Background:
Growing up, sailing became an integral part of my upbringing, influenced greatly by my parents. I began my journey in sailing by completing the RYA dinghy sailing courses, levels 1 and 2, in Salcombe during my formative years. In addition, a considerable amount of my time was spent navigating the Menai Straits off Anglesey in Wales aboard our mirror dinghy, affectionately named Dhoruba – a Swahili term meaning “Storm.” These experiences laid a solid foundation for my understanding and appreciation of the sea, broadened my horizons and deepened my love for water sports, instilling in me a sense of adventure and a desire to push my boundaries.
After attending Pangbourne College I entered the world of superyachts and spent four years exploring the Caribbean, Eastern coast of USA and Canada as well as the Mediterranean.
My initial introduction to the challenge came from my father, Nick Rowe, who, in 2005, embarked on the Woodvale Atlantic rowing event alongside my
godfather, Al Howard. Together, they formed the duo known as Gurkha Spirit and braved gruelling conditions throughout their 66-day journey.
The knowledge of this formidable race had been ingrained in me for years, a constant presence in my thoughts. The allure of the challenge grew irresistible, compelling me to sign up for the race in 2022/3.
Building Team Full Throttle
Initially, my fellow crew member Corrine and I were part of a different ocean rowing team, but due to unforeseen circumstances, we decided to part ways and form a new team, which we named Full Throttle. To bolster our ranks, we enlisted two of Corrine’s acquaintances.
Corrine brought her expertise in film production to the table, while Daisy, an avid cyclist known for her positive demeanour, and Aileen, a reigning Hyrox World Champion, joined our crew. Remarkably, our team was assembled just five months before the race—an impressive feat, considering that most
Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge
Team Full Throttle and Catch of the Day
teams dedicate two years to preparation.
Assembling a dedicated team proved to be a daunting task. We spent countless hours in the gym each day, took to the water in our ocean rowing vessel, ‘Catch of the Day,’ every weekend, and tirelessly pursued sponsors each night. The commitment required for this endeavour was akin to juggling two full-time jobs, prompting me to temporarily pause my sailing career.
Sponsorship
This was the hardest task, and would literally determine whether we would get to the start line in the first place. With perseverance we made it to the start line, and it is at this point that I would like to say that we would not have made it without the generous donations from many members of the 6th (QEO) Gurkha Rifles Regimental Association. Thank You!
Practical preparation
Given the fact we were unsupported and the potential for assistance to be weeks away while on the ocean, boat maintenance took on paramount significance. We also participated in an electronics workshop at Rannoch Adventure, where we gained knowledge about troubleshooting issues related to our solar panels, batteries, VHF radio, and other electronic components. We enlisted the expertise of a nutritionist to ensure that each of us maintained the proper daily food intake and consumed the necessary nutrients. Additionally, we partnered with a personal trainer who guided us in our muscle gain regimen, enabling us to endure 2-3 hours of continuous rowing with proficiency every couple of hours and more importantly to prevent injury at sea.
I dedicated a significant amount of time in the shipyard getting our boat ready for its journey across the Atlantic. This involved meticulous tasks such as inspecting for any potential holes, repairing the wheel bearings, and undertaking jobs like sanding and applying antifouling paint to the hull, to highlight a few.
We had to raise over £130,000 to take part in this race. This included buying the boat, paying the race
fees, purchasing all essential equipment, shipping costs, our professional team, courses and so on. This was a rather taxing ordeal, and I can’t thank my friends and family enough for the huge part they played in making sure we got to the start line.
And then we were off!
Time rushed by in a daze during the preparation and we soon found ourselves in La Gomera for the start. A total of 38 teams participated and there was a great sense of camaraderie and ‘mission’ that developed over the final two weeks before the start.
I loved rowing under the moonlit sky, admiring the sparkling phosphorescence in the water with each stroke of the oars. Being so close to nature, with wildlife all around us, was truly special. There was a calming feeling to rowing at night. We were fortunate to come across several fin whales during our journey, with a blue marlin closely trailing behind us at one point. A highlight of our adventure was successfully catching a Mahi Mahi, which we delighted in as fresh sashimi for supper.
Convinced I was solar-powered, I also loved rowing during the day. I loved the heat and sun and was always eager to jump out of the steaming hot cabin and maintain my place on the oars. The rest of my crew and many other teams struggled with the heat but I thought it was great.
Challenges
I wouldn’t pinpoint a single moment as the worst, but we did encounter a few challenges throughout the journey.
On 11 December, the day before the race, we encountered an issue with our rudder. As we were leaving San Sebastian marina in La Gomera for our confirmation row, we discovered that the rudder was pulling too far to one side, hindering our ability to manoeuvre properly. This loss of steering posed a significant obstacle. Despite efforts from the race safety team, ocean rowing coach, and boat builder to address the issue, we were unable to fully resolve it before the race start. Consequently, we
had to navigate the Atlantic with a less-than-ideal rudder system.
On the second day, during our routine checks, I noticed that we were taking in a considerable amount of water through our thru-hole to the water maker. Despite our efforts, we couldn’t pinpoint the source of the leak, leading us to activate the bilge pump every two hours to remove up to 20 litres of water each time.
Throughout the journey, we encountered various minor discomforts, such as attempting to sleep in the sweltering cabin with the hatch closed, dealing with salt sores on my bottom that made rowing painful, and enduring the incessant noise of the autohelm alarm when it malfunctioned. These are challenges that many rowers are likely to face.
Surprisingly, I didn’t find the mental aspect of the challenge particularly difficult because I was so enamoured with the experience. However, as we approached land on our final day, a sense of sadness washed over me, knowing that our incredible adventure was drawing to a close.
Unprepared
In any expedition, there are inevitably unforeseen challenges that you cannot fully anticipate. Regrettably, a few weeks into our journey, one of our crew members expressed a strong desire to leave the boat, experiencing immense mental difficulty throughout the rowing experience. This presented a significant challenge for the rest of the crew, but we remained resilient and did not allow it to detract from the expedition. Such unexpected occurrences serve as a reminder that you never truly know someone until you embark on an ocean rowing adventure together.
Crossing the finish line
It all unfolded rapidly. On the final day, we took turns using the minimal fresh water produced by the water maker and the only travel-size bottle of shampoo we had brought for the trip to wash our hair and bodies. Before we knew it, land appeared on the horizon, with
three of us rowing while one steered us through the towering waves towards English Harbour, Antigua.
The race safety team arrived on a powerboat to greet us, along with photographers and more members of the Atlantic Campaigns team who circled around us, capturing the moment on film. Approaching the entrance to English Harbour, we spotted our families and friends standing on the fort in the distance, while Safety Team Manager Ian Couch cheered with his flare illuminated. We rowed as swiftly as possible across the finish line, marked by two navigation buoys, before celebrating and standing with our flares alight.
We were thrilled to be crowned the women’s class winners, completing the row in 42 days, 7 hours, and 18 minutes.
I was overjoyed to have all my loved ones present, including my mum, dad, boyfriend, and my sister, who surprised me by showing up despite telling me she wouldn’t be there!
Standing on stage and being interviewed by the race director was, in my opinion, the most nervewracking part of rowing across the Atlantic. As someone with a fear of public speaking and a tendency toward introversion, I had been anxious about it for quite some time!
Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge Women’s Cup Winners: Corrine, Aileen, Daisy and Jess
After filling our trophy with champagne and enjoying a few cold beers, our celebrations were in full swing. However, my first shower after the row wasn’t as incredible as I had imagined it to be. Perhaps home comforts weren’t as important to me anymore... although, I must admit, having privacy in the bathroom was something I had truly missed.
Expedition blues
Following the completion of a significant challenge that had consumed much of my time, it was crucial to have another goal to focus on to stave off post-expedition blues. Opting to take part in the Trailwalker challenge in September 2023 seemed like a promising choice. However, it turned out to be incredibly challenging, and I struggled immensely with foot issues, leading to our withdrawal before reaching checkpoint nine (we made it to km 87). This marked the first time I had not succeeded in a sporting endeavour, underscoring the importance of thorough preparation, even for what may seem like a mere “walk.” We were thrilled to have collected almost £1,500 for the Gurkha Welfare Trust.
What’s Next?
