Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} The Gurkhas The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers by John Parker The Gurkhas: The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers by John Parker. Our systems have detected unusual traffic activity from your network. Please complete this reCAPTCHA to demonstrate that it's you making the requests and not a robot. If you are having trouble seeing or completing this challenge, this page may help. If you continue to experience issues, you can contact JSTOR support. Block Reference: #606d6040-c174-11eb-83cd-1f44067d245f VID: #(null) IP: 188.246.226.140 Date and time: Sun, 30 May 2021 18:25:14 GMT. ​GURKHA BOOKS. It's a bit cheeky of me but I've included 'The Legacy' in this list of Gurkha books because it was my first attempt to write about Gurkhas in a fictional setting. The hero of the story is Harry Parker, a recently retired Gurkha officer, who, after being asked for help by the feisty and attractive Lucy Masters, finds himself having to recruit a small team of Gurkhas to take on one of the City of London's most unscrupulous bankers. There's lots of action, a bit of romance, some great locations (Nepal, Dartmoor, Edinburgh and London) and, of course, Gurkhas. I enjoyed writing the book so much that I've just finished the sequel, ' Reasonable Doubt !' ​ You can find out more about 'The Legacy', and read the reviews, under the 'Books and Articles' tab at the top of this page (or just click this hyperlink !). ​BUGLES AND A TIGER: my life in the gurkhas, JOHN MASTERS. This remarkable book was written by a Gurkha officer and describes his time serving with Gurkhas, much of which was spent fighting the Japanese during the Burma campaign of World War Two. I read many Gurkha books when I was a young man but this one probably had the most influence on me in terms of whetting my appetite for service with the Gurkhas. The author, John Masters, went on to follow a successful career as a writer after his time in the army so not only is this book interesting, it's also very well written! In sum, a brilliant, and very human, Gurkha book by any measure and well worth reading over the summer! ​ The gurkhas: the inside story of the world's most feared soldiers, john parker. Re-published on 23 May 2005, I was pleasantly surprised by this Gurkha book as it provides a particularly accessible introduction to the Gurkhas and their history - indeed, I used it quite a bit when I wrote the commemorative history in 2015 (to celebrate 200 years of Gukrha service to the Crown). The author has written a number of similar books (for example, on the Royal Marine Commandos). Although well-researched and the older history remains relevant, the book is getting on a bit now and doesn't include the Brigade of Gurkhas' more recent developments. In sum, fine for those wanting to know about the Brigade's formative years but not recommended for those keen to know more about the Gurkha role in Afghanistan etc. GURKHA: 25 YEARS OF THE ROYAL GURKHA RIFLES, CRAIG LAWRENCE. BOOKS ABOUT GURKHAS STILL TO BE ADDED TO THE ABOVE LIST (CLICK ON THEM TO SEE THEM ON AMAZON) ​Britain's gurkhas, CHRISTOPHER BULLOCK. This book was written by Christopher Bullock and was published in 2009 . Of the many factual Gurkha books out there, this has to be my favourite (other than my own!) because it was written by someone, like me, who spent his military career serving with Gurkhas. Moreover, the author earned a Military Cross (MC) on secret 'Claret' operations during the Borneo Confrontation and was Brigadier Brigade of Gurkhas when the number of Gurkhas serving in the British Army was radically reduced under 'Options for Change' in the 90s.​ Of the Gurkha books on my shelf, it remains my 'go to' reference when I need to check a fact! In 1815, the East India Company began recruiting Gurkhas into its ranks after being impressed by their martial qualities during the first of the Anglo-Nepal Wars of 1814 - 1816. Since then, many books have been written about Gurkhas, and many others have included mention of these indomitable warriors from Nepal. This webpage aims to provide an overview of some of the most interesting, accurate and accessible Gurkha books. My intention is to keep adding to the webpage as I discover more books, both fact and fiction, that I think will be of interest to those who want to know more about Gurkhas and Nepal, their country of origin. Inevitably, I have included my own Gurkha books , not just because I wrote them but also because they are