Summer 2013 Number 71

sirmoor cover Summer 2013:Layout 1 19/7/13 09:29 Page 1

Millennia MILLENNIAPrint PrIntLTD Ltd Digital & Litho Teel:l: 0018921892 668198 Tel: 01892 668198 FFaax:x:x: 0018921892 666958869588 emaeemail:mail:il: en [email protected]@millenniaprint...ukcuko.uk UnitUnit 2 2, Beacon Beacon Business Business Park, Park, Farningham Farningham Road, Road Crowborough,Crowborough ,East East Sussex, Sussex TN6. TN6 2GD 2GD

SummerSumme r20062013 NumberNumber 5771 2nd KING EDWARD VII’s OWN GOORKHAS (THE SIRMOOR RIFLES)

The 1st Battalion was raised at Nahan (Sirmoor State) in 1815 by Lieutenant Frederick Young.

The 2nd Battalion was raised at Dehra Dun in 1886 by Colonel S E Becher and amalgamated with the 1st Battalion in Hong Kong on Delhi Day 1992.

The 3rd Battalion was raised at Dehra Dun in 1917 and disbanded in 1920. It was re-raised in 1940 and disbanded and reconstituted with the 2nd Battalion in 1946.

The 4th Battalion was raised in 1941 and became the 5th Battalion 8th Gurkha Rifles in 1948.

The 5th Battalion was raised in 1942 and disbanded in 1947.

The Regiment was amalgamated on 1 July 1994 with 6GR, 7GR and 10GR to form The Royal Gurkha Rifles.

The Royal and lmperial Cypher of King Edward VII The Plume of The Prince of Wales. A Ram’s Head in commemoration of action at Koonja 1824. An Extra or Honorary Colour later replaced by a Truncheon in commemoration of distinguished service before Delhi 1857.

HONORARY COLONEL 1876-1901 Field Marshal His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales 1901-1904 His Majesty King Edward VII

COLONELS-IN-CHIEF 1904-1910 His Majesty King Edward VII 1911-1936 His Majesty King George V 1977-1994 His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales

COLONELS 1926-1929 Major General C E deM Norie CB CMG DSO 1930-1946 General Sir Kenneth Wigram GCB CSI CBE DSO 1946-1956 Lieutenant General Sir Francis Tuker KCIE CB DSO OBE 1956-1969 Major General L H 0 Pugh CB CBE DSO JP DL 1969-1976 Brigadier S P M Kent CBE 1976-1986 Field Marshal The Lord Bramall KG GCB OBE MC JP 1986-1994 Field Marshal Sir John Chapple GCB CBE DL

AFFILIATED REGIMENT The Royal Green Jackets

ALLIED REGIMENT The Royal Brunei Armed Forces

Summer 2013 Number 71

The drinking fountain erected in 1899 at Dehra Dun by the mother of Captain John Robinson killed at the battle of Dargai. (see page 45)

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL PRESIDENT’S NOTE CHAIRMAN’S LETTER HONORARY SECRETARY'S NOTES SIRMOOR CLUB NEWS SIRMOOR CLUB ACTIVITIES NEWS FROM MEMBERS SERVICE NEWS

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SIRMOOR CLUB COMMITTEE

President: Lieutenant General Sir Peter Duffell

Vice-Presidents: Field Marshal Lord Bramall Field Marshal Sir John Chapple Colonel DR Wood Brigadier PA Little Chairman: Brigadier BC Jackman Honorary Secretary: Major NJD Wylie Carrick Honorary Treasurer: Major JW Kaye to be Captain EC Mackaness Editor The Sirmooree: Major JJ Burlison Elected Members: RJC Corfield, Esq JA Coulson, Esq Briadier IA Rigden, RGR Major DL Thomas

2 EDITORIAL You will read further on that this will be the one of the last Sirmooree magazines as currently presented. We will be continuing to circulate to all a reduced version in print for this year with an extended edition on the web site. As ratified at the AGM of 2013 last month, with effect from the Summer edition in 2014 The Sirmooree will only be available on the web site, except for those members currently recorded with the Honorary Secretary as being without internet access who will continue to receive a printed copy through the post. This is necessary to signifi- cantly reduce printing and postage costs. I am grateful as always for the articles sent in and in this edition particularly: ‘What is Happening to QEB at Church Crookham’ and ‘A History of Curry’. I was passing through Gatwick airport and inevitably my NHS hip caused the security machine to bleep and I was taken to one side. I asked how many artificial hips they get and was told about twenty an hour, which confirmed what the surgeon said that these things are quite common, adding: ‘Not that there’s anything common about you!’ In my family now there is a pact that I won’t bang on about my hip if they don’t bang on about their grandchildren!

June 2013 ______

All Rights Reserved Contents of The Sirmooree may not be reproduced without prior permission. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Sirmoor Club or of the Editor. Dates in square brackets [ ] after a name give the years of service in 2nd Goorkhas. Copy for the next Edition of Sirmooree should be with the Editor by 20 Oct 2013 Editor: Major JJ Burlison High Bank, South View Road, Wadhurst, East Sussex. TN5 6TW. UK Tel/Fax 01892 782013. E-Mail: [email protected]

3 A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT It was very gratifying to see such a good turnout for our annual reunion at the Army and Navy Club in May. From all I hear members and their guests enjoyed the occasion and we shall do our best to maintain this style going into the future while keeping the pressure on costs. Do encourage other members who missed the occasion this year to come in 2014.

At the behest of the Editor a copy of my comments at lunch has been included separately with the journal.

I hope you all have a splendid summer. PRD

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From The Commanding Officer’s Foreword To ‘The Helmandi Lancer’ The operational newsletter of The Queen’s Royal Lancers March 2013. Designed for an internal audience to keep our soldiers, their families, the Old Comrades and the Rear Party up-to-speed with Regimental news whilst deployed.

Throughout the tour the soldiers from the Task Force have done many incredible deeds. Here is one example: a young Gurkha from 1 RGR was on guard in a tower in a patrol base when the front gate was attacked by insurgents with small arms fire and grenades. The Gurkha was struck on the helmet by a round that knocked him to the ground and a grenade was thrown into the sangar. Quickly composing himself he threw the grenade back. The insurgents then scaled his tower and tried to drag him out but he repelled the attackers with his kukri and in the struggle he and an insurgent fell out of the tower. At this point the insurgents gave up and withdrew. The Gurkha then returned to his tower and apologised to his Guard Commander for leaving his post!

