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Royal Gurkha Rifles

Battalions Jungle Role Battalion - Brunei Light Role Battalion - UK

The Gurkhas are a unique unit in the Army with a reputation of being amongst the finest and most feared soldiers in the world. All Gurkha soldiers are recruited in Nepal. British Officers are recruited from across the UK and Commonwealth. The Royal Gurkha Rifles currently have a jungle role Battalion permanently based in Brunei and a Light Role Battalion in the UK. All Officers are expected to speak Nepali and will attend a language course in Nepal. The Gurkhas have only been eligible for the Victoria Cross since 1911. During this time 26 have been awarded, 13 to British Officers and 13 to Gurkha Soldiers.

The Gurkhas are recruited from Nepal into the British Army. Brought up in the foothills of the Himalayas, they are ideally suited to the light infantry role where endurance and ingenuity are at a premium. For many Gurkhas, service in the British Army is a strong family tradition, but competition to join is fierce. Gurkha soldiers come from tight knit communities where mutual respect and trust are instilled from an early age. The majority of Gurkhas are either Hindu or Buddhist, and the Regiment observes the appropriate religious festivals. The most notable in the annual calendar is Dasain, which is a major event with long established and colourful rituals and traditions.

The kukri is the famed knife carried by Gurkhas. It is the national weapon of Nepal, but is also a work tool, used for all means of every day business in hill communities. Every Gurkha has at least two kukris; one for ceremonial purposes, and one for every day use. Maintenance of the kukri is a key part of daily routine, and it is kept sharp and clean at all times. Various legends surround the use of the kukri, the most commonly cited being that every time it is drawn, blood must be shed. Sadly this is but a myth, as the kukri is used so regularly that there would be a bloodbath if it were true. The blade is carefully weighted so that in skilled hands it can be used to cut deeply or to slice cleanly. The kukri is accompanied by two small knives; one sharp for delicate skinning and slicing, and the other blunt, for sharpening the main blade.

The major units of the Brigade of Gurkhas 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 Royal Gurkha Rifles was formed on 1 July 1994, after amalgamation of four Gurkha Regiments, 2 GR, 6 GR, 7 GR and 10 GR. Its history is therefore short, but full. During this time, battalions of the Royal Gurkha Rifles have taken part in operations in Kosovo, Bosnia, East Timor, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and Afghanistan. Companies of Gurkhas have also deployed to Iraq.

The origins of Gurkha service with the British crown go back to the Anglo Nepal war of 1814-16. Mutual respect grew from this conflict, and very soon Gurkhas were enlisted for service in the Army of the East India Company. Their first conflict was the Pindaree War in 1817, and this was followed by a succession of campaigns in which the reputation of the Gurkhas grew from strength to strength.

During the Indian Mutiny in 1857-8 the Sirmoor Battalion (which later became the 2nd KEO Goorkhas, and latterly the Royal Gurkha Rifles) remained loyal to the British Crown. The Battalion, together with the Guides and the 60th Rifles, held the key position on the outskirts of Delhi known as Hindu Rao's House for over three months of constant attack. During this period the 2nd Goorkhas suffered 327 casualties (including 8 of their 9 British Officers) out of a total strength of 490. Following the conclusion of the mutiny, the 2nd Goorkhas were designated as a Rifle Regiment as a mark of the bond that had been created with the 60th Rifles.

This explains the dark green uniforms, the rapid marching pace, and the title of Rifleman given to Gurkha soldiers. In addition, Queen Victoria directed that the Battalion be awarded a special truncheon to replace the Regimental Colours that could no longer be carried by a Rifle Regiment. The Queen's Truncheon is still in service today, proudly guarded by the Royal Gurkha Rifles. There is an inscribed band around the staff of the truncheon to commemorate each occasion that it has subsequently been presented to the sovereign.

The First World War saw Gurkhas committed in France and Flanders, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Gallipoli, Palestine and Salonika. The 6th Gurkhas, who along with the 2nd are the direct predecessors of today’s Royal Gurkha Rifles, gained immortal fame at Gallipoli during the capture from the Turks of the feature later known as “Gurkha Bluff”. At Sari Bair they were the only troops in the whole campaign to reach and hold the critical crest line overlooking the straits.

In the two World Wars the Gurkha Brigade suffered 43,000 casualties, and to date it has won 26 Victoria Crosses - 13 awarded to Gurkhas and 13 to British Officers. The most recent Victoria Cross was awarded to the then Lance Corporal Rambahadur Limbu in November 1965 during the Borneo Confrontation.

Between the wars, the Gurkhas soon found themselves back in Afghanistan for the Third Afghan War, which was followed by numerous campaigns on the North-West Frontier, particularly in Waziristan. The demands of the Second World War saw the Gurkhas strength increase to a peak of forty battalions, more than the entire British Infantry today. They 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 as part of Field Marshall Slim’s 14th Army, and forming the backbone of the famous Chindits.

The partition of India in 1947 brought about major change. Until then, the Gurkhas had been part of the Indian Army. On partition, six of the ten Gurkha Regiments remained in India, and four transferred to the British Army, in which their first conflict was the twelve year long Malayan Emergency, followed shortly afterwards by the Borneo confrontation, characterised by extensive jungle patrolling and cross border clandestine raids against the Indonesian Army.

Thereafter, the home of the Gurkhas moved to Hong Kong, although one battalion was always stationed in the UK. It was in this capacity that the 7th Gurkhas deployed to the Falklands in 1982, with much publicised psychological impact on the Argentinean Army.

The Association of the Brigade of Gurkhas with Brunei dates back to 1962. In addition to the resident Gurkha Infantry Battalion, specialist organisations were formed to augment the Battalion’s capability. For example, the Battalion originally possessed an air platoon, which operated Sioux helicopters for casevac, reconnaissance and limited troop movement duties. This developed into C Flt of 660 Sqn Army Air Corps, operating Scout helicopters, with the parent Squadron based in Hong Kong. Today their spirit lives on in the form of 7 Flight Army Air Corps, who operate Bell 212 helicopters and perform the same duties.

Originally, the Brunei Gurkha Battalion was part of the Gurkha Field Force, based in Hong Kong. Command was subsequently transferred to 48 Gurkha Infantry Brigade, also based in Hong Kong, when 48 Gurkha Infantry Brigade was re-raised in 1986. The Battalion was supported administratively by only two Officers: The Garrison Adjutant, who became the Garrison Administration Commandant and who is now known as SO2 G1 Welfare/SSO, and the Transport and Movement Officer, now known as SO3 Logistic Support.

To pre-empt the return of Hong Kong to China, Command was handed to United Kingdom Land Forces (now Land Command) on 01 January 1995. It was then that the number of support personnel was increased, to allow the higher level of self-sufficiency that the increased distance from command demanded. It was also on 01 January 1995 that the title “Brunei Garrison” was officially adopted.

The current battalion in Brunei is the Second Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles. They took over from the First Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles in August 2009. Garrison support assets include: 7 Flight Army Air Corps; a Garrison Workshop; a Garrison Works Office and a small Forces Post Office. A small team of Staff Officers, headed by the Chief of Staff, assists the Battalion Commander, who is also the Garrison Commander, with administration.

The Training Team Brunei (TTB) is also a component part of Brunei Garrison. Previously known as the Jungle Warfare School, based in Malaya, and later Jungle Warfare Wing (JWW) under the command of the Land Warfare Centre, TTB is responsible for tri-service jungle training, and is the centre of excellence for doctrine and advice regarding jungle warfare matters.