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Chris Bellamy | 464 pages | 13 Oct 2011 | Hodder & Stoughton General Division | 9781848543447 | English | London, Contingent - Wikipedia

The Gurkhas have fought on behalf of Britain and for nearly two hundred years. As brave as they are resilient, resourceful and cunning, they have earned a reputation as devastating fighters, and their unswerving loyalty to the Crown has always inspired affection in the British people. There are also now up to 40, Gurkhas in the million-strong army of modern India. But who are the Gurkhas? How much The Gurkhas: Special Force the myth that surrounds them is true? Award-winning The Gurkhas: Special Force Chris Bellamy uncovers the Gurkhas' origins in the Hills of , the extraordinary circumstances in which the British decided to recruit them and their rapid emergence as elite troops of the East India Company, the British Raj and the . Their special aptitude meant they were used as the first British 'Special Forces'. Bellamy looks at the wars the Gurkhas have fought this century, from the two world wars through the Falklands to and Afghanistan and examines their remarkable status now, when each year 11, hopefuls apply for just over places in the Gurkhas. Extraordinarily compelling, this book brings the history of the Gurkhas, and the battles they have fought, right up to date, and explores their future. The Gurkhas : Special Force. Chris Bellamy. The Gurkhas: Special Force of Figures and Tables. Glossary and Guide to Military Terms. Preface and Acknowledgements. Illustration credits. Previously he The Gurkhas: Special Force been Defence Correspondent at the Independent. List of Plates. The Gurkhas: Special Force - Chris Bellamy - Google книги

Members of the GC are trained to be highly skilled and are selected for their display of strong discipline and dedication in their tasks. The principal role of the contingent is to be a special guard force, and it is currently used as a counter-terrorist force. In Malaya and , their presence was required in the Malayan Emergencyand they were to replace the Sikh unit in Singapore which reverted to the on Indian independence. Just a year after their formation, their presence became an asset when racial riots between the Malay and European communities broke out over the disputed custody of Maria Hertogh. The GC troopers were again activated when major rioting erupted all over the country between ethnic Malays and Chinese on the Prophet Mohammed 's birthday from 21 July until September that same year. At that time, their presence The Gurkhas: Special Force a neutral force was important because local police officers were often The Gurkhas: Special Force to be or were The Gurkhas: Special Force expected to be The Gurkhas: Special Force towards their own ethnic groups when handling race-related issues, further fueling discontent and violence. Officers who attempted to carry out their duties impartially and in full accordance with the law also faced social backlash from their own ethnic communities, a difficult situation which could even lead to physical harm to individual officers. In his autobiography, former Singapore Prime Minister recounted the use of the Gurkha Contingent as an impartial force at the time when Singapore had just gained independence. He wrote:. To have either Chinese policemen shooting Malays or Malay policemen shooting Chinese would have caused widespread repercussions. The Gurkhas, on the other hand, were neutral, besides having a reputation for total discipline and loyalty. In Aprilthe GC suffered a scandal when nine of its officers were detained for being involved in a fight. Intwo GC officers assigned to protect the Shangri-La hotel opened fire at a suspicious vehicle before it crashed into an anti-vehicle barrier during the Shangri-La Dialogue convention, killing driver Taufik Zahar. Since its formation in with men, the contingent has grown to over 2, in size in About are selected annually in December out of a pool of over 20, applications [7] with about eventually joining the GC while the rest will go to the British Army. Upon registration, they have to go through a battery of physical and mental assessments prior to selection, including oral and written tests in the English language, a mathematics test, a The Gurkhas: Special Force interview and medical examination. The annual selection process, which normally takes 17 days but is spread over four months due to conditions in Nepal, will then assign recruits to either the GC or the British Army. Upon successful selection, GC trainees are flown to Singapore, and housed at the permanent base of the GC at Mount Vernon Camp where they will receive ten months of training before being deployed for duties. The training phase for GC officers is relatively unknown, although they have been known to use the jungles in for training. Arrangements with the Royal Police Force have allowed Gurkha officers to conduct jungle training in Brunei for several years. Training from external agencies has also been received