We have now formed a team with a solo rower from my race and her friend Lottie called ‘Seas the Day’ and we will attempt, in February or March 2025, to become the first female trio to cross the Pacific, non-stop from Lima in Peru to Sydney or Brisbane in Australia. The preparation for this is on a new level, particularly for the distances involved: 8,000 nautical miles as opposed to just 3,000 across the Atlantic. Our main challenges will be to carry enough food without requiring a resupply, ensuring the boat is always ship-shape and that the electronics and other systems don’t fail us, making it across before tropical storm season begins in the Western Pacific and avoiding islands and shipping, particularly trying to avoid the huge squid fishing fleet which operates 400 miles south of the Galapagos Islands.
You can find Seas the Day on most social media sites, and we will have a Yellow Brick tracker on board so that you can follow our progress. Wish us luck on our next endeavour!
Jess Rowe
Journey’s End – Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua
THE REGIMENTAL MEMORIAL PROJECT
FINAL REPORT
In last year’s Journal, I covered the completion of the Memorial to a state when it could be used to mark Remembrance Day 2022 by the Nepal Branch of the Association. In the light of his unexpected death on 5 December this year, it was wonderfully appropriate that John Mackinlay, whose ideas and inspiration for the Memorial had led us to this point, was able to be present at that first ceremony in November 2022 and to see his ‘dream’ realised.
However, there remained then some finishing touches to be carried out before the Memorial could be formally dedicated, and the Nepal team under Lieutenant Purnabahadur Gurung, who had proved to be an outstanding project manager during the construction phase of the Project, set to so that that formal ceremony could take place in early 2023.
Planning for the Dedication ceremonies commenced in July 2022. So that those resident in the UK, who might wish to be present at the Dedication ceremony in Nepal, had sufficient time to make their travel plans, it was necessary to agree on a date sufficiently far ahead to allow for such planning; it was, therefore, finally agreed that the formal ceremony of Dedication would take place on 18 March 2023.
It was also recognised that the veterans and their families would wish to celebrate the event by gathering, after the Dedication ceremony’s completion, for celebratory drinks and lunch – indeed, a mini-reunion. The organisation and management of the Dedication Ceremony was the responsibility of the Nepal Project Committee, under the guidance of the UK Project Committee. The detailed planning and execution of the
A
Bon Priest blesses the Regimental Memorial
event were placed in the very capable hands of Lieutenant Purnabahadur Gurung. Purnabahadur has broad shoulders and also, in addition to the Dedication Ceremony itself, took on the planning and organisation of the Association’s mini-reunion which was to follow the Dedication Ceremony.
The simple, but moving, format of the Dedication Ceremony, on the day, was as follows:
(i) At 10.00 in the morning, Brigadier John Anderson OBE opened the proceedings by welcoming everybody to the event, and then unveiling the Memorial, which had initially been screened from view; the screening of the Memorial was so that the vast majority of those expected to be present on the day, who would not have had the opportunity to see it before, could enjoy the “wow” factor of its unveiling.
(ii) The unveiling was followed by the reading of Remembrance prayers by the Chairman of the UK Regimental Association, Lt. Colonel Duncan
Briggs, and the Chairman of the Nepal Regimental Association, Major Chandrabahadur Gurung MVO.
(iii) Then followed the important Dedication Ceremony, when a Pandit, a Lama, a Bon and a Christian Priest each blessed the Memorial in accordance with the rites applicable to their respective traditions and beliefs, all of which faiths are represented within the Regimental family.
(iv) Following the blessings, wreaths were laid by the oldest ex-6 GR other rank present (Corporal Balman Gurung MM), the oldest ex-6 GR Gurkha Officer present (Lieutenant Budhibahadur Gurung), and the oldest ex-6 GR British Officer present, which turned out to be me.
(v) Lt. Colonel Gopalbahadur Gurung MBE (Chairman of the Nepal Project Committee) then read, in English and Nepali, the 6 GR Gurkha Collect, before inviting those who wished to do so to lay their own flowers or tributes on the Memorial.
(vi) The Ceremony was brought to a close at 11.00 by a bugler of the Nepalese Army playing the Last Post and, after two minutes silence, the Reveille.
Lt. Colonel Gopalbahadur Gurung MBE places a sayapatri at the Memorial
The focus of the day then shifted to the Brigade of Gurkhas Camp where more than 400 friends, former colleagues, and families gathered to celebrate the completion of the Memorial, and, before lunch, to hear short speeches given by Lt. Colonel Duncan Briggs, Lt. Colonel Gopalbahadur Gurung MBE and myself. There then followed the presentation by Brig. John Anderson OBE of NRs 500,000 to the Gurkha Memorial Museum Pokhara, in recognition of the Museum’s generous cooperation in the development of the Memorial.
Major Chandrabahadur Gurung MVO then concluded the formalities and invited all to enjoy lunch and the opportunity to renew old friendships.
Whilst that summarises the last stages in the completion and dedication of the Memorial which now stands in an outstanding location in front of the Gurkha Museum in Pokhara, I am confident that everyone will remember the invitation to contribute to the cost of the Memorial which was circulated in
mid-January, 2022, which recognised that donations to the Regimental Trust expressly for the funding of the Memorial Project, might exceed the funds required. The invitation stated at the outset that, in the event of there being a surplus it would be ringfenced and used solely for other Memorial-related purposes and future “heritage” projects.
The Nepal Branch of the Association raised funds in Nepali Rupees in Nepal, and the accounting for those funds, used for the Nepali share of the Project costs, was handled separately, as would be the use of any surplus, except that it should be used for similar further projects. As far as the funds raised in the UK and held in the Trust are concerned, a surplus has resulted – within the UK, and including funds raised in India and Hong Kong, the total income (including the original Trust grant, and Gift Aid), realised £58,272 (out of an overall total of c£91,000) The UK share of the cost of the Memorial itself amounted to £34,730, leaving a surplus of £23,542. It may be recalled that one of the proposed uses of surplus funds was the
production of a “Memorial Book” describing the rationale behind the Project and the story of its evaluation and completion; it was the intention that a copy of such a book might be presented to HM the King in recognition of our having borne the name of his Mother, the Late Queen, since January 1959. That Book has been produced and we are now, at the time of writing, in discussion with the Palace in the hope that its presentation to His Majesty might be made in person. Meanwhile, 520 copies of the Book were produced, and a copy was distributed to each of those who so generously donated towards the Project funds; there are also copies in each of the Winchester Gurkha Museum and The Pokhara Memorial Museum.
I have included a photograph of the Presentation Copy of the Book, acknowledging that the vast majority will not have had the opportunity to see it; it is bound in Goat skin leather, and held in a cloth bound slip case. The inside back and front ‘endpapers’ are of Nepali printed paper.
In addition to the Book, the cost of which was shared between the UK and Nepal, and distributed free to donors in both countries, tokens of appreciation, or “maya ko chino”, were prepared for distribution to Nepali donors in each of the UK and Nepal; in the UK this took the form of a “Memorial Medal” which commemorated both the Memorial and the Platinum
The Memorial commemorates all 6th Gurkhas
Jubilee of our Late Queen. In Nepal, it took the form of a replica of the Memorial itself in aluminium and silver mounted on a wooden background. Each “token” was funded from Memorial funds held in the UK and Nepal respectively.
The Memorial Project is now complete (save for, perhaps, the presentation of the Memorial Book to His Majesty!); of the £58,272 raised in the UK, there remains c£8,710 available for use on further “heritage” projects, currently the Oral History Archive. Similarly, in Nepal, there remains a significant sum which the Nepal Branch have set aside for Memorial and heritage related projects.
In conclusion, I would like to pay tribute to all those who donated so generously to the Project, to all those on the Committees in the UK and Nepal who gave of their time and expertise in the course of the Project’s evaluation and execution, to all those professionals – designers in India, stone carvers in both India and Nepal and not forgetting our Trust
Secretary – who gave their time and expertise free of charge, without whom the Project could not have been undertaken, let alone successfully brought to a conclusion.
But, finally, I pay tribute to the late Lt. Colonel John Mackinlay, who contributed so much to our Regiment’s heritage – the Roll of Honour and its cabinet in Winchester cathedral, the scroll of signatories presented to the Late Queen in 2013, and, most importantly, the inspiration for, and concept of, the Regimental Memorial which now stands in front of The Gurkha Memorial Museum in Pokhara, Nepal, as a further, lasting legacy, of which his widow, Rachel, and his family can justifiably be proud.
