Gurkha History

Anglo Nepali War 1814 to 1816. Years of Gurkha incursions into Northern India led to a declaration of war on Nepal by the British East India Company in November 1814.  It was a strange war for the time, with both sides behaving honourably, controlling looting and respecting non-combatants. Technology favoured the British and terrain, the Gurkhas. A mutual respect developed, and when the war ended with the Treaty of Segauli in 1816 both sides decided that they would be better as friends rather than enemies, and from that point Gurkha regiments began to be raised as part of the East India Company’s army.

The Indian Mutiny of 1857. In 1857, some elements of the Bengal Army mutinied against the British and were joined by disaffected sections of the populace. All Gurkha units remained steadfastly loyal, with the Nasiri, Sirmoor and Kumaon battalions (later the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Gurkha Rifles) being prominent in putting the insurrection down, helped by a brigade of 9,000 soldiers of the Nepal army. The Sirmoor Battalion, alongside the 60th Rifles, was famously besieged on the ridge overlooking Delhi in Hindu Rao’s house, repelling 26 attacks in the process and suffering 327 casualties from a strength of 490.  After Delhi, the Sirmoor Battalion became the Sirmoor Rifles. As Rifle regiments did not carry colours, Queen Victoria designed a Truncheon to reward the stalwart service of The Sirmoor Battalion and replace their colours. The Queen’s Truncheon is still carried by The Royal Gurkha Rifles today. Thus the proud Rifles heritage, and elements of dress and custom of all Brigade of Gurkhas units, was born.

Frontier Wars. Throughout the 19th and early 20th Centuries the Gurkha Brigade, eventually consisting of ten regiments, each of two battalions, fought in India’s near abroad.  They fought in both Sikh Wars of 1845-46 and 1848-49, in the three Burma Wars of 1824-26, 1852 and 1885 and in all three Afghan wars of 1839-42, 1878-81 and 1919, as well as playing their part in the garrisoning of the frontiers.

The First World War 1914 to 1918. Over 120,000 Gurkhas served throughout the First World War. The Indian Corps, which would serve in France and Flanders, included six Gurkha Battalions. Gurkhas were first to break the German lines at Neuve Chapelle, they fought against the Turks at Gallipoli, where they alone secured the commanding heights of Sari Bair, and also in Egypt, Palestine and Mesopotamia. All troops in service of the British Crown became eligible for the Victoria Cross from 1911, and the first for a Gurkha was awarded to Rifleman Kulbir Thapa on 25 September 1915 in Fauquissart, France during the Battle of Loos.

The Second World War 1939 to 1945. During the Second World War over 130,000 Gurkhas served around the world. As part of the 8th Army they took part in all the major battles in North Africa. In Italy, they distinguished themselves at Monte Cassino, in the breaking of the Gothic Line, and at Tavoleto and Medicina. In Asia, they fought in Malaya and Singapore, were part of the Chindit operations and won nine Victoria Crosses in Field Marshall Slim’s 14th Army as it recaptured Burma from the Japanese, including the Battles of Imphal, Kohima, Mogaung and Tamandu.

Indian Independence 1947. On Indian independence in 1947, the ten Gurkha regiments were divided between India and Britain. A tripartite agreement between Britain, Nepal and India laid the foundations for Gurkha terms and conditions of service. The 2nd, 6th, 7th and 10th Gurkha Rifles became part of the British Army, with the rest becoming part of the army of independent India. British Gurkhas moved their base to Malaya, with the Training Depot at Sungai Petani, Kedah. In 1952 the Gurkhas became part of the newly formed 17 Gurkha Infantry Division.

After World War 2 political and military groups in Malaya sought independence from Britain. The resulting violence led to a state of Emergency that would last from 1948 to 1960. All Gurkha Rifles Regiments and nascent Corps Units were involved in the fight against the Communist insurgents, drawing upon jungle skills perfected in Burma. The end of the Malayan Emergency did not spell the end of unrest in South East Asia.

In December 1962, the Indonesian President wanted the island of Borneo under Indonesian control, so encouraged an attempt to overthrow the Sultan of Brunei. Brunei called for British aid, and 1/2 GR were flown from Singapore to crush the revolt. Indonesia announced a confrontation with Malaya, and fomented unrest in the border areas between the Indonesia and Malaya. The Borneo Confrontation lasted until 1966, and again saw Gurkhas deployed extensively in jungle operations.

The first non-infantry Gurkha units were formed in 1948, coinciding with the raising of 48 Gurkha Infantry Brigade, and then from 1952 being included in 17 Gurkha Infantry Division. The division remained in Malaya until 1970, serving in the Malayan Emergency, the Brunei Revolt and in the Borneo Campaign, or Indonesian Confrontation, as it was termed.

The Queen’s Gurkha Engineers. In 1948, the Gurkha Engineering Training Squadron, Royal Engineers was formed in Malaya. This was renamed in 1951 to be 50th (Gurkha) Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers. In 1955 it was renamed again the Gurkha Engineers, before becoming the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers in 1977.

The Queen’s Gurkha Signals. In 1948 the Gurkha Signals was formed before quickly being renamed the Gurkha Royal Signals. In 1955 the name reverted to Gurkha Signals until 1977 when it became the Queen’s Gurkha Signals.

The Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment. In 1958 the Gurkha Army Service Corps was raised in Malaya. In 1965 it was redesignated to become the Gurkha Transport Regiment, a name it would hold until 1992 when it became the Queen’s Own Gurkha Transport Regiment and in 1994 the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment.

Movement to Hong Kong. With the British withdrawal from Malaysia after the successful termination of the Malayan Emergency and Confrontation in 1960, the Brigade moved its centre of gravity to Hong Kong where it would remain until shortly before Hong Kong reverted to China in 1997. Throughout this time, it was heavily involved in border patrols on the Hong Kong-China border, and all initial training was conducted in Hong Kong at the Brigade of Gurkhas Training Depot. Further operations included Cyprus in 1974, the Falklands War in 1982 and the first Gulf War in 1991.

UK Basing. From the mid-1990s the Brigade moved to the UK, in advance of Hong Kong returning to China. With the Garrison in Brunei and the Headquarters in Nepal, Britain retained a footprint in the far East. The operational tempo increased, with deployments on UN and NATO operations in The Balkans, East Timor and Sierra Leone before the Campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.