including from the SAF Medical Training Institute for medical courses. There are a total of nine Gurkha Guard companies commanded by local and British officers. As a British colonial import, the first contingent commander was a British officer, and up to today, it remains the only military or police unit in Singapore to be headed by a British officer seconded from the British Army. The current commander is Assistant Commissioner Ross Forman. The new Special Tactical Unit took part in Exercise Northstar 10 as they responded to a suicide bombing that "killed" the passengers nearby and the Gurkha, along with some members of the People's Defence The Gurkhas: Special Force and airport police officers, disabled the "gunmen" and rescued a "hostage" in Terminal 3. The rank structure of the GC has The Gurkhas: Special Force largely unchanged over the years, thus retaining several ranks which have since been abolished in the rest of the police force. It is currently the only unit to retain the rank of Chief InspectorThe Gurkhas: Special Force to recruit new officers as Constables as opposed to regular officers in the rest of the SPF who start from a minimum rank of Sergeant. Only those who spoke English were assigned to protecting VIP homes. They were also seen stationed at important foreign properties such as the British High Commission and installations which require added security such as the Currency House at . Changing security concerns since has led to a more active deployment of GC troopers in recent years, and a review of their existing roles. Previously known for standing guard The Gurkhas: Special Force lookout towers at Changi Prison where the country's top criminals are housed, this role has The Gurkhas: Special Force been outsourced to private forces in the mids with the liberalization of the private armed security industry. Besides guarding key installations, Gurkha troopers are also increasingly deployed during key national events. They are deployed during the annual National Day Paradeand complemented the police's stringent security measures during the th IOC Session held in Singapore in July In addition, they are also deployed to watch over sealed ballot boxes during the country's general elections. GCs are now currently involved with many police and security officers at the MRT station passenger service centers for cash top-up services since 1 September On 18 Marchthree armed fugitives escaped from JohorMalaysia after committing armed robbery, and fled by a motorized sampan to Pulau Tekong. Over personnel from the police and the SAF were activated, with the first fugitive captured by the Gurkha officers within 34 hours from the commencement of the search operation. The second fugitive was arrested by the 's Special Task Squadron officers, while the last man was again caught by the GC six hours after the second arrest. Less publicly known is the GC's role in helping to train fellow officers in the police force, as well as other agencies including that of the military. Their fitness, combat and survival skills were imparted through various courses, in return for their help, they have similarly received from other agencies in training GC troopers. Gurkhas occasionally The Gurkhas: Special Force police senior officer trainees in runs and other physical training. The GC has also contributed to Singapore's overseas security and humanitarian missions. The uniforms of the GC are largely adapted from those of their regular counterparts, adopting the same dark blue outfit but distinguished by their signature headgear, the 'Gurkha hat'. Until recent times, the uniform has remained largely unchanged over the past decades, resulting in increased differences from that of regular police officers. For example, the adoption of embroidered ranks and badges, the abolition of long-sleeved shirts for short-sleeved ones, and the removal The Gurkhas: Special Force the whistle and chain from the no. This resistance towards changes to the uniform for the sake of officer comfort and welfare is reflective of the contingent's culture of strict adherence to tradition and The Gurkhas: Special Force placing of duty above self. Fromhowever, the uniform received radical updates in line with changes to the uniforms of their local counterparts, but the Gurkha hat remains unchanged. The Hat Terai Gurkha is the name of the particular style of slouch hat worn by officers of the Gurkha Contingent in Singapore. A distinctive part of the Gurkha uniform not worn by any other member of the Singapore Police Forceit is named after the Terai region in Nepala location linked to the events surrounding the Gurkha War. Worn only during guard duty and on parades, the hat is made of khaki-coloured felt with a dark blue puggaree wound around the hat with six folds. The aluminium silver anodized The Gurkhas: Special Force force cap badge is affixed on the puggaree to the left. It is always worn with the chin strap and is deliberately tilted far enough to the right that the brim touches the right ear. The double terai is a version of