Mike Channing
The Regimental Memorial
ONE MAN, TWO PORTERS, 1,500 MILES, 114 DAYS, NO MAP
A TREK ACROSS NEPAL, WEST TO EAST
As an Ambassador for the Gurkha Welfare Trust, I felt I should try to do something significant for the GWT. I had also been the Field Director for the GWT in Nepal and I had always harboured a desire to cross the whole country on foot. I hadn’t been to the far northwest of Nepal, so this would give me an opportunity to see those places that were unknown to me. Thus, on the 8 January, I set off from the India/ Nepal border crossing at Jhulaghat in Baitadi district on a 16-week trek across Nepal, to finish at the Nepal/India border in Chiwa Bhanjyang in Taplejung district. Doing so, I managed to raise around £50,000 for The Gurkha Welfare Trust, Project Oyam, and Hello World, a charity providing education and internet access to remote communities in Nepal.
To do this, I took two porters; Minilama Tamang and Rackcha Tamang. I had known Mini for years, but Rakcha was new to me (and new to portering, but he was strong and fit). I needed reliable and strong guys because we were self-sufficient. We took our own
tents, and carried all our cooking gear and kerosene. The porters were carrying between 40-45 kg each.
I also took no map. I wanted to walk the old “middlehills” routes from village to village, and the best way to do that was by asking the older villagers who remembered those tracks. Over the course of the next 114 days, we trekked nearly 1,500 miles, climbing a total of 60 miles in vertical ascent. As
Kathmandu
Pokhara
Chiwa Bhanjyang
Chyangthapu
Jhulaghat
Oyam
Annapurna
High Himalaya
Hills
Terai
Johnny Fenn, GWT Ambassador
With Mini and Rakcha, with Everest in the backgrou nd
Under the Sta rs
Mini and Rakcha at 4,000 metres
you will imagine, we faced unpredictable conditions, including freezing weather, heavy rains, snowstorms, landslides, thunderstorms, and high winds. There were also several small tremors and at one point we walked through the epicentre of a 5.6 earthquake.
There were other dangers we faced – not from animals or locals, but purely from the instability of the ground. Crossing paths that had crumbled away in often precarious places meant that danger was often present – particularly in the far west.
I took the decision to trek without meat and without alcohol. Both of these aspects can add cultural complexities when arriving in villages as the locals see the opportunity to sell raksi or slaughter some animals, so we avoided that problem. But it did add to a fairly dramatic weight loss. I started at 83kg and dropped to 68kg – a loss of 15kg, or about 2.5 stones. That was about 17% of my original body weight. Finding protein is difficult in the remote hills of Nepal if you are avoiding meat, and trying to match “calories-in” to calories-out” was impossible. Some days we had climbed over 2,500 metres, and the calorie deficit was huge.
On the way to the finish line, I visited the village of Oyam where I was able to join my wife Blou, and Major Chakra Khatri in the opening ceremony of a boarding house we had raised money for. The boarding house will host 50 students, who previously had to walk for hours to access the school. That was a very special moment and added encouragement for my trek.
After visiting Oyam, I passed through Chyangthapu, the village where Rambahadur Limbu VC, MVO was born. Sadly, Rambahadur had died just the week before, on 22 April, at the age of 83. He was the last living Gurkha Victoria Cross recipient, and it was wonderful to be able to pay our respects there, in that beautiful and remote hill village.
When we reached the finish line at Chiwa Bhanjyang,
Nearing the end
THE WONDERFUL SAGA OF THE SMITH FAMILY BROOCH
In 1929, Terence Smith, then a Captain in the 6th Gurkha Rifles, commissioned a London jeweller to make him a lady’s brooch in a regimental design. It cost the princely sum, in those days, of £25, the equivalent of around £1,250 today. The brooch was a wedding present for his wife Gwen, and so the saga began.
Earlier in the year I received an email from David Bredin, our Regimental Secretary that one Patrick Smyth had contacted him regarding a 6 GR ladies brooch. Given that Patrick lived very close to us in Dorset, I followed up the email. It turned out that the brooch had passed to Terence Smith’s daughter Joanna on the death of her mother and that Joanna, who was a strong supporter of the Association, had worn it with pride, including to a number of Association functions, until her death in 2022. Patrick, who was her cousin, was Joanna’s executor and the brooch had now passed to Vivienne, Patrick’s wife. Vivienne wanted to present the brooch to the Regimental Association so that we could auction it for charity, hence the contact from Patrick. It also turned out that Patrick knew quite a lot about Gurkhas as he had worked in Nepal as a young doctor in the 1970s.
Your Association Committee considered the issue and decided that the funds should go to Tiplyang School, the school founded by the late Tulbahadur Pun VC and supported by the Hands Together charity set up by the Allmand family in memory of Michael Allmand VC and Dame Joanna Lumley in memory of her father James Lumley. That was the easy bit. However, the Committee had no expertise in jewellery valuation or auctions. Thankfully Jeremy Brade came to the rescue and through his good offices we managed to get a professional analysis of the brooch; “it is a beautiful piece, platinum and white gold with brilliant cut diamonds and good enamel work”. Remarkably, as well as the original box, the brooch came with the maker’s invoice, very special provenance. Replacement value was estimated as £2,000 with estimates of over £1,000 if sold either by a specialist shop or by auction. Equally, we had to consider where to sell it. While we felt we might raise more money selling the brooch publicly, we felt that Joanna would have wanted the brooch to stay within the Regiment if possible.
It was then suggested that if sold by Vivienne, and the proceeds donated to the Association, which is
Gwen Smith
itself a charity, then Gift Aid could also be claimed on the amount, thus increasing the overall sum. Readers may remember the notice of the silent auction sent out by the Regimental Secretary in October 2023. We had a successful bidder, who wished to remain anonymous, and gave a most generous £2,345.67 for the brooch. These funds were passed on to Hands Together to be used at Tiplyang School with the expectation that the Gift Aid addition would be available in due course. We had a wonderful response from both Hands Together and Tiplyang School, including a lovely picture by Naomi Purja in Class 4 at the school, shown here. Naomi simply wrote, “Thank you so much all people who help us
from UK. Namaste.” Anne Rose from Hands Together included a lovely quote in her letter from Deu Maya, the Headmistress, “We have no words to thank you …. we know that we can’t do anything for you, only wishing your happiness and success.”
And so the saga, which began in Hanover Square London, ends in a small school, close to the Kali Gandaki river on the slopes of Dhaulagiri, with the great-grandchildren of the Gurkha soldiers that Brigadier Terence Smith DSO OBE served with during his long and distinguished career.
Duncan Briggs
Major AG Patterson, second from front, with D Company 1/6 GR during the attack on Singu in Burma for which he was awarded an MC
A NOTE ON LEADERSHIP
FIELD MARSHAL SLIM’S LETTER TO MAJOR A G PATTERSON MC
The last-minute scrum for places at the Cuttack Lunch, reminiscent of an Indian Railway station as a train arrives, means you are never quite sure who you are going to end up sitting next to. Last year I ended up sitting next to Hugh Patterson, who I had not met before, but who I knew had family connections to our Regiment. Over an excellent Oriental Club curry, he mentioned how his father, Major General A G Patterson CB DSO OBE MC, Regimental Colonel of 6 GR from 19691974, had received his MC medal ribbon – for his gallant defence of Minban Taung near Singu in January 1945 – attached to a letter from Field Marshal Slim, then General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Fourteenth Army during the invasion of Burma in 1945. It was a short note signed by a busy Army Commander, justifiably proud of his former Regiment, and the bravery shown by one of its young Officers.
Lt General Slim’s letter to Major A G Patterson with his MC ribbon attached
Rick Beven
GALLIPOLI REMEMBERED
On Saturday 24th February 2024, a Service in memory of the Officers and Men of the 1/4th, 1/5th (Frontier Force), 1/6th and 2/10th Gurkha Rifles who fell in the Gallipoli Campaign took place at St Mary Abbots Church, Kensington, 108 years after, at the same time, almost to the day and in the same Church as, the original Service in 1916. How did this come about?
I recall the moment when in November 2016 (100 years after the end of the Gallipoli Campaign), my
Anthony Vosper reading ‘The Gurkha Rifles at Gallipoli’; his grandfather was the 1/6th Medical Officer who, together with the Gurkha Major, took command of the Battalion when all British Officers had been killed or wounded.
aunt showed me several letters inherited from her mother, and in turn from her mother (my great grandmother, Margaret Crawford, née Lloyd). There was one written by General Herbert Cox, commander 29th Indian Infantry Brigade and one by Major Cecil Allanson, CO 1/6th Gurkhas at Gallipoli (during the Sari Bair and Hill 60 phase). They explained the circumstances surrounding the death of my great uncle, Lieutenant Duncan Lloyd. I learned that he was a 5th Gurkha, who briefly commanded 1/6th GR after the battle for Sari Bair. Asking if I might borrow them, I then discovered that Duncan’s brother, Captain Gwion Lloyd, who served with the 5th Dorsets (Kitchener’s New Army) also tragically died at Gallipoli (Suvla Bay), a week before Duncan. I was previously aware that they had served in the Great War but had no knowledge of where, and with whom.