4 CHAIRMAN’S LETTER

Change of Honorary Treasurer Johnny Kaye has, reluctantly, decided to stand down as Honorary Treasurer because of ill-health. He has served on the Committee for 18 years and been Honorary Treasurer for the last ten years. He has kept our accounts immaculately and set a wonderful example of service to the Club. I am sorry he is no longer part of the management team but take this opportunity to thank him for all he has done. Edward Mackaness has kindly volunteered to take over the appointment and I welcome him onto the Committee.

Sirmooree and the Website Because of rising costs across the board your Committee has carried out a thorough analysis of our finances and concluded that if we changed the way we produce the Sirmooree we will be able to afford to continue to have our Reunions at the Army & Navy Club at affordable ticket prices for the foreseeable future without raising subscriptions. However this would require the Sirmooree to be provided via the Website for all internet Members with printed copies produced only for those without access to the internet. This proposal was agreed unanimously at the AGM on 18 May 2013 and will come into effect with the Summer edition in 2014. If you are one of the few internet Members not yet registered on the Website please do so without delay. Contact Nigel Wylie Carrick if you need help with this.

Sirmoor Durbar 200 – Pokhara 2015 This will be the 'Last Hurrah' so if you are not there you will have missed the last Sirmoor Reunion in Nepal and a significant event in our history. There won't be another. It is encouraging to see that this mes- sage is beginning to register with Members as the 'indicated' atten- dance has doubled to 148 since December. Please note that the dates have been put back to 24 – 31 March 2015 to coincide with the Easter Holidays and hopefully enable more children to attend what will be an absolutely unique and unforgettable event for them. If you haven't yet made up your mind do not delay too long because we have to plan and

5 book accommodation well in advance – especially as we will be competing with Easter holiday travel to Nepal that year. Please view up- dates as and when they are posted on the Website. This is important.

Gurkha 200 The 200th Anniversary of Gurkha Service to the Crown in 2015 will be celebrated wherever possible across the country. Details of events will be regularly posted on the Website so please keep in touch. The precise details of Sirmoor Club events will be announced next year.

BCJ

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you tried the amazing regimental website?

www.2ndGoorkha.com

Contains news, information, pictures, events, topics, history, notice board, Gurkha videos, contacts, links to other regiments – and more. And a constantly updated address list for members.

Well worth a visit now. Ask a friend or neighbour to help if you don’t have a com- puter. “Much better than expected!”

6 HONORARY SECRETARY’S NOTES

INTRODUCTION The Sirmoor Club AGM. The Sirmoor Club AGM was held in the Army & Navy Club, London on 18 May 2013. The AGM was presided over by Lieutenant General Sir Peter Duffell, chaired by Brigadier Bruce Jackman and attended by 50 former officers. The agenda with detailed notes was circulated by e-mail to all members which allowed the meeting to focus on the key topics, summarised below:  Items 1 – 3. The previous minutes, re-election of the Commit- tee and Sirmoor Accounts were all unanimously agreed. It was with regret that the Honorary Treasurer Major Jonny Kaye informed the AGM that he would be standing down due to illness. The AGM endorsed the selection of Captain Edward Mackaness who had agreed to take over as Honorary Treas- urer. The President paid tribute to the 18 years Jonny Kaye had devoted to the Committee and 2GR Trust, the last 10 years as Honorary Treasurer. His comments were fully endorsed by those attending.  Item 4. Paper on the Sirmoor Club Finances, ‘The Sirmooree, Annual Reunion, Subscriptions and the Website’. It was agreed that the Sirmooree would be: reduced to 50 pages per printed issue; the 2013 Summer & Winter editions would continue to be sent to all members; with effect 2014, the printed Sirmooree will only be sent to those not on the internet.  Item 5. The Sirmoor Website. The Sirmoor website was prov- ing to be a success. To promote additional interest in the Sir- moor Website, consideration would be given to: widening the links to other useful websites; redesign the unused Topics page to a ‘Members News’ page.  Item 6. G200 Update. The Chairman gave a brief explanation of the plans for the G200 celebration in 2015. The Sirmoor Club 7 will continue to focus on the 2GR Durbar in Nepal, with consideration being given to enhancing both the Sirmoor Club Re- union and a special Anniversary to celebrate Delhi Day.  Item 7. Sirmoor Durbar. Major David Thomas briefed the members on current plans for the Sirmoor Durbar in Nepal. It was hoped that the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas would also be able to support G200 Celebrations in Nepal and therefore be available to support the Durbar. The Chairman emphasised the full support of the 2GR Trust to this event, committing some 25% of the Trusts capital, which could be seen as the start of the gradual draw down of the 2GR Trust capital.  Item 14. The Gurkha Welfare Trust. The Director Gurkha Wel- fare Trust gave a short but fascinating insight into the changing objectives GWT, its declining support base, its impact on the its financial position and on Gurkha Settlement in the UK. The AGM was closed at 1200, and members moved to the library to enjoy the Champagne Reception. A copy of the full minutes is enclosed with the Sirmooree.

SRA (SC) Annual Reunion 2013. For the second year we have had an excellent turnout for the AGM and Reunion Luncheon at the Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall. We were set to equal last year’s recent record of 87 when 2 members were forced to drop out at the last moment. For those interested in the statistics, of the 85 attending: 50 were Full Members (20 with their wives), 6 Honorary and 6 Associate members: plus 3 private guests brought by members. The Champagne reception was part funded with a generous donation of £150 from an anonymous benefactor, with the Sirmoor Club chipping in to provide additional funds to subsidise the champagne, cost of the Luncheon and port. Each table was splendidly decorated with an iconic piece of Officers’ Mess Silver, including the most impressive Macintyre Snuff horn presented in 1873, as well as other memorable silver statuettes and bowls. After the port was circulated, the President, Gen Sir Peter Duffell read out the Prince of Wales’s response to our loyal greetings before delivering a well-researched ‘State of the Nation’ speech with

8 customary dramatic pauses and rising inflections, punctuated with anecdotes of dry wit, all delivered in his inimitable style. It was not until after 3 pm that we finally left the table, with a hard core remain- ing to ensure there was no wastage in the port decanters.

