I believe that the gurkhas were mainly made up of Nepalese and Indians. But they were very fearsome fighters and are known for their bommerang looking knives. I believe they are still apart of the British military today. Does any one know much about them?
Yess they fought with the British in WW2, and I think they fought in El Alamein.
Yes the Gurkhas are still part of the British army and their knives are called Kukris. They are apparently very good fighters and I believe that at least one has won a V.C.
I think this pic is from Iraq…i would not wont this crazy bastard running at me.
Here is the knife they use. :shock:
http://www.army.mod.uk/brigade_of_gurkhas/history/
This is the only the early history of the Gurkhas, there are links from this site, to other sites detailing the rest of History of the Gurkhas.
Legend has it that once drawn the Kukri has to draw blood, this is before it can be resheaved, even if it is only for sharpening the blade.
Over the years the Gurkha Regiments have won many V.C’s
There was a documentary on TV about the Gurkhas a couple of years ago, the Nepalese consider it a very great honour to be accepted for the Gurkha Regiments, and adults have been known to cry because they weren’t accepted for training as a Gurkha.
Gurkha Physcial selection procedure:-
Physical assessments during Regional Selection will be as follows: As many heaves to the beam as the candidate can manage (minimum acceptable is 14, no time limit). As many sit-ups as possible in 2 minutes on flat ground (minimum acceptable is 70). As many bench jumps as possible in 1 minute (minimum acceptable is 75). Written and oral English tests, and a maths test will be conducted. Candidates will be interviewed by a board consisting of a serving British Officer and a Gurkha Officer. Basic medical checks will also be conducted.
Compared to the Basic Fitness Test required for entry to other regiments:-
39 press ups in 2 minutes
43 sit ups in two minutes
mile an half in 11 mins 30
Hence they are Physically superior to certain parts of the British armed forces and whilst not “Special” Per se, they are an elite.
Yes they are Hindu so they do make sacrifices of live animals. If you want to take issue with that then visit a forum where you can discuss your views on religious freedom. The Killing of live animals is permitted by the British Military because its a religious freedom that we do not deprive them of.
Incidentally their appear to be photographs in you link that indicates “Gurkhas” training with AK74’s and derivatives thereof. This is bizarre as all British Infantry save for SF will generally be issued with the SA80. Not Russian weaponry. I believe that some of these troops are Indonesian rather than Gurkha.
But still the Site you have posted proves my point. Im glad that they are on my side
I said anything about sacrifice???
My “No comment” was intended on other pics there (especially last ones). :lol:
this is a good site granted, but a great many pictures are solely of Asiatic soldiers not solely Gurkhas.
Their DPM is wrong in many pictures, as is their Weapon, (informed its an Indian INSAS), and In a couple they are wearing Indian Lids as opposed to the British mark6. the labels attatched to the photos even explain that they are “engaged in Kashmir” check the News bbc.co.uk and I think you’ll find we arent involved.(right click on the pictures with India picture on them - go to properties, turns out, a number of these photos are jsut Indian “Ghorka” personel, same kettle different fish)
but yes, I stand by my earlier comment, good soldeirs arent they!
But did the Gurhkas fight in WW2?
In the Second World War there were no fewer than forty Gurkha battalions in British service, as well as parachute, garrison and training units. In all this totalled some 112,000 men. Side by side with British and Commonwealth troops Gurkhas fought in Syria, the Western Desert, Italy and Greece, from North Malaya to Singapore and from the Siamese border back through Burma to Imphal and then forward again to Rangoon.
In addition to the enormous manpower made available there were many personal gestures on the part of the Minister and Court of Nepal. Large sums of money for the purchase of weapons and equipment, including money for the provision of fighter aircraft during the Battle of Britain, were presented as gifts from Nepal. Considerable sums of money were also donated to the Lord Mayor of London during the Blitz for the relief of victims in the dockland area. An equally generous response was made to a variety of appeals for aid – all this from a country which was then, and still is by western standards, desperately poor. The spirit of this friendship can best be illustrated by the reply made to the Prime Minister of Nepal to the British Minister in Kathmandu after the fall of France in 1940. When Britain stood alone. Permission was sought to recruit an additional 20 battalions for the Gurkha Brigade, and for Gurkha troops to be allowed to serve in any part of the world. This was readily granted by the Prime Minister who remarked, “Does a friend desert a friend in time of need? If you win, we win with you. If you lose, we lose with you”. The whole of the Nepalese Army was again placed at the disposal of the British Crown. Eight Nepalese regiments were sent to India for internal security duties and for operations on the North West Frontier. Later a Nepalese brigade was sent to Burma and fought with particular distinction at the Battle of Imphal.