Thankfully, further letters and family papers from the Lloyds of Waunifor had been kept by other family members, still in envelopes and loft boxes. I was by now hooked on a research project, at times to the detriment of my day job and the exasperation of my immediate family, to discover all I could as to their army service, and what happened at Gallipoli.
My own service in the 1st Battalion Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment (Berkshire & Wiltshire) included a most enjoyable spell in Hong Kong, Stanley Fort (1989/90). It was the single non-Gurkha infantry battalion within 48th Gurkha Infantry Brigade. So as an infantryman, and having exercised with the wonderful Gurkhas and 6 GR, I hoped I might compile these fascinating materials in a memoir, and do justice to their sacrifice.
After five years of research, I had at last something to share with our wider family. At this point, I wondered if the Gurkha Museum would be interested in a copy, and so, via Gavin Edgerley Harris I came full circle, back to the 6th Gurkha Rifles Regimental Association, and a reminder of happy times in Hong Kong.
By now the names of those 5th Gurkhas who died, amongst them Duncan’s best friends, especially Captain Gerry Turner (Adjutant 1/5th, while Ducan was Quartermaster), had become more than just names to me, and more so after a long-hoped-for Gallipoli visit with my brother. Letters from three of the bereaved mothers to Mrs Lloyd, and from Mrs Bruce, wife of Lt Colonel (at that time) Charles Bruce, a 5th Gurkha and later CO, 1/6th Gurkhas at Gallipoli, were heartbreaking. From Mrs Bruce in a letter to Mrs Lloyd on hearing of Duncan’s death, “No words can express what we feel for you, your husband and daughter. I feel quite broken down by it today – I loved him like a young brother, and my husband is quite miserable …I have not been at all well, the onset of our strain and so much sorrow over so many dear to us, from both regiments 5th and 6th suffering so” (27.08.1915).
Two research visits to the Gurkha Museum and a study of 5 and 6 GR’s Regimental Histories helped me better understand their respective contributions during the Battles for Krithia and Gurkha Bluff, the Battle for Gully Ravine, the attack on Sari Bair and at Hill 60.
I was repeatedly drawn back to a Service in Kensington in 1916, having an original Service sheet in our papers (since donated to the Gurkha Museum) and a newspaper article which described the St Mary Abbots Service, and those who attended, and of Mrs Bruce who organised the Service, to remember those she and her husband loved from both Regiments.
A seed of an idea grew in my mind, of remembering that Service all those years ago, in honour of those who fell.
To my delight, the 6 GRRA committee were enthusiastic and offered full support for an event of this kind. I booked a visit to see the Reverand Emma Dinwiddy Smith, Vicar of St Mary Abbots Parish Church. As I turned the corner off Kensington High Street, up to the Vicarage, the Church took me by surprise with its quiet splendour and beautiful interior (“a very peaceful oasis in beautiful but very
busy Kensington”) and where Alice Kipling (mother of Rudyard Kipling) married John Lockwood Kipling at the church in 1865. I explained our proposal, which she wholeheartedly endorsed, kindly offering to host and lead the Service.
Our first attempt in 2023 had to be postponed, but the church was still available for our use, on 24 February 2024 at 2 pm, one day earlier than the date of the 1916 Service. This was our chance.
A second visit in October 2023 to Mother Emma resulted in the beginnings of a structure for the Service, building on suggestions from John Anderson. From then on, myself (in liaison with the Church) and the 6 GRRA “planning committee” (Mani, David) steered by John as President 6 GRRA and later Mike Channing as Vice President worked on arrangements, an invitation list, and an assignment of active roles for a truly participative service. General Peter Pearson, President 10 GRRA and Roddy Lloyd Esq., Chairman/Secretary 4 GRRA, provided useful comments on the Order of Service (OoS), and selected their representative Regimental names for the Roll Call.
After much hard work, and several iterations of the OoS, ably assisted by the Church, we were nearly there. I felt we had something special to come, in a manner worthy of those who sacrificed their lives, and of their bereaved families.
A congregation of around 105 guests was to include – Councillor Preety Hudd, Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Mr David Hudd; The Honourable Hugo and Honourable Asma Slim; Lady Judy Birdwood; Lt General Sir Peter Duffell KCB CBE MC and Lady Annie Duffell; Mrs Pinar Tozman; Colonel David Robinson; Dame Joanna Lumley DBE; Lady Gabriella Bill; Colonel Anup Shah, Defence Attaché Embassy of Nepal; Dr Daren Bowyer and Mrs Jill Bowyer; Mrs Arabella Birdwood DL; Mr John Crowe; Major Tom Ryan (2 RGR) and visiting Lebanese Officers, Lt Colonel Georges El Hosri, Lt Colonel Johnny El Hajj & Major Bacel Tohme; Mrs Sudha Rai; Mrs Jane Channing; Mrs Felicite Vosper; Miss India Lloyd;
The Roll Call, L-R: Roddy Lloyd Esq., 1/4 GR; Lt General Peter Pearson CB, CBE, 2/10 GR, Captain Mike Channing 1/6 GR, Lt Colonel Brian O’Bree honouring 1/5 (FF) GR
Lt General Peter Pearson
Hester Huttenbach; Mr Nick Staines; 22 descendants of the Lloyds of Waunifor, and Regimental Association representatives of 4, 6 and 10 GR.
Those with an active role in the Service included Colonel Gökhan Tozman; Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE, DL FCA; Lt General Peter Pearson CB, CBE; Lt General Sir David Bill KCB; Maj General Ray Pett CB, MBE, DL; Major Mani Rai MBE, DL; Lt Colonel Brian O’Bree; Captain Begindra Limbu (2RGR); Major Anthony Vosper; Capt Mike Channing; Captain Robert Llewellyn-Smith; Roddy Lloyd Esq.; and Piper Lance Corporal Navin Magar (QOGLR). We were sad that General Sir Peter Duffell, Lady Annie Duffell, and Lady Judy Birdwood were unable to attend on the day but we held them in our thoughts.
There was only one Gurkha there with a family connection – 82-year-old Captain Birbahadur Thapa wearing his grandfather’s, father’s and his own medals, all 6th Gurkhas. His grandfather was Subedar (Gurkha Captain) Kulia Thapa who was 2IC C Company at Gallipoli but survived. It was an honour to have him present.
And so to the day itself.
L-R:
CB, CBE; Maj General Ray Pett CB, MBE, DL; Lt General Sir David Bill KCB; Lady Gabriella Bill; Mr David Hudd; Councillor Preety Hudd
Soldiers of B (Gallipoli) Coy, 2 RGR
Guests seated by 1350, before a procession of those with active roles and smart uniformed soldiers from 2 Royal Gurkha Rifles, led by the Verger and an immaculately dressed piper, LCpl Navin Magar, to the tune of Amazing Grace, along the Cloister and down the central aisle to our seats.
At 2 pm, Mother Emma opened the Service with her kind Welcome. I followed with a Background to the Service. Before I started, I looked over the congregation, for a moment transported back to 1916, to that uniquely intimate Service, picturing the sorrow of loss visible in my great-great grandparents, the strain still showing on Major
Allanson’s injured face, Charles Bruce, in discomfort, recovering from serious wounds to both legs but in pride of the achievements and conduct of his 5th and 6th Gurkhas, surviving officers from the Campaign, families of the bereaved, and the ‘old and bold’ retired distinguished officers of the Indian Army, lending their comfort and support.
I remarked, “It is especially moving that today serving and retired Officers and Men from the Brigade of Gurkhas and Gurkha Brigade Association will remember their Gallipoli predecessors alongside those who have family connections with the men that fought.” It was an opportunity to extend a
The Reverend Emma Dinwiddy Smith, Vicar, St Mary Abbots Church, Kensington
warm welcome to Colonel Gökhan Tozman, Defence Attaché of the Republic of Türkiye, and his wife, Mrs Pinar Tozman. Colonel Tozman had to seek clearance to attend, which was only confirmed one week before the event. It was also very fitting that, whilst Lady Judy Birdwood could not, in the end, be present, the Birdwood family was also represented in the congregation.
