Vol 66 No 6: March 2015 Arctic Gurkha Launch Party Tickets Now on Sale

www.gurkhabde.com/publication The magazine for Gurkha Soldiers and their Families Vol 66 No 6: March 2015 Arctic Gurkha Launch Party Tickets now on sale he Arctic Gurkha Team are miles of treacherous terrain around Ellesmere Jon and Arjun are aiming to raise £30,000 kicking off their epic challenge Island, just north of mainland Canada. for clean water drinking and sanitation projects Twith an official launch party at Along the way they will brave the dangers of in places like Cpl Limbu’s home district and the Honourable Artillery Company Polar Bears, crevasses, ice flows and moving other Gurkha communities in Nepal. The on 26 March 2015. Before braving the icebergs that could crush their kayaks if they launch reception will be an important part of extreme conditions on a record-breaking get caught unawares. this fundraising effort. endurance challenge in the Arctic Circle, Tickets for the unique launch reception on Tickets are now on sale at Capt Jon Armstrong and Cpl Arjun Limbu 26 March 2015 at the Honourable Artillery’s www.ticketsource.co.uk/arcticgurkha for from 2 RGR are hoping to raise money HQ at Armoury House are available now. The £65. Currently serving soldiers benefit from a for the Gurkha Welfare Trust at the reception gives supporters of the expedition £15 discount by quoting Promo Code: EXAG15 spectacular charity fundraiser alongside the opportunity to learn more about the For more information contact Viktoria their sponsors and supporters. journey while enjoying the warm hospitality Kish at [email protected] or visit The epic, world-record challenging Arctic of the HAC and raising money for The Gurkha www.arcticgurkha.com/support and follow Gurkha expedition will require a mixture of Welfare Trust - and of course to wish the pair the team’s progress at www.facebook.com/ skiing, climbing and kayaking over 1500 the best of luck on their voyage. exarcticgurkha Arc of the Gurkha: From Nepal to the British Army by Alex Schlacher stunning and powerful retirement. Alex Schlacher has Available to buy now from book of photographs accompanied the Gurkhas on Amazon and Waterstones. A that reveal the human operations in Afghanistan, on face of the legendary Brigade exercises in the Brunei jungle Published by Elliott of Gurkhas. and Australia; she has visited all & Thompson There have been other books the units in the Brigade as well www.arcofthegurkha.com about the Gurkhas, but none has as retired Gurkhas; she has taken RRP £30 focused on the individual soldiers, intimate portraits of hundreds of Hardback their backgrounds, lives and soldiers and heard their stories. Full colour experiences. Arc of the Gurkha Beautifully presented 285 x 220 mm explores the span of a Gurkha and exquisitely crafted, this (8 11/16 x 11 1/4 in.) career from recruitment through extraordinary publication is the first ISBN: 978-1-90965-399-3 to training and deployment up to explore what it really means to post-military employment and for a Gurkha to be a Gurkha. ii PARBATE Vol 66 No 5 March 2015 02 Farewell to Maj Rambahadur Pun, GM 1 RGR PARBATE 1 RGR bids farewell to its outgoing Gurkha Major, Maj Rambahadur Pun HQ Bde of Gurkhas, FASC, Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 4PQ. 04 Ex Everest Trainer Tiger 2015 All enquiries Tel: 01276412614 / Gurkha 200 Everest Expedition to Mt Makalu 94261 2614 06 36 Engr Regt PNCO CLM Fax: 0127641 2694 / LCpl Bal Budha Magar secures top place at the Regt PNCO 94261 2694 Email: [email protected] 07 BG Congratulations Board Col BG congratulates soldiers across the Brigade of Editor Cpl Sagar Sherchan 0127641 2614 Gurkhas for their outstanding performances [email protected] 10 QOGLR - OP GRITROCK Comms Officer Commanders from QOGLR deployed to establish a Mr Ken Pike 0127641 2776 District Ebola Response Centre in Sierra Leone [email protected] Please send your articles together with high 12 Photo News quality photographs (min 300dpi), through Photo news from around the Brigade your unit’s Parbate Rep, to: 14 DG Cap visit to Brunei The Editor, Parbate Office, HQBG, FASC, Camberley, Brunei Signal Troop hosts their Surrey, GU15 4PQ Col of the Regt after 13 years Parbate is published every month by kind permission 15 QGOOs experience in the House of Lords debate of HQBG. It is not an official publication and the views expressed, unless specifically stated otherwise, do Two QGOOs accompanied Col BG to witness a not reflect MOD or Army policy and are the personal views of the author. No part of this publication may be discussion on the Gurkhas 200th year anniversary reproduced without the permission of the Editorial Staff. No responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised in this magazine can be accepted by the Editorial Staff or 16 Recruit Intake 2015 Publishers and advertisements are accepted on the express condition that they in no way contravene the provisions of Cpl Subash Gurung shares his experience as a the Trades Descriptions Act 1968 nor any other prevailing Consumer Legislation. The Editorial Staff and Publishers Gurkha Coy Instructor cannot accept responsibility for the result of errors or omissions in articles or advertisements. 