EXPEDITURE INCOME Remarks Item Cost Item Income £ Incl £35 from Room Hire £ 642.30 Individual 3,945.00 2012 Food £2,975.00 Donation £ 150.00 For Champagne £ Champagne/Cava £ 735.00 SC Grant 2,000.00 House White £ 239.40 House Red £ 393.30 Port £ 162.00 Jugs OJ £ 50.40 Total £5,197.40 Staff grant 10% £ 519.74 Garage Charge £ 31.50 (Silver Tpt) Total In- £ Total Expenditure £ 5748.64 come 6,095.00 Excess Income £ 346.36 £ Total £6,095.00 Balance 6,095.00

Notes:

1. Champagne Fund (Major Dudley Spain Legacy). Although the ‘Dudley Spain’ Champagne Fund closed in 2010, the Sirmoor Club has benefited from two generous anonymous donations, one of £253 in 2012, and the other of £150 for 2013. In his speech, the President encouraged ‘members of means’ to come forward and continue with this fine tradition.

9 SIRMOOR MEMBERSHIP Membership. Our membership numbers as at 18 May 2013 stand at 383 (Full Members 180, Associate Members 126 and Honorary Mem- bers 77). Details of new members, resignations and deaths are shown below: a. Honours and Awards: LAWRENCE, Brigadier Craig - CBE COCKRANE-DYET, Nick - MBE GURUNG, Maj Shankar - PULSE award

b. New Members: The following members have been welcomed into the SRA(SC) SHUTTLEWWOD, Lucy - Associate, d/o Col W F Shuttle- wood OBE (1st & 2nd Bn 70 – 94) NUNN, Mrs Camilla - Associate, d/o Col W F Shuttlewood OBE (1st & 2nd Bn 70 – 94)

c. Resignations: The following members have resigned but remain ‘dormant’ members: CRAIG, Major J N R (KOSB) 2nd Bn 87-89 d. Deaths: We regret to announce the following deaths: DENNISON, Captain Clive [1st Bn 1979 – 82] 15 Dec 2012 ERSKINE-TULLOCH MC, Maj Piers [2nd Bn 1957 – 81] 9 Feb 13

Sirmoor Website. As Members become more familiar with the Sir- moor Website so the website will become more useful. Useful ‘favour- ites’ may include:  Sirmoor Website. http://www.2ndgoorkhas.com  GBA Website. http://www.gurkhabde.com  SirmoorNotices: http://www.2ndgoorkhas.com/notice_board.html  Sirmooree. http://www.2ndgoorkhas.com/sirmooree_journal.html

10  Sirmoor Address List 2013. The Sirmoor Address list is made available to the GWT(UK) and the GBA use only. http://www.2ndgoorkhas.com/members.html

DIARY OF FORTHCOMING EVENTS  14 September 2013. Sirmoor ‘Sathi’ Delhi Day. (Application Form enclosed). The Sirmoor Sathis will be holding their annual Delhi Day Reunion on Saturday 14 September 2013, at the Samuel Cody Specialist Sports College, Farnborough, Hants, GU14 8SS. All Sir- moories are invited to attend. Those attending are asked to inform the Honorary Secretary details (name and numbers) by 1 September 2013. Payment (£10) will be collected at the door.  07 November 2013. GBA Annual Dinner. (Application Form enclosed). The Gurkha Brigade Association Dinner will take place at the Army and Navy Club, 36 Pall Mall, London, on Thursday 7 No- vember 2013. Dress is Black Tie with miniature medals. A cash bar will open at 1900 hours for pre-dinner drinks and dinner will be served at 1930 hours. The cost of the dinner will be £55.00 per head. Applications for tickets are to be sent direct to the Brigade Secretary by 27 October (preferably earlier) in order that tickets can be dispatched in time.  10 November 2013. Remembrance Sunday ‘Cenotaph March Past’. The Gurkha Brigade Association will provide a marching contin- gent followed by the Gurkha Welfare Society to march past the Cenotaph. Any Sirmoori wishing to take part in the march past is to contact the Honorary Secretary for further details. The programme in outline will be as follows: - 1000. RV at the Horse Guards Road entrance to Horse Guards Parade (opposite the Guards Memorial and St James’s Park). Dress is Regimental dark suits (or Regimental Blazer) with medals, and Bowler or Gurkha Hat for those who possess one! - 1300. There is usually an informal lunch after the parade on a cash basis at Gordon’s Wine Bar, 47 Villiers Street (off the Strand, near Embankment tube station).

11 SIRMOOR CLUB NEWS

HONOURS Queen's Birthday Honours 2012 Lady Nott – OBE (Omitted from last edition in error)

News Year Honours List 2013 Brigadier Craig Lawrence [1986 – 94] - CBE Nick Cockrane Dyett [1980 – 85] - MBE

DEATHS CAVE Anne, wife of Colonel Terry Cave CBE [1942 – 47], died on 5 March 2013.

DENNISON Major Eric Dennison [1942 – 47] father of Clive, died on 5 February 2010. (See obituary.)

DENNISON Captain Clive Dennison [1979 – 82] died on 15 December 2012 in hospital at Hexham. (See obituary)

ERSKINE-TULLOCH Major Piers Erskine-Tulloch, MC [1957 – 81] died on 9 February after a long illness. (See obituary)

HONORARY MAJOR TULE ALE Honorary Major Tule Ale, IDSM died on 13 August 2012.(See obituary)

12 OBITUARIES Major Eric Dennison and his son Captain Clive Dennison It is a sad and unique occurrence for us to publish a father’s and son’s obituaries together. It happens now because it was only after Clive Dennison died in December that we learned that he was the son of Eric Dennison who served in the Regiment from 1942 to 1947 and also that, unknown to us, Eric died three years ago.