The Hymn, “Guide me, O thou Great Redeemer” settled the congregation before Anthony Vosper, also with a family connection to Gallipoli provided a summary of The Gurkhas at Gallipoli. He reminded us of the valour and devotion to duty by the Indian Army, and Anzacs, at Gallipoli, under some of the harshest conditions in the Great War, and the pivotal moment when Major Allanson’s assault almost secured the heights, the key to the Peninsula. Of Subedar Major Gambirsing Pun, who together with Anthony’s grandfather, Medical Officer Colonel Phipson (then a Captain) commanded the remnants of the Battalion after it lost all of its British Officers as battle casualties. He ended with one of the finest tributes to the Gurkhas, by Captain Ralph Lilley Turner. I was seated next to Anthony, whose grandfather knew my great-uncle at Gallipoli and who had provided information to Duncan’s parents as to Duncan’s burial.
The Hymn “Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom” was sung beautifully by the soloist, a hymn sung by a group of British troops on the Western Front at a Service held before going into the trenches the following day; and aboard one of the Titanic’s lifeboats when the rescue ship Carpathia was sighted the following morning. And we know it was sung at the Lloyd brothers’ memorial service in Wales, 1 September 1915.
The Lesson, Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 44, was read by Lord Bilimoria (whose father commanded 2/5th Royal Gurkhas during the Bangladesh Liberation War) with great impressiveness: “Their seed shall remain forever, and their glory shall not be blotted out, Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore.”
There followed a most eloquent, touching and appropriate Homily by Mother Emma, referring to the words written by Duncan to his mother, on the eve of battle: I write this under the stars by the light of a candle, the sea at my feet and an ever-watchful destroyer prowling within sight, a lovely moonlit night, a splendid country and all God’s beauty spoilt by his warring creatures
And to the words of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, “which we shall be honoured to hear read shortly by the Defence Attaché from the Turkish Embassy.”
She reminded us that, “Over the past 108 years, countries, names, borders and governments have changed, often for the better. Yet sadly, God’s creatures continue to wage war and destroy the beauty and peace which he intended. Duncan’s words and sentiments could be echoed in many places across the world tonight, Ukraine and the Holy Land among them.”
The Roll Call followed, comprising a reading of representative names from the four Gurkha Regiments, with the readers side by side, standing by the lectern awaiting their turn. Roddy Lloyd, first, with names of the Men of the 1/4th Gurkha Rifles.
Brian O’Bree next, a 6th Gurkha honouring the 5th Gurkhas (in the absence of a surviving Regimental Association) reading the names of those British Officers in keeping with the 1916 Service, whilst also remembering the many Gurkhas, of all ranks, who fell there. Mike Channing, in a similar manner, honouring the 1/6th British Officers, of all ranks, and General Peter Pearson, reading the names of Officers and Men from the 2/10th Gurkhas, selected to represent those who fell during each of the three main phases of battle.
Colonel Tozman read Atatürk’s words, which provide comfort through their expression of humanity and of reconciliation. “…You, the mothers who sent their
sons from faraway counties, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.” I thought of the pain expressed by Mrs Cummins to Mrs Lloyd, “Please God, there was someone left to lay him, my precious boy to rest. Your son and A. Hay Webb were his greatest friends and in death they were not divided. I like to feel that they are together and that they will not be so lonely”. We know that Major Allanson (a 6th Gurkha) buried Lieutenant H.J. Cummins (a 5th Gurkha), and Atatürk’s words would, I sense, have provided her further comfort.
The congregation were invited to stand for the Hymn, “God of the Living” from the 1916 Service, sung to the tune of “Eternal Father, strong to save/those in peril on the sea”, and a reflection in my mind of the 194 Gurkhas from 2/10 GR, lost at sea when their transport to Gallipoli from Egypt was torpedoed.
Captain Begindra Limbu, 2 I/C B (Gallipoli) Coy, 2 RGR
There followed the Exhortation by The Honourable Hugo Slim, whose grandfather, Field Marshal Sir William Slim, was badly wounded at Gallipoli, while serving as a young second lieutenant with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
The Lament (Sleep, Dearie, Sleep), a one-minute silence and the Kohima Epitaph, during which I recalled Field Marshal Slim, arguably Britain’s greatest military commander, and himself a 6th Gurkha when later transferring to the Indian Army, and a continuation of the generations in Hugo Slim.
During the minute’s silence I remembered Mother Emma’s words, “As we hear their names read out and thank them for their courage – in the silence, with the lament of the pipes and in the laying of wreaths – may we pledge in their name and in recognition of their sacrifice to commit ourselves to work for peace, for the healing of God’s beautiful creation, and for the compassion and brotherly love of all his creatures.”
Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Gurkha Brigade Association by Lt General Sir David Bill; 4 GR by Roddy Lloyd; 5 (FF) GR by Lord Karan Bilimoria; 6 GR by Maj General Ray Pett; 10 GR by Lt General Peter Pearson; RGR by Captain Begindra Limbu, 2I/C B (Gallipoli) Company 2 RGR, whose dress and bearing epitomised the Gurkha Officer (words by Mani Rai); and Colonel Gökhan Tozman, and in whose act we remembered the brave Turkish soldiers, then our enemies, killed and injured in the defence of their homeland, and of their family’s loss.
During wreath laying, the soloist sang most beautifully the Vesper Hymn from the 1916 Service, which brought a sense of spiritual comfort to a silent congregation, who I could sense were greatly moved. The Prayers, concluding with the Lord’s Prayer, the Hymn, “Abide With Me”, sung with great feeling, and The Blessing provided a fitting end to a most poignant and memorable Service.
As the congregation processed out, to the piped tune of Highland Cathedral, led by the Verger, the
Mayor, Generals and VIPs, I could detect a hum of appreciation. Brian O’Bree had the difficult task of managing the group photos, but most effectively marshalled people into their different groups, ably assisted by David, Mani and Captain Begindra Limbu, whose efforts have been rewarded by a wonderful photographic record of the event, with my daughter holding the honour of chief photographer. Tea refreshments back in the Church provided a muchneeded opportunity to talk through what we had just been part of, to reacquaint with old friends and family, and to make new connections and friendships.
It was the collective effort of so many that made the day the success it was. Our forebears would be very glad to know that we still hold them in honour, and in such a manner. In Mother Emma’s words, “The readings were done so beautifully, and the act of remembrance was extremely moving”.
It was my privilege to have helped organise it, through a fortuitous discovery of some very valuable family papers. My own ‘journey of remembrance’ is nearing an end, a final visit to the Lloyd family church, perched on a hill above the beautiful River Teifi, a talk to the Llandysul and District History Society, such that they might know of the brave contribution of two brothers listed on their Parish Roll of Honour, and a postscript to my family memoir, to include this incredible Service. But as we know, remembrance never ends, and I greatly look forward to continued friendship and perhaps new projects with 6 GRRA, treasuring my Associate Member status.
My grateful thanks to John Anderson and Duncan Briggs, who couldn’t be there in person but were in spirit, for their great support and encouragement; and my co-organisers, Mani, David, Mike Channing, Brian and Mike Adler; Darren and Doug at the Gurkha Museum; St Mary Abbots Church; my family; fellow Lloyd descendants; all who came to the Service and 6 GRRA.
Front seated: L-R: B (Gallipoli) Coy, 2 RGR, OC B Coy Maj Tom Ryan; Col Anup Shah Defence Attaché Embassy of Nepal; Dame Joanna Lumley DBE; Col David Robinson MBE; Col (Gp Capt) Gökhan Tozman Defence & Air Attaché Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye; Lt Col Georges El Hosri; Lt Col Johnny El Hajj; Capt Begindra Limbu 2 I/C B (Gallipoli) Coy
Rear standing: L-R: Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE, DL FCA; B (Gallipoli) Coy 2 RGR; LCpl Navin Magar 10 QOGLR; Maj Bacel Tohme; B (Gallipoli) Coy, 2 RGR
10 GRRA attendees: L-R: Colonel Rupert Litherland; Lt General Peter Pearson CB, CBE; Captain James Dean
Those with family connections to the men who fought at Gallipoli
MAHARAJAS, EMPERORS, VICEROYS, BORDERS
Nepal’s relations north and south
Sam Cowan, Fine Print Publishers
Aglance at the shelves of any bookshop will reveal acres of books about Gurkhas, those hardy warriors from Nepal who have soldiered for Britain for over 200 years. The books will be full of derring-do, battles, campaigns and Victoria Crosses, but there will be very little about how the British/Gurkha relationship came about. It is perhaps unsurprising that the story of the Anglo-Nepal War of 1814 – 1816 has escaped the notice of the British public then and now, for when it started Wellington was chasing Marshal Soult over the Pyrenees and when it ended most Englishmen were far more interested in the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo, a mere couple of hours across the Channel, than what might be going on at the other end of the world. Up to now only Stiller’s The Rise of the House of Gorkha published in Kathmandu in 1973, and Pemble’s The Invasion of Nepal: John Company at War, published by the OUP in 1971, have covered the war in any detail, and while a primary source Papers Respecting the Napaul War was published in two volumes by order of the Court of Proprietors of East India Stock in 1824, the print run was small and the volumes are not easy to come by.
