Himalaya - Issuu

from Himalaya to Hampshire

by Jeremy Stewardson

Gurkha veterans and their families tell their stories to Hampshire

Himalaya to Hampshire

Gurkha veterans and their families tell their stories

Photographs from

Gopi Gurung Tej Thakali Purna Gurung Harka Khan Jeremy Stewardson

Edited by Jeremy Stewardson

Thanks are also due to Kranti Ale, Amanda Lee and Kamal Bahadur Purja for their assistance in facilitating this project.

Prior to 2006, only Gurkha veterans who retired after 1997 were entitled to residence in the UK, primarily because the regiment was based in Hong Kong prior to that date. Following a high profile campaign spearheaded by actress Joanna Lumley, the rights were extended to older Gurkha soldiers. As a result a large number have in recent years migrated to the UK and, because of its association with the military, many have moved with their dependants to the towns of Aldershot and Farnborough in Hampshire.

Estimates vary but have been put at around 9,000 out of an existing population in the area of 90,000. Though there is little evidence of racial tension and the Gurkhas are well respected for their military reputation, there is little interaction between the older Nepalese and the local population, principally because of language issues. The women in particular have little experience of British civilian culture and have never needed to learn English. Some of the retired soldiers have reportedly been misled as to what they can expect to receive in terms of pension, housing and benefits on arrival in the UK. This situation is not universal however and the individuals I have worked with are perhaps more typical of the older Nepalese people residing in the area.

This book is designed to permit some of the older Gurkhas who have settled in the area in recent years to tell, in words and pictures, something of themselves as individuals and lift the veil of the mysterious ‘Other’. The images are from their own family archives, have been taken by themselves, their family and friends or by myself.

Jeremy Stewardson May, 2011

Gopi Gurung’s Story

I am GOPI GURUNG, wife of PREM BARADHUR GURUNG (retired Gurkha veteran), 2/2nd Gurkha Rifl es, under the Brigade of Gurkhas. My home village is SINJUNG which is situated approximately 300 kms west of Kathmandu. I was born in my home village as mentioned above in 1947.

During my childhood I used to support my parents in farming the terraced lands for rice, maize, millet and vegetables. There was no school near my village. Due to infrastructure, transportation and security problems, my parents did not send me to schools, which were all in distant places.

When I was 18 years old I married Mr Prem Gurung of the village SIRANCHOK, THALAJUNG, ARUBOT, then a serving soldier in the 2/2nd Gurkha Rifl es.

After marriage, according to the Gurung custom and tradition, except for visits and meetings with parents during important occasions like Buddha Jeyandi, Lhosar and Dasheor, I had to be separated from my parents and live with the family of my husband permanently.

Then onwards I began to shoulder all sorts of responsibilities including giving full support to my husband when he was away on combat duties in foreign countries, by playing the role of a good housewife in running the affairs of his home smoothly to his entire satisfaction.

In 1965 my husband took me with him to his unit stationed in Malaya (now Malaysia) where I got the opportunity to see, learn and understand a great deal about the military life.

During my husband’s long leave periods to Nepal, which he was entitled to once every three years, we were able to visit and meet our families and friends.

Otherwise, most of the time until my husband retired from army service, I spent my time with him in the unit Married Lines.

During this period I got some more opportunities to travel to and see a number of places in the Far East, including Singapore, Borneo and Hong Kong.

My husband retired in 1975 after 21 year’s service with the rank of captain and we returned to our village to enjoy a peaceful retirement. We have four children, two boys who still live in Nepal and two daughters, Rita and Durga, who are both married and living in Farnborough.

My husband suffers from several chronic illnesses, including diabetes and hypertension, and is in need of good quality health care that we could not obtain at home. This was the main reason why we decided to move to the UK.

Another major reason for coming was that my husband had contributed 21 years of distinguished service to the Crown, but had never seen the country he was serving during all that time. We were therefore very keen to see the United Kingdom.

Farnborough was the logical location for us to settle as, not only did my two daughters and several other acquaintances live there, but we had learned that the local population was very friendly and helpful to former Gurkha soldiers.

Some of my friends and family

Visiting my Granddaughter

Funeral of Rifleman Suraj Gurung- killed in Afghanistan, October 2010

Remembrance Day Parade in Farnborough, November 2010

Waiting for the bus - December 2010

When I first arrived in this country, the major issue affecting me was the cold climate – so different from that in Nepal and the tropical locations where we had been based. Even now I still find the cold hard to cope with.

A second problem was that I spoke no English whatsoever, never having had the need to learn the language. This obviously gives me problems in communicating with English people. I am trying to improve my language skills at the classes organised by the local council for we older Gurkhas, but I am still finding it difficult.

Tej Thakali’s Story

On parade in Hong Kong, 1979

My name is Tej Bahadur Thakali. I was borne in the village of Syang-Dhukche in the isolated Mustang region of Nepal. Being high in the Himalayas, the region is often cut off from the rest of the country during the winter.

In 1966 I was recruited into the British Army and spent most of my military career in the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers. I was primarily based in Hong Kong where I became a training instructor for the Engineers. Once I was promoted to the rank of corporal, my wife was allowed to stay with me for up to three years, but at the end of that period would have to return home. As we did not want to be separated again and as, by 1982, I had completed over 15 years service, I decided to opt for retirement.

With the engineering and training skills I had acquired in the army I was offered several jobs in the Middle East, but stuck to my decision to remain in Nepal.