the terai slouch hat, but with a double thickness crown and brim, designed to give extra sun protection. The Gurkha trooper's no. The dark blue outfit, largely adapted from the SPFincluded the standard two front breast pockets on the shirt with aluminium-anodized collar badges, buttons and a black The Gurkhas: Special Force name tag atop the right breast pocket. Since removed in the rest of the SPF, but retained by the GC, were the chromed service number pinned above the name tag, and the whistle and chain. The shirt was long-sleeved and neatly folded up, unlike the short-sleeved versions adopted for the no. The sleeves were rolled down when the sun sets, and rolled up again when the sun rises. GC troopers continued to wear aluminium badges of rank, which were worn on the right sleeve, Constables wore aluminium bars at the outer The Gurkhas: Special Force of the shoulder straps. The dark The Gurkhas: Special Force trousers were secured by the two-pronged black leather Garrison Beltand completed by standard-issued black leather boots. The trooper wears the Hat Terrai Gurkha when on guard duty and while on parade. While on guard duty, he is armed with a pistol and magazine pouch worn on The Gurkhas: Special Force belt, and with the affixed to the back of his belt. Additional weaponry and equipment may be The Gurkhas: Special Force depending on situation needs. When not on duty, the officer dons a blue beret with the metal police cap badge similar to older berets worn by combat officers of the SPF. Senior Gurkha officers are distinguished by a gold flash on the cap badge. The Duty Unit Sergeant wears an additional red sash with the uniform. The traditional Gurkha no. They were also worn for civil security duty and training, as well as range practices at The Gurkhas: Special Force time of the day. The long sleeves of the dark blue shirt was similarly rolled up and down depending on duty requirements and time of day, and was devoid of metal accouterments. Junior officers wore their service numbers using white embroidered lettering on a dark blue Velcro backing fixed above their right breast pocket. Ranks were sewn on the right sleeves and made of embroidered, white cloth. The dark blue trousers were tucked into combat boots, and was topped by a dark blue beret. In the years leading up to major changes to the uniforms inthe GC increasingly adopted the no. The shirt sleeves were rolled up, and included the metal whistle and chain. In addition, the rank was not sewn to the sleeves, but worn on a dark blue tab affixed to the right breast pocket with the rank in silver embroidered thread similar to that currently used by regular officers. Less often seen, but formally in frequent use during rioting incidents, is the fire-resistant version of the combat dress, which feature zipper breast pockets and on the trousers. The Gurkhas: Special Force officers may also wear the jungle dress, with camouflage-colored uniforms based on the British Army DPM and jockey cap or khaki-colored beret, and complemented by various forms of webbing for paramilitary and military training, duties in rural and forested areas, combat fitness training and when dispatched out of Singapore for overseas exercises. Inthe GC implemented its biggest change to its uniform since the adoption of the present uniform three decades ago, just prior to the commencement of the 61st Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group as part of Singapore Khaki -colored berets were worn in place of the dark blue beret. The combat dress Dress No. The ranks worn on the right The Gurkhas: Special Force pocket were maintained in the new uniforms. The entire contingent is housed in Mount Vernon Campwhich is their one-stop location for work as well as personal life. While most new recruits come to Singapore alone since they are usually in their late teens or early twenties, they are allowed to bring along their wives and immediate family members to Singapore as they move on into the next phases of their personal lives. Ultimately, the officers know they are here only on a temporary basis, further enforced by the fact that they are disallowed from integrating too much with local society. Due to their chief purpose as a neutral presence here, they are not allowed to marry Singaporean women, hence the allowance to bring their wives and children from Nepal to the camp. At the end of their contract, they are expected to return to their villages and back to a rural life dependent on agriculture. Only a handful have ever been known to have broken this tradition and chosen to stay in the city-state. The camp itself is built on a relatively secluded area The Gurkhas: Special Force Mount Vernontaking over facilities previously occupied by the reserve units. Comprehensive facilities to create a self-contained township-like complex allows most daily chores and needs to be fulfilled within the camp without too much interaction with the outside world. This also helps to reduce the amount of traffic into The Gurkhas: Special Force out of the camp for security