Now all that has changed, for in Sam Cowan’s latest book he reveals much about the war that was hitherto unknown. It would be unjust to compare Sam Cowan with a terrier, for he is far from being short and yappy, but in the way in which he cuts through obfuscation and propaganda to get at the truth he is unrelenting. It is unlikely that even the most assiduous student of the history of Nepal – where Gurkhas are of course a minority – would be aware of the machinations of the Nepal Durbar to inveigle the support of the Chinese Empire to overturn the results of the war (the transfer of
the conquered territory of Kumaon to the Company). Nor would they be aware of the relevance of the Treaty of Segauli, which ended the war, to the present-day bitter border dispute between India and Nepal over who owns a large area of land, known as Limpiyadhura, to the west of Lipu Lekh. Cowan produces incontrovertible evidence that it is Indian. This scholarly but immensely readable book (and the two are not always synonymous) deals not only with the Anglo-Nepal War. We learn of the difficulties in persuading the hereditary prime ministers to allow recruiting to take place inside Nepal, of the hilarious attempts by Sir Kaiser Shumshere Jung Bahadur Rana, appointed a knight of the most excellent Order
of the British Empire (KBE), to persuade Garrards of London to make him an extra-large star of the order to wear on his left breast, as he thought the regulation one was not sufficiently impressive – a request soon quashed by the chancellery of the order. We learn of tea parties and discussions with the rulers of Tibet, of the attempts to provide Nepal with a modern democratic constitution and about King Mahendra’s coup in 1960. Being a true friend of Nepal, as Cowan is, does not mean unconditional support for all that happens there, and there will be those in power in Nepal who will not like some of Cowan’s conclusions, but the arguments that he makes, particularly in regard to the current border dispute, are unarguable, supported as they are by hard evidence.
Sam Cowan probably knows more about Nepal, its history, its terrain, its people and its politics than anyone in the UK now alive. His interest and love for the people of Nepal was sparked by his first posting as a young officer of Gurkha Signals (later Queen’s Gurkha Signals) and in his outstanding military progress from second lieutenant to full general he
never lost his empathy with all things Nepali. As Colonel Commandant of the Brigade of Gurkhas, it fell to him to transform the Brigade from an imperial gendarmerie to an essential element of the modern British army, and this reviewer well recalls when General Cowan would sit down on a grass bank on some remote British training area and regale, in Nepali, a group of young Gurkha recruits about what he had found in his latest trek in the hills of their homeland. Well illustrated and with all relevant maps, this valuable contribution to the geopolitical history of Nepal should be compulsory reading for every British officer in Gurkha units, and for anyone interested in the history of this fascinating mountain nation.
Gordon Corrigan
Available from Amazon at £15.99 (paperback) or from bookstores in Kathmandu at NCR 990 (hardback). A Kindle version is on offer at £8.07. The author has gifted a limited number of signed hardback copies to the Gurkha Museum. The cost is £20 with every penny going to the Museum appeal.
THE FROZEN RIVER SEEKING SILENCE IN THE HIMALAYA
James Crowden, William Collins
During the monsoon of 1979, my father chose to spend his long leave in Kashmir rather than in Norfolk or Scotland where we would normally holiday. The tea company he worked for – McLeod Russel – had taken a houseboat in Srinagar for the use of its employees, although sadly it was berthed on the Jhelum River, rather than the more exciting and picturesque Dal Lake. For a couple of months, this floating wooden caravan became our home, except for occasional forays into remote parts of Kashmir to go fly fishing for trout: the real reason we had come all this way. My younger brother and I soon tired of Srinagar and its mercenary shop wallahs. I
was 16, my brother 14. I am not sure how I found out about Ladakh, or that there was a bus service from Srinagar to the Ladakhi capital of Leh, altitude 3500 metres and 434 kilometres away. Looking back, I am surprised that our parents allowed us to make the journey and spend a week in Leh. I am glad they did; it was my first real exploration and what a place to start: Ladakh, an ancient Himalayan kingdom on the modern-day Pakistan-Indian frontline, had only officially opened to tourists the year before we went.
James Crowden, a former Royal Engineer Officer, explorer and mountaineer, somehow managed to over-winter in the Zangskar kingdom of Ladakh
in 1976. The Frozen River, published in 2020, is his account of spending six months cut off by snow and ice living among the Zangskaris in this frigid world. He was only 22 and had already managed to pack a lot into his life, including an epic walk in Badakhshan and Nuristan whilst he was still serving, and a previous visit to Zangskar to climb an unnamed peak he calls ‘Blue Poppy Mountain.’ I think anyone whose resignation letter to the Chief Royal Engineer states ‘studying early Tibetan Buddhist wall paintings might be more useful than bridging on the Rhine …’ deserves a read.
Crowden travelled to Zangskar along some of the same torturous roads my brother and I travelled on the bus from Srinagar to Leh. We overnighted in Kargil, where a large black rat scurried across the restaurant floor in the government lodge we were staying in and totally spoilt our already mediocre supper. At Kargil, Crowden had turned south down the Suru Valley to the road-head at Panikar. Here he hired ponies and guides to take him to Zangskar; it was already November with the possibility of the route in being closed but he made it.
He spent the winter in the Zangskar village of Padum, living with the Zangskaris, who clearly took to him. Outside temperatures could fall to -30oC at night. The villagers spent most of the winter indoors living above their animals - who provided the central heating - and only coming out during the day when the sun shone; once it snowed solidly for ten days. The Zangskaris are yak herders and subsistence farmers. The Frozen River describes their peasant, Buddhist and Bon culture; many Zangskari villages also have ancient monasteries inhabited by monks and nuns. The villagers were very hospitable and invited Crowden into their homes to eat, drink and make merry; huge quantities of chang – Tibetan beer made from barley – were drunk.
During the winter, Crowden completes the chadar from Padum to Leh, walking down the frozen Zangskar river to the Indus. It was a dangerous, week-long trek accompanying local men carrying yak butter to sell in Leh. The thickness of the ice was
unpredictable, to fall in the river would be fatal, at times there was no ice at all, and the porters had to contour along narrow ledges above the river. At night they lived in caves that had been used by local butter traders for millennia. Unlike the locals he could not sleep on his knees to retain body heat.
In Leh, the Zangskaris sold their yellow yak butter – used to brew Tibetan tea – and purchased tea, onions, soap, ghee, mustard oil and rum for the journey home: the last XXX rum labelled ‘For Defence Services only.’ Since partition in 1947 Ladakh has been on two active front lines: with Pakistan and China, the reason for the long snaking road from Srinagar to Leh. Leh is also the headquarters and logistic base for the tens of thousands of Indian Army soldiers who defend India’s northern borders.
Returning to Zangskar, this time walking up the river, Crowden spends a month living in the large monastery at Karsha and is the first Westerner to
attend the Buddhist festivals of Gustor and Monlam, similar in colour, dance and meaning to the Mani Rimdu festivals in Solu Khumbu. Although he does not claim to be a practicing Buddhist, Crowden is clearly fascinated by Buddhism. He writes with scholarly knowledge about the religion, its great lamas and its long history in Ladakh and Tibet. In addition, his travels and time with the Zangskari people imbue him with a very Buddhist outlook on life that influences his travels. At times it feels like one is reading a travelogue by the great Japanese poet Matsuo Bashô.