Major Eric Dennison

Eric was born on 30 May 1922, the son of Henry and Hilda Dennison. He was educated at Heaton Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne and, following his war service, at Newcastle University. Having enlisted in The Durham Light Infantry in June 1941, he volunteered for the Indian Army, and in 1942 he sailed on HMT Reina del Pacifico for Durban. After a few weeks ashore there Eric eventually reached Suez on the Isle de France only to have to wait ashore again for a few more weeks before being sent in a smaller ship to Bombay and thence by train to the Officers’ Training School in Bangalore. In November 1942, Eric was commissioned into the 2nd Goorkhas and joined the Regimental Centre in Dehra Dun. The following May he was posted to an Indian Army Ordnance Corps Depot in Poona but as that was not at all to his liking he pestered his new CO every week until he was sent back to Dehra: a rare and commendable success indeed, and a tribute to his determination to be a front line soldier. From the Centre Eric answered a call for volunteers for an unspecified job in Burma, and in November 1944 he was sent to HQ IV Corps at Imphal, and placed under the orders of its Commander, our Lieutenant General Sir Geoffrey Scoones. Eric and two other officers were then sent to the Western Chin Levies in the Haka Zone of the Chin Hills. Soon after his arrival the Levies started to advance south between the Myittha River valley and the River Chindwin to support the regular forces with ambushes and flank protection. They were organised in columns about 200 strong with 40 or so elephants to help carry the food and ammunition they received by airdrop. During February 1945 they provided a protective screen to the west of the Tilin-Pauk road 13 and were still finding groups of Japanese up to battalion strength in the area. After the fighting finished, Eric continued to serve with the Lev- ies until they were disbanded in March 1946 and then stayed on in the Chin Hills to help to raise and train the 1st Battalion Chin Rifles of the Burma Army. Having been demobilized in 1946, Eric ended his service in the 2nd Goorkhas in April 1947. In August that year he and Miss Iris Kirkby were married in Newcastle. He served in the 8th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry (TA) before he graduated BCom at Newcastle University but had to resign his commission when he went abroad to work with the United Africa Company. He stayed with that Company in Nigeria and the British Cameroons Trust Territory for eleven years. When he returned to England Eric studied for a Diploma in Further Education and subsequently became a Lecturer at the College of Commerce in Newcastle. When he retired in June 1987 he was Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Newcastle Polytechnic. It is our loss that Eric did not join The Sirmoor Club. He died in Hex- ham, Northumberland on 5 February 2010. We send our belated sympathy and good wishes to Eric’s widow, Iris. DRW

Captain Clive Dennison Clive Dennison, who died on 15 December 2012, aged 54 years was the son of Major Eric Dennison [1942 – 47] whose obituary appears above. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Hexham, Northumberland, and then at Leeds University where he took a degree in Economic History. From Sandhurst he was gazetted to the 2nd Goorkhas as a Short Service Commission University Entrant and joined the 1st Battalion on 15 March 1980. He was appointed Company Officer and Platoon Commander in C Company in Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Church Crookham and was with the company in Belize from April to September 1980.

14 Once back in England he was sent to Hong Kong for the language course and at the same time given the task of escorting The Queen’s Truncheon on its transfer to the 2nd Battalion there. In January 1981 Clive was appointed Intelligence Officer and two months later accom- panied the Battalion from England to Hong Kong. He spent the re- mainder of his service in that post, largely in liaison with the Royal Hong Kong Police and studying the situation on the Chinese border, but he also went to Nepal to help with pension paying in the summer of 1981. When the Battalion moved to Hong Kong Clive turned out for the Fly- ing Kukris rugby team in the 1981-2 season in the second row and he was also a frequent sailor on the Gurkha Field Force sailing yacht. His pride and joy was a brown Audi 100 which he used to ferry the younger members of the mess and 6 GR to and from various watering holes in the New Territories and Kowloon. He used it so much that the paint blistered over the bonnet! Prior to getting the car, his proficiency in Cantonese was such that on a night out in Wanchai, he ordered the taxi to take him to "Sek Kong" and ended up in "Sai Kung" - the other end of the Colony! After retiring on completion of his Short Service Commission in Au- gust 1982 Clive moved to Newcastle upon Tyne and studied at Dur- ham University’s Business School for an MSc in Management Studies which he completed in a year. He then joined Lonrho Textiles, Ltd, in Cramlington, Northumberland, and thereafter moved to Brussels with Werner International, acting as a Consultant specialising in the textile industry. Returning to the UK, he joined Gherzi Textile Organisation AG, headquartered in Zurich, and moved back to Northumberland. With Gherzi he undertook feasibility studies for textile producers seeking to invest in non-UK manufacturing. This role took him to the Far East and South East Asia, including Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Phil- ippines. He then moved into freelance consulting, advising various bodies including the International Monetary Fund, on projects involving the production of textiles. Again this took him abroad to conduct studies in Egypt, Madagascar and Uzbekistan. After the fall of the Iron Cur- 15 tain in the late 1980s, he travelled extensively in the former eastern bloc countries providing training and advice to east European textile manu- facturers about western manufacturing and marketing standards. Clive’s other interests included his role as Chairman of Governors at Stamfordham First School in Northumberland. He was also a keen game shot and an enthusiastic runner, participating in the Great North Run to raise money on behalf of the Calvert Trust, and was a member of The Sirmoor Club. Clive married Miss Brigid Hull-Lewis at St. Margaret’s Church, Fern- hurst, West Sussex on 17 September 1988 and had a son and two daughters. At the time of his death Clive Dennison was living in Hexham, but prior to that he had lived at Fenwick Shield Farm Cottage, Fenwick, near Matfen, Northumberland. A Service of Thanksgiving was held on 21 December 2012 at Matfen Parish Church where he is interred.

We send our sympathy to Brigid and her daughters Harriet and Alice and son Robert for their loss of Clive at such an early age. JJB and others

Major Piers Erskine-Tulloch In November that year, during the “Confrontation” with Indonesia, Erskine-Tulloch was commanding a company of 2nd Battalion 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles (2/2 GR) in the border region of Sarawak’s Lundu District with orders to ambush enemy routes into the area. On November 10 he led his men on a gruelling five-day march though jungle swamps before reaching the ambush position, where he sited each of them along a track. After three days’ waiting, a party of 19 In- donesians moved into the ambush. Erskine-Tulloch opened fire at a range of 15 yards. All the enemy were killed.

16 Three weeks later, in a second operation, he had temporarily halted his force on a hill near the position he had chosen for an ambush when the enemy, more than 100 strong, who had been trailing him, attacked without warning. Heavy fighting broke out, the enemy platoons charg- ing to within five yards of the Gurkha’s defences before being beaten back. Erskine-Tulloch then discovered that his best withdrawal route had been cut off. He decided to hold on where he was and try to defeat every attack with small arms and artillery fire. In order to control his defensive battle he had to move to the centre of his position, which involved crossing 30 yards of open ground under intense machine gun fire. Once in his command position, he ordered his platoons to engage only visible targets at short range so as to conserve ammunition. He then ran to his forward Observation Officer’s post and caused artillery fire from two howitzers to be brought down on the attackers when they came within 150 yards of his perimeter. The enemy launched four determined attacks. All were thrown back. Heavy and mounting losses eventually forced the Indonesians to with- draw. The citation for the award of an MC to Erskine-Tulloch paid tribute to his inspired handling of his force and stated that for 30 minutes he had been exposed without cover to continuous machine gun fire. Piers Hector Erskine-Tulloch was born in London on October 12 1929 and educated at Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham. After attending Sandhurst he was commissioned into the Northamptonshire Regiment and served in Austria and Italy before seeing action with the 1st Battal- ion the Gloucestershire Regiment in Korea in 1951. Service with his regiment in BAOR, Korea and Hong Kong was followed in 1957 by secondment to 2 GR. He joined the 2nd Battalion in Malaya and, in 1959, transferred to the permanent cadre of the regiment.

