Brigade of Gurkhas
The history of the service of the Brigade of Gurkhas to the British Crown goes back as far as 1815. Since then the Brigade has conducted itself with distinction during numerous conflicts worldwide. Prior to 1997 the Brigade's focus was in the Far East but following the handover of Hong Kong it moved to the UK which is now its base. The Brigade still maintains a battalion in Brunei and plays a full part in the British Army's operational deployments worldwide - currently, in particular, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans.
The major units of the Brigade today are The Royal Gurkha Rifles (two battalions), The Queen's Gurkha Engineers, Queen's Gurkha Signals, and The Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment. In addition there are two independent companies - Gurkha Company (Sittang) at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Gurkha Company (Mandalay) at the Infantry Battle School, Brecon. The Gurkha Company at the Infantry Training Centre Catterick, meanwhile, trains the recruits who pass the demanding selection procedure. This selection is organized by HQ British Gurkhas Nepal, which also works with the Gurkha Welfare Scheme, the field arm of the Gurkha Welfare Trust, in support of retired Gurkhas.
Sub-units also include the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, and the Gurkha Language Wing.
Headquarters Brigade of Gurkhas (HQBG) itself is based at Airfield Camp near Netheravon, Wiltshire, and is responsible for providing advice on all matters relating to the recruiting and employment of Gurkhas in the British Army. It also helps coordinate welfare for retired Gurkhas in the UK. HQBG is not part of the operational chain of command and has no operational units directly under it, but it provides an important unifying element for the Brigade, its activities and its soldiers.