Crowden’s hardest ‘test’ is saved until the end. He had carried two sets of cross-country skis into Zangskar with the intention of skiing back to the roadhead at Panikar over the Pense La pass, 4400 metres, at the end of winter. He estimates that it will take him five days and he plans to sleep in snow holes and a cave just below the pass. It proves to almost be a journey too far. At first all goes well: he overnights with a Zangskari family in the hamlet of Abrang but in the morning they wake up to find that wolves have got into their animal pen and killed several of their goats and sheep. Despite this inauspicious occurrence, Crowden sets off for the Pense La pass following the trail of the wolves; on the way, he mislays the last of his rations. He continues but snow conditions hamper him, and he only just makes it in time. He writes elsewhere that as the sun goes down in Zangskar the temperature plummets by 1oC each minute (20oC to -20oC in 40 minutes being the rule of thumb). Crowden spends the night in his sleeping bag on a bed of ice in the cave; he estimates it is -20oC.
In the morning, he sets off for the top of the pass on what is to be the greatest test of his life; at times it
felt as if I was reading a Jack London tale from the Canadian Arctic. He is late to get to the top of the pass and the snow has warmed. ‘Beware Avalanches’ his Uncle Kenny – a Himalayan veteran - had warned him. Skiing down the far side of the Pense La, a sixth sense tells him to avoid a slope of virgin powder and take a more difficult route down the mountain. Two minutes later there is a huge avalanche just where he would have been. However, he still has a long way to go before reaching the next village. He has now been without food for two days, it is evening, the temperature is plummeting, and he is skiing along a river valley dodging a crossfire of small avalanches. He makes it to the village of Tashi Tanze after darkness has fallen, guided by a solitary candle in a window. Without that candle, he would not have made it. He lets himself in downstairs where the animals are kept. Eventually, a young boy finds him and takes him into the house.
The Frozen River is a lifetime’s reflection on the journeys of one man’s youth. A period of forty years has passed since his sojourn in Zangskar. Just after he arrived in the kingdom, he witnessed the first vehicles ever to reach the village of Padum, police Jeeps from Leh that had driven there along the Zangskar River. Visiting Padum again in 2018 he witnessed the first tarmac being laid in the village. In forty years the Himalaya have witnessed breakneck change; roads have been at the forefront of this. Crowden warns of another more insidious change: global warming has already greatly diminished Zangskar’s many glaciers, made the chadar even more dangerous, and forced some villages to relocate within this arid region. It is a sobering conclusion to what is probably my book of the year.
The President, The Chairman, Regimental Secretary, O’Bree, Davies, Edgerley-Harris, Gary Ghale, Richardson-Aitken, Groves, Hitchcock, Mani Rai, Beven, Biru Thapa, Channing, P Lewis, Ruffell, ‘Bugs’ Thapa, Neville-Davies, Lord, Mrs Louise Anderson, Mrs Doris Neville-Davies.
1. Welcome and opening address by the Chairman
a. The Chairman proffered a very warm welcome to those gathered, thanked them for attending and for their valued support.
b. He explained the meeting had plenty to cover, and needed to move on quickly, but said anyone could interrupt if there was anything that they wished to say. The President, John Anderson, also added his welcome to that of the Chairman.
c. The Chairman then gave a brief outline of Association activities, showing that it had been a busy and full year. Each was accompanied by slides depicting the event:
(1) 12–13 January 23 – 6 GR Shoot and Dinner night at Nick Fothergill’s Stanford Hall.
(2) 14 January 23 – Jon Titley’s Funeral.
(3) 18 March 23 – Dedication of the Regimental Memorial in Pokhara (see Item 10 below).
(4) 26 June 23 – 2 RGR Gallipoli ceremony in Shornecliffe attended by Brian O’Bree and Gordon Corrigan.
(5) 8 July 23 – GBA Bhela, Aldershot, where there was a good gathering at our Association tent.
(6) 8 August 23 – Gallipoli Dardanelles International, Service of Remembrance in Kings Lynn, where the Regimental Secretary represented the Association.
(7) 16 September 23 – 6 GR All Ranks Bhela, Farnborough, where all but the British Officers were well represented.
(8) 9 November 23 – GBA events (Field of Remembrance, Slim and Gurkha Statue ceremonies, GBA AGM, GBA Dinner night), London. Viscount Mark Slim laid the 6 GR wreath at his grandfather’s statue and we had the largest representation of the Regimental Associations at the Dinner
(9) 11 November 23 – GBA Remembrance Service at the Chautara in the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire where the President and Regimental Secretary represented the Association
(10) 12 November 23 – GBA/RBL Remembrance Sunday Parade at the Cenotaph, London where the GBA was the lead contingent and had a grandstand view of the ceremony.
(11) 23 November 23 – the Regimental Secretary and James Herbert to represent the Association at the Gurkha Recruits‘ Passing out Parade in Catterick – a very welcome and positive step by the serving units recognising their history in the antecedent regiments.
2. In memorium – Jaus and Aus
a. Jaus: The Chairman asked all those present to be upstanding for our one minute silence as we remember those members and family of members no longer with us (See Annex A).
b. Aus: On a happier note, we have also had a number of new Members since our last AGM and these are also shown at Annex A.
3. Apologies for Absence
Those who sent apologies are listed below: Pettigrew, Corrigan, Vosper, Rowbottom, Corbett, Bullock, Shoesmith, Cotton, Hornel, Buckeridge, Lewis, Cheshire, Bourne.
4. Last Minutes dated
19 Nov 22 and
Matters Arising
(not covered under Agenda Items below)
The Chairman reminded the meeting that these minutes had been published (less Annexes) in the last Journal pages (161 to 166) which has been sent to all Members. There were no matters raised and all agreed it was a true record of the proceedings: Proposed by – Captain Gary Ghale Seconded by – Major Mankumar Rai The Chairman duly signed the Minutes of 19 November 22.
5. Financial Report
This now includes the Trust Financials to give a better holistic summary of our finances.
Accounts as Audited: The highlights of the Regimental Trust Combined Accounts as Audited at 30/9/23 (Year end) are shown at Annex B. A summary of the net worth is shown below:
Table A
Trustees Expenses incl a grant of £50,000 to the Gurkha Museum as part of their fundraising
Budget for the Year 2023/24: full details are also shown at Annex B. A summary of the estimated expenditure and income is shown below:
Table B
6. Journal Report
a. The Chairman asked that sincere thanks to Rick Beven and Anne Griffith be recorded for producing another outstanding Journal (No 103). The Family news was better than ever, thanks to Anne and those who contributed. This was Rick’s last journal and the Chairman suggested it was the best ever and wished that it be recorded that we all owe a huge debt of gratitude for his outstanding efforts over the last eight years. Our thanks too to David Hitchcock for taking on the role of the Journal Editor.
b. The new Editor reminded everyone that next year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Amalgamation of 6 GR and 2 GR creating 1 RGR. In this context theme of the next Journal would be focusing on the children of previously serving 6 GR members and what ex-members of 6 GR had achieved during the last 30 years. Much of this would involve the Families of ex-6 GR members.
7. Website Report
The Regimental Secretary, who now manages the Website through a paid professional, reminded the meeting that there were two distinct areas to be accessed:
a. The “Public area” (accessible to members of the public) which contained historical details including the ‘history film’, current items of interest as well as ‘redacted’ copies of the Journal in electronic format.
b. The Members Area, which is accessed from the Public area using login details, contains a Notice Board, including a forecast of events, merchandise that can be purchased, future policy discussions as well as the Members’ Directory.
He went on to comment that very few members actually referred to the Website and even less to the Members area. This was possibly because of a lack of technical expertise and difficulties with passwords. Nevertheless, it would be maintained for the foreseeable future, but its shape and content would be included in discussions on the future of the Association.
8. The Membership of the Association
a. The membership over the last three years was displayed on a slide as shown below:
b. As can be seen the number of members of all types is in decline. The Regimental Secretary also pointed out the difficulty of maintaining contact with members who were not using email, which meant that the only news and information they received was through the Journal. Approximately 40 members were in this category.
c. The Regimental Secretary was in the process of revisiting those who had not paid subscriptions and this would inevitably lead to some being “Lapsed.”
9. Election and Re-election of Officers of the Committee
The Chairman referred to the slide (see below). There were no volunteers to take over from him as Chairman in 2024 and therefore the post would become vacant from the AGM on 16 November 2024. There was one volunteer to take over as Regimental Secretary at the AGM in November 2025. David Hitchcock and Anne Griffith had agreed to continue to Edit and run the production of the Journal for a further five years. Post
President John Anderson Since 2002! ?