17 His service in Sarawak was sandwiched between two staff appointments at HQ Singapore District, and he then went to Brunei as second in command (2IC) of 2/2 GR. In 1971 he was GSO 2 at HQ Allied Land Forces Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland, and from 1973 to 1976 in staff appointments at HQ South-East District, Aldershot. Erskine-Tulloch then moved to the Brigade of Gurkhas depot in Hong Kong as 2IC and chief instructor of training. His final appointment was on the staff of HQ 2 Armoured Division in BAOR. After retiring from the Army in 1981, he was 2IC of the Sultan of Brunei’s Gurkha Reserve Unit for seven years. On returning to Eng- land he was estate manager at St Paul’s Court, London, until 1996, when he finally retired to live in Hampshire. Piers Erskine-Tulloch married first, in 1953, Gerlinda (Linda) Ludmilla Andraschko, who died in 1957. He married secondly, in 1962, Teresa (Tessa) Halina Stevinson, who survives him with two daughters of his first marriage and two from his second. The Daily Telegraph 14 March 2013

A Tribute to Piers Erskine-Tulloch By a family friend I am deeply honoured to have been asked by Tessa and the family to give this address to you all today; there are many here who knew him better than I, and I sincerely hope to reflect your particular thoughts about him. Piers was a great man in many ways, and despite his shy, reserved nature, it is clear from the numerous letters and messages received by the family that he was revered by many, and held in very high esteem by all. Until old age and the cruel cerebra-vascular illness took hold, he led a very full life indeed. He was born in October 1929 in London, into a military family; sadly his father died when he was 12 years old. And as the younger brother to Pat by eleven years, it meant he grew up living at home pretty much

18 as the only child, except when Pat was back from boarding school, or from the Army and the war. Piers was educated at Christ’s Hospital in Horsham, then Sandhurst, and commissioned in 1949 into the North- amptonshire Regiment serving in Austria, Germany and Hong Kong. He also served in Korea with the Gloucestershire Regiment as a Battle Casualty Replacement just after the Battle of Imjin. It was around this time, while in Austria, that he met and then subsequently married his first wife, Linda; they had two beautiful daughters Fiona and Pella, but tragically their lives were massively impacted when Linda very sadly died from meningitis after only four years of marriage. And so, Piers set about a very big and significant change in his and many others’ lives: he was seconded to the 2nd Goorkhas, joining the 2nd Battalion in Malaya in March 1957, leaving the girls with great friends of Linda’s in Scotland. Four years later, while in Singapore, Fiona and Pella joined Piers, escorted by Tessa as they joined their father in the Far East. In the wonderful way that fate plays its part, Piers and Tessa married in 1962, and produced two more beautiful daughters in the form of Nicky and Sam. The Far East played a massive part in Piers, Tessa, and all the girls’ lives, living in Singapore, Brunei, Malaya, and Hong Kong, and it was of course where he won his Military Cross in the jungles of Sarawak. Interspersed with these tours, he and Tessa also saw postings in Ger- many with the British Army on the Rhine, and in Aldershot; but it’s fair to say his happiest times were in the Far East soldiering with the incomparable Gurkhas with whom he had a unique and very special relationship. Even after retiring from the Army in 1981, he stayed in Brunei as one of three British officers in the Sultan’s Gurkha Reserve Unit. It is no surprise that these connections have flowed through Tessa and Piers’ lives right up to this day – with wonderful support from fellow Sirmooris throughout their lives; most especially to Tessa in recent weeks. And, so it was only in 1988 that they returned on a permanent basis to the UK where Piers became the Estate Manager of St Paul’s Court in London, living in Coleherne Mews. Retiring in 1996, he and Tessa settled in Liss, but as his health deterio- rated, they moved again in 2003 to Little Lumley in Petersfield. And it

19 is there that his younger generation of grandchildren have really only known him. But what of the man himself? A true gentleman, a fine and brave officer, a great mentor to many of his subalterns, a brilliant shot, much loved and respected by the men he lead. Ramrod straight, of few words, properly creased shorts, beautiful manners, a wonderful smile, kind, gentle, considerate, and also a disciplinarian (but not of dogs). He loved dogs – big ones - and loved being in the jungle: indeed one of his most faithful companions was a German Shepherd, ‘Lint’, who adored Piers and regularly went for long walks in the jungle. On one such occasion the two of them went for a walk late in the afternoon, and failed to return before darkness. Tessa, clearly worried, orchestrated search parties with Jonny Lawes before it became really dark – but to no avail. Naturally she had a very sleepless night, woke early and set off to try and find the two of them. With no success she returned to find Piers shaving at home, and him nonchalantly stating that the first rule of the jungle is to stay put when it gets dark. He of course had followed the letter of the law and laid down with his faithful companion, using Lint as his pillow, oblivious to the turmoil back home. He was very brave, both physically and mentally; as was so evident from his times in the jungles of Sarawak and in later life in how he dealt with his deteriorating health. He loved active service and was very modest about his achievements; indeed it was a proud moment for all of the family only relatively recently when we retrieved the citation for his MC and learned of his extraordinary bravery: two separate incidents as a Company Commander: the first in siting an ambush and waiting for three days in damp, difficult conditions (though something tells me he would have relished the conditions), and defeating over 19 enemy. The second, a chaotic scenario only days later where he and his men were ambushed by 100 enemy, and Piers effectively risked his life by positioning himself in the centre of the fire fight in order to control the battle; in all he led his men against fourdetermined assaults; every one he beat back until the enemy was forced to retreat with the loss of a significant number of dead. His citation finishes by stating that his ‘personal conduct and the way in which he handled his pla-