Photographs of my village in Mustang

In Nepal I wanted to put the skills I had acquired in the army to use in improving conditions for my people. I worked for various social and technical agencies supervising and coordinating rural development projects such as installing water supplies to remote villages. In 1998 I became Social Section Head for the Gurkha Welfare Scheme to provide rural water and sanitation facilities. During this period we had started a family and I was becoming concerned about providing my children with a decent education.

Although my colleagues in Gurkha welfare urged me to stay, as they did not want to lose my skills, I had to put my growing family first and after an initial visit in 2006 eventually moved to the UK with my dependent family members in 2008.

My sister, daughter and wife - 1982

When I first arrived I did find it difficult to work through the system in order to find good schools for my children and for them to adapt to the English education system. I worried a lot about this.

There was (and still is) a problem in finding jobs in the Aldershot area, but I guess that is the same for everyone.

An ongoing problem is that, with a wife and four teenage children, we really need a four bedroom house to rent. As it is, one of my daughters has to stay at a friend‘s house as we currently only have three small bedrooms. What I like best about the UK is its regulated and systematised processes of law, and regulation - a luxury compared to what happens in Nepal. In Nepal I would need to take cash to the vehicle licensing authorities. Here I can do it all online.

Naturally moving far from home means I don’t get to see my other son who still lives there, my eldest daughter who lives in Hong Kong, or my mother who is now 87 and not in the best of health.

I hope to visit her later this year – but np doubt this will be for the last time.

Sometimes I wish I’d moved here three years earlier. Then my eldest would have had a better chance of adapting to the English schooling system,

My father in uniform during his service in the 1950’s

Keeping up the family tradition (my father was also a Gurkha soldier) I joined the Royal Gurkha Rifles, part of the British Army in 1968 at the age of 18.

During my service I was based at various locations in the Far East, but latterly at Church Crookham in the United Kingdom and also in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong 1980

Training exercise at Church Crookham in 1977

Health Auxiliary Team - Besisashar Lamjung District, 1986

After completing 15 years active service, I retired from the regiment in 1983.

I then trained as an auxiliary health worker, supported by an overseas development programme, and worked in several health posts in remote areas of Nepal.

I then decided to use my training to help the welfare of people of my own district and became involved in social services locally. Starting as an advisor in the local school, I eventually became chairman of the village development committee.

During that time I was involved in other social service activities and was nominated as a member of the District Development Committee (DDC) for Tanahun where my village is located.

In recent years the political situation has become more fraught with the incorporation of former Maoist guerillas into the system both nationally and locally. As a result of disputes between the DDC and UCPN-Maoist and CPN-UML elements I decided that it would be safer to move away from the district.

With the change in rules which have now allowed Gurkha retirees before 1997 to settle in the UK, we decided to move to this country.

Security Guard (car search) training in Reading. Although I’ve not taken up work, I’ do at least have the necessary certification.

One of my favourite occupations is walking in the countryside. I’m particularly fond of the Basindstoke canal. I took these pictures last October.

...unfortunately there aren’t many parks close to my house.

Although we have relatives living locally in Farnborough and my daughter lives in London and visits regularly, I do miss my sons (pictured above eleven years ago) who still live in Nepal.

When we first arrived in the UK about a year ago, we had quite a lot of difficulty in adjusting to the food, the water and the climate. Initially we suffered from frequent gastric problems as well as colds and chest infections.

In Nepal it is possible to buy antibiotics over the counter, but in the UK it is necessary to get a doctor’s prescription. We found it difficult to organise this because of the language barrier.

I do still find it difficult to access medical and dental services.

I took this picture of the Funeral of Lachhiman Gurung VC which I attended in December 2010. He was also a leading campaigner for equal settlement and pension rights for former Gurkha soldiers.

My name is Harka Bahadur Khan, I am 65 years old and come from the village of Khilung Deurali which lies to the south of Pokhara in western Nepal.

Due to the poor state of my familly’s finances I volunteered for, and was successful in joining the Brigade of Gurkhas in 1961. I was based in many places throughout the Far East (SIngapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong) during my service, which was principally in the Queen’s Gurkha Signals. where I worked as a driver.

In 1971 I was selected for Driver B1 Training in the UK but at the last moment my commanding officer changed his mind and sent another person. I felt very upset with this behaviour and as a result of my frustration I decided to resign. In hindsight this wasn’t the besr decision as I had served 9 years and 8 months, and 10 years service is required to qualify for a pension. But as a young man I wasn’t thinking about a pension.

After leaving the army I returned to NepaI where I worked for my village development committee for 5 years acting as deputy chairman.

I also looked at overseas opportunities for employment and, in view of the significant sums being paid, went to work in Saudi Arabia where I spent the next six years working in a variety of civilian jobs.

As I grew older I became more concerned about my lack of an army pension and was therefore very interested when we older Gurkhas were granted rights to enter the UK a few years ago.

When the right to enter the country was extended to those of us retiring before 1997, I decided to move to the United Kingdom and came here 18 months ago. My main motivation was to try and obtain an army service pension equivalent to that of other commonwealth soldiers. Sadly that has not come to pass, but at least I am entitled to housing benefit and pension credit, neither of which is available in Nepal.

The main problems I found on moving to the UK all stemmed from my inability to speak more than a few words of English. Without some fluency it is very difficult to go shopping, find directions to places or express my opinions and point of view.

This continues to be a problem in critical areas such as opening a bank account, registering with a GP and explaining my symptoms when I do get to see the doctor.

I am attending weekly language lessons at Farnborough Technical College, but it is rsther difficult, at my age, to pick up new skills.

However, liviing in Aldershot means there is sizeable Nepalese community and I can attend traditional festivals such as Tihar (Diwali), and meet with people in the local shops.