Vice President Vacant
Chairman Duncan Briggs 5 years November 24
Regimental Secretary David Bredin 5 years November 25
Journal Editor David Hitchcock 5 years November 28
Families Editor Anne Griffiths 5 years November 28
Non-Portfolio Officers
James Herbert Agreed to continue
Gary Ghale Agreed to continue
Khusiman Gurung Agreed to continue
Rick Bevan Agreed to continue
Afternote: Mike Channing was elected as Vice President in December 2023
10. The 6 GR Memorial Project
a. On behalf of the Association the Chairman congratulated Mike Channing, the Chairman of the Project, and his team for completing a massive and incredibly successful project. It has required a monumental amount of work, was not without frustrations and setbacks but with the most amazing result. A huge ‘thank you’ to Mike and all his team both in the UK and Nepal.
b. The Project Chairman gave a brief update to the meeting: the Memorial had been successfully dedicated on 18 March 2023, but there were still a number peripheral items to completed including presenting a leather bound copy of the “Story” to His Majesty the King. A full report is shown at Annex C.
11. The Archive Project
a. The Chairman of the Archive Project, Brian O’Bree, gave a resume on how this was progressing, but emphasised that much was dependent on the Gurkha Museum in Winchester, currently undergoing a major refurbishment, which will be the final repository for the data collected in the project. A full report is at Annex D.
b. The Chairman emphasised that this is a project for all of us to get involved with: we need to spread the load and asked for offers of help in areas where people might have an interest. In particular:
(1) A ‘History’ of the Regiment from 1982 (where Volume 3, The Steadfast Gurkha, finishes) to 1994, when the Regiment was absorbed into the Royal Gurkha Rifles.
(2) A list or Roll of Officers from 1982 – 1994.
12. Future of the Association
a. The Chairman stated that he hoped everyone had seen the proposals from the Association Committee, at Annex E, sent out last Thursday (16 November 23) as well as the Notes from the meeting on 10 November 23 (Annex F) posted on the Website. He said he would not read out the notice sent out, but would like to highlight a few points and then ask the President to say a few words and finally take any questions or points of view. The Chairman made four points:
(1) Firstly, the change is forced on us by a lack of Full members being prepared to take on roles as Officers of the Association. Earlier this year he wrote personally to 27 younger officers with an almost complete negative response. We are not the only ones: 2 GR and 10 GR are in a similar position, although 7 GR still have plenty of volunteers and will soldier on.
(2) Second point is that the Gurkha Brigade Association (GBA) have been very active in preparation for the antecedent Regimental Associations winding down and have put in place a number of initiatives which will help us considerably. Colonel David Hayes, Chairman of GBA, is a guest today and if you get the chance
you might thank him for his efforts on our behalf as well as our own Mani Kumar Rai, who currently serves as the GBA Secretary.
(3) Third point is that, notwithstanding the proposals from your Committee, there is still a lot to resolve, particularly in the area of finance and accounts, but hopefully these will be sorted out with the help of the Regimental Trust Trustees over the coming months.
(4) The final point is that the Regimental Secretary, after the change to be called the “6 GR Secretary,” will be handling all of the non-GBA admin. We need to keep his load as light as possible to make it an enjoyable and fulfilling task.
b. The President confirmed that the Chairman had included all the relevant points, but reminded everyone that this discussion had been going on since 2018 and that all the discussion papers pertaining to this issue had been posted on the website, the most relevant two papers are attached at Annex E and F. He thanked all those who had been involved in the process.
c. The Chairman then opened the debate to the floor:
(1) Brian O’Bree confirmed what the Regimental Secretary had said at para 7 that the website was not used and therefore not useful as a method of communication. The ‘live’ GBA website would be more useful and may encourage more to use this medium.
(2) Paddy Lewis said that the matters to be dealt with by the ‘volunteer’ (6 GR Secretary) needed to be kept separate from that of the GBA events – it was confirmed that this would be the case.
(3) Mani Rai confirmed that matters pertaining to the website were being investigated by Mick Latter (the Brigade Comms Offer) in which it was planned that each Infantry Regimental Association would have an area on the GBA website for GBA Events and Association Events which could be booked and paid for on-line. He further explained that he was to discuss with the GBA Finance team as to how a 6 GR sub account could be run within the GBA account; a meeting
was due to take place to discuss this 4/12/23.
d. The Chairman then asked those present for a ‘show of hands’ in support of the proposal. The meeting unanimously agreed the proposal as discussed.
13. Forecast of Events
The Regimental Secretary displayed a slide with the Forecast of Event for 2023/24 which is also shown at Annex G.
(After Note: The date for the next Committee Meeting and the Spring Cuttack Lunch was later confirmed as Friday 3 May 2024).
14. Merchandise
The Regimental Secretary gave a resume of what is available that can be purchased from him. Slides showing these items were displayed. A full list of items available for Members is shown at Annex H.
15. Regimental Association Ladies Brooch
The Chairman reminded the meeting of the project he initiated for the ladies; the men had an Association tie, but the ladies had no equivalent. Those who had ordered a brooch had by now received them and been extremely happy with them. The brooch is made by the Sunar in Aldershot, is made of Silver but not hallmarked. There is one more available from the Regimental Secretary at a cost of £65.00. A photo of the Brooch is at Annex J.
16. The Smith Family Brooch – Auction
The Chairman announced that the auction of the Smith Family Brooch had been successfully concluded, raising over £2,500.00 from a member of the Association who wished to remain anonymous. This brooch was passed to Brigadier Smith’s daughter Joanna, one of our former members, and in her will was passed to Vivienne Smyth, the wife of Patrick Smyth, Joanna’s cousin and executor. Vivienne asked the Association to auction the brooch on her behalf as she intended to donate the money to Tiplyang school via ‘Hands Together Tiplyang Project,’ a Charity supported by the Regimental Trust. The monies have been received by the 6 GR Trust which will enable ‘Gift Aid’ to be claimed, allowing
additional funds to go to this worthy cause and at the same time keeping this valuable item within the Regimental Family.
It was opportune that both the Director of “Hands Together” and Vivienne and Patrick Smyth were guests at lunch, where the success of the Auction was announced.
17. Any Other Business
Four items of AOB were tabled:
a. Ba’kelalan Memorial. A project to erect a memorial to those who served in the Ba’kelalan area during Confrontation 1963 – 65 was started earlier this year. This project was led by Bruce Jackman 2 GR. Ba’kelalan was an important strategic centre both at the end of World War 2 and during Confrontation, being close to the border between Sarawak and Kalimantan. During Confrontation there was a permanent Gurkha Base there. The Memorial will be a stone wall with the Regimental Shields indicating dates of service. The 6 GR plaque in stainless steel is shown at Annex K.
b. The Cuttack Lunch Club. The Regimental Secretary explained there was a need to revisit the ‘membership’ of the Club and briefly outlined the origins and purpose. Further details will be sent out in the New Year.
c. Medals of Brigadier Terence Smith DSO OBE
Jeremy Brade had managed to buy this important set of medals; the museum not wishing to get involved. The medals were displayed during lunch by kind permission of Jeremy Brade.
d. Abbreviation of ‘6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles.’ There has been a certain amount of misunderstanding of the correct abbreviation of our regiment’s shortened title. ‘JSP 101, Abbreviations, Encode List Part 1 – Regiments and Corps of the British Army’ shows that the correct abbreviation for our Regiment is “6 GR”; that is to say it has a gap between the ‘6’ and the ‘GR’. Our thanks to Jeremy Brade for bringing this to our attention.
e. Gerald Davies asked why second and third generations of ex-serving members could not join the Association? The Chairman responded that there was no reason why they could not and they would be most welcome. The Chairman also reminded the meeting that our Association has been an “All Ranks” Association following a request from the GBA in 2006. The Rules are quite clear about this. Gerald, Khusiman and Gary were asked to ensure that their contacts were aware of this.
Afternote: Two children of former Gurkha Officers of the Regiment have indicated that they would like to be considered for Associate membership: Ishor Pradhan is the son of Major Jitbahadur Pradhan, and a much respected medical doctor in his own right. Renu (Gurung), his wife is the daughter of Major Uttamsing Gurung, and a highly successful artist in the UK.
18. Date and Venue of next AGM
a. The next AGM, which will coincide with the Annual Service in Winchester Cathedral and the Annual Reunion at the Gurkha Museum, will be on Saturday 16 November 2024 at the Gurkha Museum.
b. There being no further business the meeting closed at 11:20hrs
Annexes are not shown in the Journal but copies can be obtained from the Regimental Secretary 6 GRRA.
6 GRRA REGIMENTAL TRUST COMBINED ACCOUNTS
As at September 2023 (year-end)
From Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge by John Mackinlay
military
The last
photograph of Her Majesty the Queen, with the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, Windsor, 17 June 2022