20 toons inspired his soldiers to victory, in a most gallant and professional fashion’. He was a brilliant DIY specialist, who would think nothing of re- wiring the house, building cupboards and walls; he was strong, very tough, and created a croquet lawn at Triggs out of a very steep sided garden, toiling for hours on end; and similarly he would spend hours clearing overgrowth, removing huge boulders, in Hong Kong to create a badminton court for the family. It must have been very tough for him as he grew old and was less able in later years, yet he always showed great patience and resoluteness; indeed at no stage was there complaint or demonstrable frustration. He was a truly dignified man. So we reflect on a man of enormous character; great physique in is prime; hearty laugh; big appetite; loving husband, father and grandfa- ther. Perhaps, he was above all, very brave, whether in the jungle on active service, in coping with the loss of his first wife so suddenly, or in coping with illness and old age. We will all miss him, some very deeply indeed, but let us remember the really marvellous things he valued in life: Standing fast to that which is good, his happiness with others (and of course his dogs), and his love for those who were special to him – his Regiments, and of course Tessa and the family. God bless him, and all the family.

Honorary Major Tule Ale IDSM Tule Ale who died on 13 August 2012 was the last serving IDSM in the British Army when he retired in April 1970 from being Gurkha Major of the 2nd Battalion 2nd KEO Goorkhas in Brunei. His was a life that spanned huge events in our Regimental History having served in Two Column on Wingate’s First Chindit Operation in 1943 and in Nick Neill’s B Company at Tamandu in the Arakan Cam- paign of 1945 where he was awarded the IDSM (Indian Distinguished Service Medal).

21 Tule Ale enlisted into the 2nd Goorkhas on 14 October 1940 and after completion of recruit training at Dehra Doon was posted to the 3rd Bat- talion which in 1943 formed a major component of Wingate’s First Chindit operation. The operation was designed to show that British forces could beat the Japanese at their own game in the Burmese jungle by getting behind their main forces east of the Irrawaddy and taking out key communication centres whilst Stilwell’s Chinese attacked from the north. In the event Stillwell’s attack never materialised so the Chindits were on their own. In some ways Tule’s Two Column were lucky as having bumped a large Japanese force short of the Irrawaddy they turned back and returned to India as a cohesive body in contrast to the rest of the force. As a result of Wingate’s controversial `scatter’ order given after the Chindit bridgehead was attacked on the Irrawaddy, the other columns after some successes, mostly degenerated into small groups of starving fugitives ruthlessly hunted by the Japanese. Even so on their way back to India Tule’s column suffered extremes of hunger and thirst but, keeping together and helping their wounded, got back exhausted but in one piece. In December 1943 British forces for the second time tried to wrest the western Arakan peninsula from the Japanese and in bitter fighting slowly forced the Japanese back until, by early 1945, they were poised to take the key port of Akyab from the Japanese. As part of this operation 3/2nd Goorkhas were tasked with taking the two key hill features nicknamed Snowdon and Snowdon East near the village of Tamandu. Although 3/2nd had artillery support it proved largely ineffective against the deeply entrenched bunkers of the Japanese so that the position had to be taken by infantry assault. The company commander Major (later Colonel) DF (Nick) Neill used Naik (Corporal) Tule Ale to do a reconnaissance of the Japanese position during which he identified five machine gun nests as a result of which Nick Neill based his plan of attack. During the ensuing battle Nick Neill wrote of Tule: `Naik Tule himself led the attack and was the first to reach the foremost enemy trench. This he attacked single- handed killing the two Japanese occupants with his Tommy-gun. He

22 then called forward those left alive in his section and put them in position in the captured trench. Naik Tule’s final objective was now only some fifteen paces away and was a trench holding four enemy. Order- ing his Bren gunner to give him covering fire he again went forward alone to attack the position. With the greatest of bravery Naik Tule charged this trench and, hurling two grenades into it, killed all four Japanese in it.’ In the last stages of this desperate battle Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung gained the Victoria Cross for single handedly taking out the final Japa- nese positions. Naik Tule Ale received the IDSM for his actions and 2GR received the battle honour `Tamandu’. After the war Tule joined 2/2GR when 3/2nd was disbanded. Nick Neill was again his Company Commander in B Company and now, as a Lieutenant (QGO), he commanded a platoon on operations against the Communist insurgents in Malaya. Later he was put in command of 99 Brigade defence platoon where he quickly gained the good opinion of the Brigade Commander, one Walter Walker. He then returned to 2/2GR to be Company 2IC of B Company during The Borneo Confrontation against Indonesia with Nick Neill now as CO. After Confrontation a huge run down of the Brigade of Gurkhas started and it looked as if Tule would have to go on pension. However just as he was about to dispatch his MFO to Nepal (an occurrence he impishly relished) the GM of 2/2GR suddenly died in his sleep and Tule was called in to take over. It was a terribly difficult time for the Brigade having to make hundreds of fine soldiers redundant on pitiful terms but Tule proved a rock of sound sense and his good advice helped two 2/2GR Commandants, Tony Harrison and Johnny Lawes to make the best of an incredibly hard job. Our thoughts go out to his family on the death of a very brave and distinguished Gurkha. CJDB

23 SIRMOOR CLUB ACTIVITIES

It is becoming increasingly difficult to get enough Sirmooris to turn up for our activities to make them worthwhile or even possible in some cases, such as sailing where qualifications are necessary to hire boats. So we are faced with either giving up running these events, or inviting friends and members of other Gurkha Regimental Associations to take part. We have chosen the latter course of action.

SIRMOOR SKIING

Crans Montana – 10-17 January 2013 There was no Sirmoor Ski meeting this year but David and Franceska Scotson kindly hosted Peter & Annie Duffell, Bruce Jackman and Nigel Haynes to a lovely skiing holiday at their flat in Crans Montana, so it seemed like a mini-Sirmoor Ski. The snow was fantastic and the skiing thoroughly relaxing and enjoyable, as indeed was the hospitality, hu- mour, Tax Free pre-dinner drinks, delicious food and wine – including a particularly tasty curry one night cooked by Nigel. There were no dramas!

SIRMOOR GOLF

Sirmoor Spring Golf Meeting Manor House Golf Club – 19 March 2013

We were very lucky to open the season on a sunny and warm day in what had been the coldest and wettest period of the year for decades. It was particularly good to welcome Steve Rowland-Jones to his first outing with the Sirmoor Golfers.