reasons. Still, dwellers in the complex are not prohibited from leaving the camp or using services and facilities outside it. Throngs of school-going Nepalese children regularly leave and enter the camp everyday, The Gurkhas: Special Force the uniforms of national schools. The camp's close proximity to Bartley Secondary School has seen a significant number of The Gurkhas: Special Force children being enrolled there, although they can also be found in schools much further away as the children become gradually assimilated The Gurkhas: Special Force Singaporean society and culture. They cannot sink their roots deeply, however, as most of them are in the country on dependent passes, and are compelled to leave Singapore when they turn Still, most of these young Nepalese are unlikely to follow their fathers' footsteps, and armed with education certificates, are expected to lead quite a different life compared to previous generations should they return to Nepal. The surrounding commercial outlets thrive on business brought about by the Nepalese community based here, and it is a common sight to see officers doing their daily recreational runs around the major roads close to the camp, albeit always in civilian running attire and running alone or in small groups to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves. The Gurkhas: Special Force Gurkha community has been known to extend aid to their fellow Nepalese in Singapore, such as during the operation to separate the conjoined twins Ganga and Jamuna at the Singapore General Hospital in Novemberwhere they helped to raise funds for the medical procedure and daily expenses, accommodated the family at their Mount Vernon home for a period The Gurkhas: Special Force time, The Gurkhas: Special Force assisting in making logistical arrangements for the family's transportation and other needs. There, uniforms and badges of the GC are on display together with those from the The Gurkhas: Special Force Army. The Gurkhas: Special Force by Chris Bellamy – review | History books | The Guardian

Historically, the terms "Gurkha" and "Gorkhali" were synonymous with "Nepali", [1] which originates from the hill principality Gorkha Kingdomfrom which the expanded under Prithivi Narayan Shah. Although they meet many of the requirements of Article 47 [6] of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions regarding mercenariesthey are exempt under clauses 47 e and f similarly to the French Foreign Legion. Gurkhas are closely associated with the khukuria forward-curving Nepali knife, and have a reputation for fearless military prowess. The Anglo- Nepalese war was fought between the Gurkha Kingdom of Nepal and the British East India Company as a result of border disputes and ambitious expansionism of both the belligerent parties. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Sugauli in David Ochterlony and British political agent William Fraser were among the first to recognize the potential of Gurkha soldiers in British service. During the war the British were keen to use defectors from the Gurkha army and employ them as irregular forces. Fraser's confidence in their loyalty was such that in April he proposed forming them into a battalion under Lt. Ross called The Gurkhas: Special Force Nasiri regiment. Lawtie, who reported to Ochterlony that he "had the greatest reason to be satisfied The Gurkhas: Special Force their exertions". About 5, men entered British service inmost of whom were not just Gorkhalis but Kumaonis, Garhwalis and other Himalayan hill men. These groups, eventually lumped together under the term Gurkhabecame the backbone of British Indian forces. None of these men fought in the The Gurkhas: Special Force campaign. The 8th Sirmoor Local Battalion made The Gurkhas: Special Force particularly notable contribution during the conflict, and indeed 25 Indian Order of Merit awards were made to men from that regiment during the Siege of Delhi. Three days after the mutiny began, the Sirmoor Battalion was ordered to move to Meerut, where the British garrison was barely holding on, and in doing so they had to march up to 48 km a day. During this action they fought side-by-side with the 60th Rifles and a strong bond developed. After the rebellion the 60th Rifles pressed for The Gurkhas: Special Force Sirmoor Battalion to become a rifle regiment. This honour was granted then next year when the battalion was renamed the Sirmoor Rifle Regiment and awarded a third colour. After the Indian mutiny ofthe British authorities in The Gurkhas: Special Force feared the inclusion of Hindu castes in the army. They discouraged Brahminical influence in the military and considered the Hindu castes more susceptible to Brahminical values. Between andthe Gurkha regiments were renumbered from the 1st to the 10th and re-designated as the Gurkha Rifles. In this time the , as the regiments came to be collectively known, was expanded to 20 battalions within the ten regiments. During — more thanGurkhas served in the British Army, suffering approximately 20, casualties and