20 Parbate Sports Parbate is designed by the Various sporting actions from across AMC Design Studio, the Brigade of Gurkhas ADR004640 and produced using recycled paper. inside ... You can find out more about the Gurkhas and see some of the things they do on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Search for The Gurkha Brigade Association 2 RGR personnel at the final stage of OP NEWCOMBE in Mali Follow us @ Gurkha Bde Gurkha 200 Everest Expedition team train hard in Mt Makalu to get ready for their Everest Expedition in May 2015 Search for Gurkha Brigade Association Alternatively, visit our website: www.gurkhabde.com PARBATE Vol 66 No 6 March 2015 1 By Sunil Gurung RGR 1 RGR Bids farewell to its RGR has bid farewell to Gurkha Major Maj Rambahadur Pun, who has outgoing Gurkha Major, 1served the unit for the past 30 years. Major Pun took over the prestigious role of GM in December 2012 whilst the Battalion Maj Rambahadur Pun (Bn) was going through a very hectic and turbulent period having been deployed on most challengingly RD T4 - all of which he A Guard of Honour greeted him at the Op Herrick 17 (Afghanistan). Whilst the handled in an excellent manner as everyone guard room, lead by WO2 Prem Shreesh Bn was deployed to Afghanistan he was in knew he would. (now Mors 2iC), who used this opportunity Shorncliffe looking after families’ G1 issues; The GM’s farewell programme started to honour the person who recruited him in a vital job for operations. with the ‘towing out’, which sees the GM in Church Crookham in 1997. He inspected the During this period he often made the effort an extravagantly decorated land rover with Guard of Honour and later paid his respects to to visit the troops in Afghanistan which was all of the officers and SNCOs towing his the Queen’s Truncheon in the Quarter Guard. greatly appreciated and he was very warmly vehicle up to the guard room whilst the rest After signing the visitors’ book he was welcomed, especially as he would convey of Bn lined either side of the route cheering presented with a silver statue of ‘The Gurkha family video messages to their loved ones. in appreciation. During the towing out Monument’ by the most junior Rifleman in the As the GM of 1RGR he has not only personnel presented the GM with Bn on behalf of all JNCOs and Other Ranks as a overseen deployments but also the Bn Arms garlands and flowers to show their respect token of appreciation for his outstanding tour plot move to Brunei, Dashain festivities and, and admiration. as GM 1RGR. 1RGR’s new Gurkha Major - Maj Chandrabahadur Pun After completion of basic training in Hong Kong, he joined Brigade of Gurkhas Training Team On completion of this posting, 2/2 Gurkha Rifles. During the in Shorncliffe on his promotion he returned to the Battalion in amalgamation of 1/2 GR and to WO2, where he deployed Nov 2009 assuming Second in 2/2 GR, Chandra transferred to to Bahrain to conduct a Junior Command of A (Delhi) Coy and 10th Gurkha Rifles in June 1992. Leadership Cadre for the Bahrain soon deployed to Afghanistan Having achieved Best Student on Defence Force. on Op HERRICK 12. This was his Junior Leadership Cadre, he He was commissioned in a particularly difficult tour for was promoted to Lance Corporal August 2006 and as a Lieutenant A Coy which lost two officers in 1993. (QGO) he commanded 5 Platoon, and an NCO in action. In June aj Rambahadur Pun His First operational B Coy. Deployed to Afghanistan 2011, 1RGR stood up an extra is succeeded by Maj deployment came in Bosnia in for Op HERRICK 7, Maj Chandra company (D Kandahar) for Op MChandrabahadur the IFOR role which resulted in had the honour of serving with HERRICK 17, of which Major Pun Pun, who was enlisted into promotion to Cpl in 1995. He Capt Wales (HRH Prince Harry). assumed second in command of the Brigade of Gurkhas on was attached to 1PWRR as a Sect On his return, he was posted and deployed for the third time to 30th January 1987 at British Comd and later was promoted to to Gurkha Company Catterick as Afghanistan to PB Wahid in Nad- Gurkhas Pokhara, Nepal. Sgt. In 2004 he was posted to the 5 Platoon Commander. e-Ali AO. 2 PARBATE Vol 66 No 6 March 2015 EXERCISE BERSAMA LIMA 14 By 2 RGR Correspondent ix personnel from 2 RGR deployed on Ex BERSAMA LIMA S14 to Singapore from 5-23 Oct 14 for a Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) exercise.

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