21 players, the number bolstered by some of our now regular 'Honor- ary Sirmoori Golfers' (marked with an asterisk below), helped make up the minimum number of players required for a society day. The competition was two teams, Red and Blue, playing Stableford in pairs with the best score of each pair on every hole to count towards the team to-

24 tal, except Par 3s where both score were to count. The Teams, in playing order, were (handicaps in brackets): Blue – Derek Burton (24), Mike Roe (15), Bruce Jackman (20), Alison Corbett (22), Philip Scofield (22), Steve Rowland-Jones (24), Nick Bailey* (18), Chinbahadur Thapa (12), Richard Kemmis Betty (8) and Rosaleen Harrop (10). Red – John Perrin (22), Yambahadur Rana (22), Tim Chappell (15), Steve Clifton (22), Charlie Kemmis Betty (18), William Shuttlewood (20), Anita Morley* (13), Norman Corbett (16), Jenny Roe* (36), Ann Burton (36) and Mark Pettigrew (9).

The result was extraordinarily close with Blue Team winning by just 2 points (266 to 264). The Nearest the Pin on the 7th was won by Rosaleen Harrop and on the 17th by Mark Pettigrew, and Bruce Jackman produced the Longest Drive on the impressive 8th hole. The Seve Prize for the most 'high risk for high return' shot was won by Chinbahadur Thapa for an audacious 170 yards second shot from amongst bushes and long grass that landed on the green from where he putted for a Birdie. The McIlroy Prize (a new award) went to Mark Pettigrew for arriving just 10 minutes before his Tee off time, munching an egg & watercress sandwich! Derek Burton was Mentioned in Despatches for assuming the 'Pat Carpenter' role of managing to leave at least four clubs on various places on the course!

An excellent curry meal ended a great start to the season, thanks to Richard Kemmis Betty's organisation.

Sirmoor Championship Meeting Corhampton Golf Club – 16 May 2013

Again we were extremely lucky with the weather which turned from cold and windy leading up to the date to a lovely sunny day with no wind. This was the Championship, individual stableford competition, competing for the Second Goorkhas Golf Cup originally presented in Dehra Dun in 1923. It was won by Peter Kemmis Betty's elder brother, Mervyn (a 'Mountain Gunner'), in 1933 and by his son, Richard, in 2007 and 2008, and by his grandson, Alexander, in 2012. It was lovely to see 25 Peter at Corhampton this year, and in sparkling form, to have a curry meal with the players and present the Cup and prizes.

Unfortunately Alexander Kemmis Betty, the defending Champion from last year, was unable to play. Our numbers were made up by some of our 'Honorary Sirmooris' (marked with an asterisk) and a guest of Charlie Kemmis Betty, none of whom qualified for the Cup but could win other prizes. The players were; Jon Aslett (24), Vernon Beauchamp (21), Steve Clifton (23), Nick Cooke* (20), Norman (16) & Alison( 22) Corbett, Rosaleen Harrop (10), David Hobbs* (24 – guest), Bruce Jackman (20), Charlie Kemmis Betty (18), Richard Kemmis Betty (8), Mark Pettigrew (8), Mike* (15) & Jenny* (36) Roe, William Shuttle- wood (19).

Rosaleen Harrop produced an outstanding result with 35 points to become the new Champion and win the Cup. Furthermore she hit the Longest Drive on the 10th – outdriving all the men – but couldn't be given the prize because she had already won one. Mike Roe scored 39 points (but couldn't qualify for the Cup) so was second. Richard Kem- mis Betty was third with 33, and William Shuttlewood fourth with 31 – the same score as Alison Corbett but her prize was the Longest Drive on the 18th, and Mark Pettigrew was fifth with 29 points. Jenny with 24 points won the best Lady on account of the other two having already won something. Nearest the Pin was won by Bruce Jackman on the 6th (Mike Roe was closer but he had won already won a prize) and by Steve Clifton on the 11th. David Hobbs won the Longest on the 10th in- stead of Rosaleen Harrop, already a winner. Charlie Kemmis Betty won the yellow plastic duck for the shortest drive of the day and Jon Aslett was award the Seve Prize for having a really terrible day as did Seve Ballesteros occasionally in his latter years.

Our thanks go to Charlie Kemmis Betty for arranging the day so well and making it such an enjoyable occasion.

26 NEWS FROM MEMBERS

From Field Marshal Sir John Chapple [1954 – 94] Some Talk of Lalitbahadur and Some of Hercules There were (are?) not many people who can claim to have shot down a modern four-engined aircraft with small arms fire - and I am not one. But I have been pretty close to making such a claim, or at least witness- ing such an event. At the time, we were in C Company Base at Ba Kelalan near the Sara- wak border, a beautiful place in the mountains at about 3,000 feet. The camp was on the side of a steep jungle-covered valley. The border ran along the ridge above the camp, only a few hundred yards away. The valley ran south up to a saddle from where the border curled away to the west. The nights were cool and there was often a heavy morning mist cling- ing to the bottom of the valley, or masking the jungle-covered mountains. The situation on the enemy side of the border was rather confused. There were many rumours of an enemy build-up in strength; of the impending arrival of the ‘big gun’; of paratroops and commandos expected every day. The nearest enemy posts were fairly near the border just below the saddle at the end of our valley. There was another valley just across the border which ran back at right angles towards the east down to a small mission airstrip at Long Bawan a few miles back. We had an observation post hidden on the border ridge which could see right down to this enemy airstrip. This post was always occupied by a platoon. At the time of this story it was No 11 Platoon under command of Lieutenant (QGO) Sukdeo Pun. Although we saw occasional enemy aircraft coming over their own airstrip, there was very little air activity. Our own fighters patrolled the border at irregular intervals but we didn’t get any resupply aircraft at the time because of the difficulty of air-dropping so near the border.