recent and have been well received by critics. ​ Where appropriate, I have offered a personal view of the Gurkha books being described, as well as links so that readers can access the books on Amazon, the Gurkha Museum's website or other source locations. ​Britain's gurkha war: the invasion of nepal, 1814 - 1816, john pemble. This incredibly well researched Gurkha book describes the wars that occurred between the East India Company and Nepal over the period 1814 - 1816. It is full of fascinating detail about the East India Company and the Gurkhas it had to fight as it sought to expand its empire in northern India. I used it as a key reference source for the early part of my book on the Gurkhas' 200 years of service to the British Crown. But whilst it is an invaluable Gurkha book to dip into to check a fact or two, it's probably not the ideal choice for a bit of light reading whilst sitting by the pool on your summer holidays! In sum, an invaluable source of information but not the easiest of the Gurkha books to read - better suited to those doing detailed research into the origins of Britain's Gurkhas! Welcome To The Jungle - Exploits Of The Gurkhas In Wartime Burma. Anyone standing outside 10 Downing Street one day in August, 1995, might have witnessed an unusual sight: six-foot-tall Prime Minister John Major presenting an award to four-foot-eleven-inch Gurkha Lachhiman Gurung. Gurkha 200: Forces TV Meets Joanna Lumley. Along with this award, Gurung had also been provided with a house in Chitwan, Nepal, though he later chose to settle in the UK. Many will no doubt remember Joanna Lumley campaigning on behalf of the Gurkhas in 2008 and 2009 so that they could be allowed to settle in Britain. It was this change in the law that enabled Gurung to do so. And, as it happens, Lumley’s own Gurkha backstory and that of Lachhiman Gurung, who died in 2010, have some other overlaps. Lumley’s father, Major James Lumley, served in 6 Gurkha Rifles and fought against the Japanese in Burma during the Second World War. So too did Gurung, who fought in that campaign as a member of 8 Gurkha Rifles. While Major Lumley fought at the Battle of Mogaung in 1944 alongside Victoria Cross winner Tul Bahadur Pun, Gurung likewise won the VC in May, 1945, at the village of Taungdaw. By virtue of the award itself, the backstory to any VC features great bravery, but Lachhiman Gurung’s story is unique even by the standards of the Victoria Cross. To begin with, at 4’11”, he was short even by the standards of a Gurkha, and was slightly older (aged 24) than the normal age at which Gurkha recruits were taken in. Thus, under peacetime conditions, he would not ordinarily have been allowed into the British Indian Army*, though the exigencies of wartime meant he was accepted in December, 1940. Britain And India: From Imperial Opportunism To Liberal Self-Determination. (*The Gurkhas formed part of Britain’s larger military and imperial presence in the region which was centred on India). He then served as part of 4 Battalion, 8 Gurkha Rifles, through 1945 and beyond, which is itself surprising given the injuries he sustained during the Second World War. During the night of May 12/13, 1945, Gurung’s unit had been part of an effort to cross the Irrawaddy River and to take the fight to the enemy. He was at the tip of the spear, manning a post with two other Gurkhas at his unit’s furthest point when a Japanese assault of 200-troops came on. Hearing the enemy and just trying to pick them out and shoot them down amongst the dark jungle conditions would no doubt have been frightening. On top of this, Gurung noticed the enemy flinging grenades at his position. He reached out, picked up the first grenade and flung it back. It exploded right after he had done so. Then a second grenade came in and Gurung courageously did the same, grabbing and throwing it back with seconds to spare before it too went off. When a third grenade was flung at Gurung’s position, he again reached out and grabbed it. This time, though, it exploded before he could chuck it away. His injuries, of course, were catastrophic - the grenade blew the fingers off his right hand and wounded him in several other places, including blinding him in one eye. Once again, in a war full of heroic acts, many of which were performed by Gurkhas, Gurung’s willingness to risk his life multiple times in this way to help protect his comrades is particularly impressive. Though martial prowess and bravery was something the British saw in the Gurkhas more generally from the beginning.