To the British public, amongst the most respected and best loved British regiments and soldiers are the Gurkhas. The author has campaigned with the Gurkha soldier, trekked through their hill villages and fought for them in the corridors of Whitehall. – Most Highly Recommended.
NAME: Gurkha Odyssey, Campaigning For The Crown FILE: R3109 AUTHOR: Peter Duffell PUBLISHER: Pen and Sword BINDING: hard back PRICE: £25.00 GENRE: Non Fiction SUBJECT: Honourable East India Company, Bengal Army, British Army Gurkha Regiments, recruitment, WWI, WWII, North West Frontier, Cold War, hill villages, Nepal
ISBN: 1-52673-057-X
PAGES: 290 IMAGE: B3109.jpg BUYNOW: tinyurl.com/r2ok4wy DESCRIPTION: To the British public, amongst the most respected and best loved British regiments and soldiers are the Gurkhas. The author has campaigned with the Gurkha soldier, trekked through their hill villages and fought for them in the corridors of Whitehall. – Most Highly Recommended. Lieutenant General Sir Peter Duffell has taken a compelling journey through Gurkha history that also includes his own march. He has portrayed the unique style and character of these exceptional warriors who have served Britain so well down the generations. The Gurkhas fought against the Honourable East India Company in 1814 and their ability impressed greatly. At the end of hostility, the East India Company began recruiting Gurkhas into their Bengal Army, starting a tradition that has endured since. When the excesses of the East India Company led to its fall from grace Horse Guards was required to send British soldiers out to replace Company troops but also found the Gurkhas to be exemplary warriors and recruited them. Since then the Gurkhas have served on the North West Frontier, through two world wars and a series of smaller conflicts since, campaigning for the crown. The pay and pensions, though modest have allowed Gurkhas to return to the hill country of Nepal in some comfort and to the benefit of their communities at the end of their service. Consequently, there is strong competition during the recruitment to secure a place in the British Army and now also in the Indian Army. They are often described as light-hearted and gallant, a rare combination and they have been taken to the British heart although not without some skirmishing on their behalf in the corridors of Whitehall. Their contribution to the British Army and the Crown have been significant, deserving equal loyalty in return, in the form of good pay and conditions during service and a solid pension at the end of service. Politicians do not have a good record of maintaining the Compact to look after British troops and this has extended to the Gurkhas. Although many Gurkhas return to their hills at the end of the service a number hope to remain in Britain where they have made friends and this should be an automatic right for every Gurkha who retires with good conduct. Long may they campaign for the Crown. Jai Mahakali Ayo Gurkhali!