receiving almost 2, gallantry awards. Many Gurkha volunteers served in non-combatant roles, serving in units such as the Army Bearer Corps and the labour battalions. A large number also served in combat in France, Turkey, Palestine and Mesopotamia. During the Battle of Loos June—December a battalion of the 8th Gurkhas fought to the last man, hurling themselves time after time against the weight of the German defences, and in the words of the Indian Corps commander, Lt. Sir James Willcocks, "found its Valhalla". During the ultimately unsuccessful Gallipoli Campaign The Gurkhas: Special Forcethe Gurkhas were among the first to arrive and the last to leave. Following the end of the war, the Gurkhas were returned to India, and during the inter-war years were largely kept away from the internal strife and urban conflicts of the sub-continent, instead being employed largely on the frontiers and in the hills where fiercely independent tribesmen were a constant source of troubles. The regiments then participated in numerous campaigns on the North-West Frontier, mainly in Waziristanwhere they were employed as garrison troops defending the frontier. They kept the peace among the local populace and engaged with the lawless and often openly hostile Pathan tribesmen. During this time the North-West Frontier was the scene of considerable political and civil unrest and troops stationed at Razmak, Bannu and Wanna saw an extensive amount of action. During World War II — there were ten Gurkha regiments, with two battalions each, making a total of 20 pre-war battalions. In order to achieve the increased number of battalions, third and fourth battalions were raised for all ten regiments, with fifth battalions also being raised for 1 GR, 2 GR and 9 GR. A total ofThe Gurkhas: Special Force Gurkhas served in 40 battalions, plus eight Nepalese Army battalions, parachute, training, garrison The Gurkhas: Special Force porter units during the war, [32] in almost all theatres. Gurkha ranks in the British Indian Army followed the same pattern as those used throughout the rest of the Indian Army at that time. Commissioned officers within the Gurkha regiments held a Viceroy's Commissionwhich was distinct from the King's or Queen's Commission that British officers serving with a Gurkha regiment held. Any Gurkha holding a commission was technically subordinate to any British officer, regardless of rank. After Indian independenceand the partition of Indiain and under the Tripartite Agreementthe original ten Gurkha regiments consisting of the The Gurkhas: Special Force pre-war battalions were split between the British Army and the The Gurkhas: Special Force independent Indian Army. To the disappointment of their British officers, the majority of Gurkhas given a choice between British or Indian Army service opted for the latter. The reason appears to have been the pragmatic one that the Gurkha regiments of the Indian Army would continue to serve in their existing roles in familiar territory and under terms and conditions that were well established. By contrast, the four regiments selected for British service faced an uncertain future, initially in Malaya ; a region where relatively few Gurkhas had previously served. The four regiments or eight battalions in British service have since been reduced to a single two-battalion regiment, while the Indian units have been expanded beyond their pre-Independence establishment of 12 battalions. The principal aim of the Tripartite Agreement was to ensure that Gurkhas serving under the Crown would be paid on the same scale as those serving in the new Indian Army. While the difference is made up through cost of living and location allowances during a Gurkha's actual period of service, the pension payable on his return to Nepal is much lower than would be The Gurkhas: Special Force case for his British counterparts. With the abolition of the Nepalese monarchy inthe future recruitment of Gurkhas for British and Indian service was initially put into doubt. A spokesperson for the Communist Party of Nepal Maoistwhich was expected to play a major role in the new secular republic, stated that recruitment as mercenaries was degrading to the Nepalese people and would be banned. They formed the Brigade of Gurkhas and were initially stationed in Malaya. There were also a number of additional Gurkha regiments including the 69th and 70th Gurkha Field Squadrons, both included in the 36th Engineer Regiment. The Brigade of Gurkhas also has its own chefs posted among the above-mentioned units. Gurkhas were among the troops who retook the Falklands in and have served a number of tours of duty in the current War in Afghanistan. Upon independence insix of the original ten Gurkha regiments remained with the Indian Army. Additionally, a further regiment, 11 Gorkha Rifleswas raised. In the spelling was changed from "Gurkha" to the original "Gorkha". Since partition, the Gurkha regiments that were transferred to the Indian Army have established themselves as a permanent and vital part of the newly The Gurkhas: Special Force Indian Army. Indeed, while Britain has reduced its Gurkha contingent, India has continued to recruit Gorkhas of Nepal into Gorkha regiments in large numbers, as well The Gurkhas: Special Force Indian Gorkhas. Although their deployment is still governed by the Tripartite Agreement, in the post conflicts India has fought in, Gorkhas have served in almost all of them, including the wars with Pakistan in, and and also against The Gurkhas: Special Force in It is an integral part of the police force and was raised to replace a Sikh unit that had existed prior to the Japanese occupation during the Second World War. The GC is a well trained, dedicated and disciplined body whose principal role is as riot police. In times of crisis it can be deployed as a reaction force. During the turbulent years before and after independence, the GC acquitted itself well on several occasions during outbreaks of civil disorder. The Gurkhas displayed the courage, self-restraint The Gurkhas: Special Force professionalism for which they are famous and earned the respect of the society at large. The Brunei Reserve Unit employs about Gurkhas. There have been 26 Victoria Crosses awarded to members of the Gurkha regiments. For a detailed list of the recipients and The Gurkhas: Special Force deeds, see the British Ministry of Defence website. Of note also, there have been two George Cross medals awarded to Gurkha soldiers, for acts of bravery in situations that have not involved combat. The treatment of Gurkhas and their families was the subject of controversy in the United Kingdom once it became widely known that Gurkhas received smaller pensions than their British counterparts. On 8 March the British Government announced that all Gurkhas who signed up after 1 July would receive a pension equivalent to that of their British counterparts. In addition, Gurkhas would, for the first time, be able to transfer to another army unit after five years' service and women would also be allowed to join, although not in first-line units, conforming to the British Army's policy. The act also guaranteed residency rights in the UK for retired Gurkhas and their families. Despite the changes, many Gurkhas who had not served long enough to entitle them to a pension faced hardship on their return to Nepal, and some critics derided the government's decision to only award the new pension and citizenship entitlement to those joining after 1 Julyclaiming that this left many ex-Gurkha servicemen still facing a financially uncertain retirement. An advocacy group, Gurkha Justice CampaignThe Gurkhas: Special Force joined the debate in support of the Gurkhas. In a landmark ruling on 30 September the High Court in London decided that the Home Secretary's policy allowing Gurkhas who left the The Gurkhas: Special Force before to apply for settlement in the United Kingdom was irrationally restrictive in its criteria, and overturned it. In line with the ruling of the High Court the Home Office pledged to review all cases affected by this decision. On 29 April a motion in the House of Commons by the Liberal Democrats that all Gurkhas be offered equal right of residence was passed by votes to This was The Gurkhas: Special Force only first-day motion defeat for a government since Nick Cleggthe Liberal Democrat leader, stated that "this is an immense victory On 21 May Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced that all Gurkha veterans who retired before with at least four years service would be allowed to settle in the UK. Actress Joanna Lumleydaughter of Gurkha corps Maj. James Lumley who had highlighted the treatment of the Gurkhas and campaigned for their rights, commented, "This is the welcome we have always longed to give". A charity, The The Gurkhas: Special Force Welfare Trustprovides aid to alleviate hardship and distress among Gurkha ex-servicemen. On 9 Junea celebration called the Gurkhaheld at The Royal Hospital Chelsea and attended by members of the royal family, commemorated the bicentennial of by paying tribute to Gurkha culture and military service. Gurkha Square in FleetHampshire, which contains the Fleet war memorial, is named after the Gurkhas. The Home Secretary's policy allowing veterans to apply on a limited The Gurkhas: Special Force of criteria such as connection to the United Kingdom was quashed as being unduly restrictive. The Court found that the Gurkhas had suffered a "historic injustice" and that the policy was irrational in failing to take into account factors such as length of service or particularly meritorious conduct. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Nepalese National Soldiers. For the early modern state, see Gorkha Kingdom. For other uses, see Gurkha disambiguation. Main article: Brigade of Gurkhas. Main article: Gorkha regiments India. BBC News. Retrieved 1 October Retrieved 3 January Archived from the original on 21 October Gurkha Welfare Trust. Retrieved 23 June Archived from the original on 3 April Martial races: the military, race and masculinity in British imperial culture, —