Quoted from http://www.brigadeofgurkhas.co.uk/
The soldiers of the Royal Gurkha Rifles are recruited from Nepal, historically from the hill-men - Magars, Thapas, Limbus, Rais, Gurungs etc. The different batallions/regiments used to recruit from different areas (same as British Infantry regiments).
Gurkhas started being used around 1815 - the East India Company had been fighting with them in the foothills of Nepal. At one fight a Lt. Young was captured by them. THey were so impressed by his bravery (not running away) that they kept him alive and returned him (after about a year) to the British. He put an idea forward to higher command to let him recruit these soldiers into the E.I.C. This was accepted. The East India Company later got integrated into the British Indian Army. When India declared independence about half of the Regiments remained with the Indian Army, whilst the rest went to the British Army (I cannot remember which ones, think 1st, 2nd, 6, 7th, and 10th went with British, but I may well be wrong. There was a lot of hard feeling at this time - the Regiments going to India felt as if they had been betrayed.
The Gurkha Regiments and their training depot were based for a long time in Hong Kong. Duties there included patrolling the border, and stopping any Chinese illegal immigrants from entering British Hong Kong.
They have (to the best of my knowledge) fought in every conflict since the time they were recruited (not Boer war though). They have won 26Victoria Crosses (VC). 13 by white British officers, and 13 by Gurkhas. Before 18…? only the British officers could win VCs. I think the last VC was won in the Malayan conflict.
The Brigade of Gurkhas is organised into:
2 infantry batallions (1RGR and 2RGR).
1 Engineer Squadron
1 Transport Squadron
1 Signal Suadron (I think they are creating a 2nd squadron)
1 Band
There are 2 demonstration companies - one at Sandhurst, and one at Infantry Training Centre Wales.
The Gurkhas recruit around 300 per year, to be divided amongst all units of the Brigade of Gurkhas. There are Gurkha officers, not just British ones, they are referred to as Queens Gurkha Officer (QGO). In a batallion the CO, 2ic, Adjutant, the Company Commanders (Major), and one platoon commander per company are British. The Coy. 2i/c, platoon commanders (2), and the Gurkha Major are Nepalese.
Units work mainly using Nepalese, though in order to get promoted the soldiers have to pass English exams.
The Kukri has long been the traditional weapon of the Gurkhas, and they carry it to this day. It is a myth that they have to draw blood with it each time they draw it.
As to those disagreeing with Gurkhas - they are highly professional soldiers from Martial races. They consider it a great honour to be a part of the British Army, and swear aleigance to the Queen when they are recruited. They are an elite - superior fitness etc. They are not a bunch of blood thirsty savages - but then again a rumour such as this cannot be bad.
I hope this information proves useful - it was all off the top of my head, so please excuse any mistakes.
12345Bob:
Excellent post : one minor correction though.
The last VC won by a Ghurka was during the Borneo campaign.
“It was in November 1965 that Lance Corporal Rambahadur Limbu of the 2nd Battalion, 10th PMO Gurkha Rifles won the Victoria Cross.”
Difference between us is I had to check sources; definitely NOT off the top of my head 
I stand corrected. Am wanting to join the Gurkhas - done a bit of background reading, but I evidently need to get the facts right!
Cheers
Incidentally Bob,
You’re right about the second Sigs Sqn being formed, but I wonder if you know that both it and the current Signal Sqn are fully mixed in nature.
ie British ORs and NCOS as well as Ghurka, and Ghurka officers as well as British.
I had heard that - don’t know too much about them though, since I am not that inclined to technical bits like that (and since I’m not doing an electronic type degree, I have no chance of getting into them!)
Good post 12345bob - one small point though - there are currently two Royal Ghurkha Signals Squadrons in the British Army, one with 30 Sigs and one with 2 Sigs.
The Ghurkhas are uniformally respected within the British Army, they go through a lot more than your average recruit to get into our army and make extremely good soldiers.
edit - there are three squadrons - there’s one at 21 Sigs to :oops:
Gurkhas, Speak Gurkhali, they traditionally come from a region of Nepal near pokara, they are Gurkhas.
They are Gukhas before they get to Britain.