27 Our resupply was by helicopter or by packing in supplies. Thus we never saw transport aircraft. The rules for engaging hostile aircraft were hazy to say the least, probably because there had been no overt air attacks up to that time. I think that we were only allowed to engage an aircraft which was posi- tively identified and was actually carrying out, or was about to carry out, a hostile act - and even then we were supposed to clear this with higher headquarters first. The approved procedure was to call up our own aircraft and let them deal with the trouble. This had certain diffi- culties. Our nearest airbase was nearly a hundred miles away and the only radio we had which could talk to an aircraft had a very limited range. Even if we actually saw one of our own aircraft and switched on this particular radio, it took nearly two minutes to warm up, by which time, the aircraft was usually out of range. Although these rather woolly arrangements had never been put to the test for real, the authorities must have been a little worried because we had been warned that we were about to receive a new anti-aircraft machine gun. Meanwhile, we had to have an air-sentry on duty all day, manning a rather Heath Robinson device on which was mounted one of our light machine guns. On the day before the Great Air Incident (17 September 1965) we were told that a party of SAS were due to arrive by helicopter early the following morning. When the day dawned a heavy mist covered the valley as usual. At about seven o’clock, just as I was shaving, I heard the drone of an aircraft. I imagined it was the helicopter with the SAS patrol. It did cross my mind that it was a bit early for a helicopter to be flying in the mountains. It was only first light. Also it appeared to be coming from the wrong direction. The radio operator said that No 11 Platoon, up on the border ridge, reported an aircraft low overhead. They could not see it because of the mist but they reported that it was coming our way. The noise grew louder as we stood waiting. Suddenly through the mist, almost directly level with our camp, at about 200 feet above the valley floor, a large aircraft emerged. It seemed to be swimming through a heavy swell of mist. As we gazed in awe and wonder at the 28 apparition, it passed by the camp at eye level and we could see quite clearly right through the cockpit. I don’t think anyone recognized the aircraft. We had not seen one like this before; a large four-engined aircraft with no recognizable markings. We had only twin-engined transport planes at this time. More importantly, we could see, standing in the open doorway at the rear of the fuselage, a man wearing a parachute harness. The whole action thus far had taken place in a sort of slow motion. The last sight sparked off an electric chain of thought. This must be an In- donesian aircraft. These must be the long-expected paratroopers. They were about to parachute down on us. Then in the same moment, the thought that the aircraft would surely crash into the mountainside in a few seconds - because the valley, still largely in the mist, got narrower beyond our camp. Then all at the same moment, the thought that we were not through on the radio except to No II Platoon up on the border. And of course I had still got a face covered in shaving soap. Not exactly the right turn-out to engage an airborne enemy only a few hundred feet away. I dare say that similar thoughts, except for being only half-shaved, went through the minds of everyone else in the company. However, even though about a hundred trained military minds had made the same rapid appreciation of all the threats, not much swift or orderly action took place. Most remained paralysed either by shock or in ex- pectation that something even more marvellous was about to happen and they didn’t want to miss a second of it. Among the few who did anything at all there was little agreement, after it was all over, about the actual sequence of orders and events. All agreed, however, that in almost every case, the events preceded the orders for them. The pilot of the aircraft had also done a rapid appreciation and had thrown the aircraft onto its side and was attempting to turn it round on its wing-tip at just above stalling speed. This was an even more impressive performance than its first entry, and I was gazing at this in admiration when a good deal of shouting to my left distracted me. Lieutenant (QGO) Lalitbahadur Gurung Commanding No 9 Platoon 29 was verbally belabouring the air-sentry to engage the hostile aircraft but the poor sentry, having gazed at clear skies for some weeks was not entirely convinced that this was the occasion he’d been waiting for. And so, Lalitbahadur took charge of the gun himself and swung into action. At this point, I remember distinctly giving a clear order to ‘Fire’, but I found that there was one man actually in a position to carry out this order, and he, the aforesaid Gurkha Officer, was already operating in- dependently to the tune of half a belt of ammunition. The great aeroplane wheeled round in the narrow valley, churning in and out of the mist and brushing the tree tops. At the start of the turn it was only about four hundred yards from us, and as it came round and headed back towards the border it passed within a quarter of a mile. On its return flight past the camp everyone opened up with small arms fire. Despite the tracer rounds in the ammunition, we were not able to see clearly where the shots fell, although Lalitbahadur was convinced of several bulls and inners. Within a minute or so of making its dramatic entrance, away went the aircraft into the mist and the safety of its own country. Up came No II Platoon on the radio to tell is what we already knew. It took a short while to collect thoughts. I got on to the Battalion Command net and called up Battalion Tactical headquarters at Lim- bang, about seventy miles away as the crow flies. The Intelligence Of- ficer (Acorn) came on line. He was slightly startled at being called up so early in the morning. I did not think he was the right person to handle this matter. Although a very friendly and likeable officer, the word ‘intelligence’ would not have featured high on the list of his characteristics. So I said “Fetch ‘Seagull’” - which meant the Adjutant. After a short while Brian Skinner came on the radio. I said to him “Please answer the questions in the order I ask them. The first question is ‘Do we have any four-engined transport aircraft?’” “Why do you ask?” Please answer the question I asked first.” Short pause. “No, we don’t have any four-engined aircraft.” “Question Two ‘Do the In- donesians have any?’” Pause. “Yes, they have just acquired four Her- cules transport aircraft which have four engines.” 30 “Right, now for my report. We have just had an enemy aircraft over our company base and we have engaged it with small arms fire.” “Heavens, don’t you know the rules of engagement? You are not supposed to fire on any enemy aircraft unless it is attacking you.” “Right. Cancel last transmission. New report. We have just had an enemy aircraft over our company base, full of paratroops, standing in a doorway ready to make an airborne assault on us. We consequently engaged the aircraft which has now returned across the border.” This report electrified the system since no one had been subjected to air attack since the start of the campaign a couple of years beforehand. The rest of the day was spent on the radio giving elaborate reports on what had happened during this thrilling minute, and providing the Colonel and his superiors with some justification of why we had fired at the aircraft. By about eight o’clock in the morning we had got our story lined up and everyone was briefed with the same account. We had a large number of senior visitors who flew in by helicopters during the day to see the site of this incident and hear the story. The new anti-aircraft gun arrived the same day. The sky was full of our own fighters all day. Gradually the incident faded from all but a few minds although the final act, so we thought, took place on the evening of the same day. We had reluctantly concluded that the Hercules aircraft was not about to drop paratroopers on us but had merely lost its way. This view was confirmed when our platoon in observation on the border ridge (whose view had been completely obscured in the morning) reported the re- arrival of the Hercules about five o’clock the same afternoon. This time it had found the correct dropping zone over the enemy airfield and was circling around prior to making its drop. However the Indonesian soldiers obviously didn’t know that they had Hercules aircraft, and so came to the same conclusion that we had, and immediately engaged it themselves. The only difference was that they had a clear sky and about 12 37mm Russian anti-aircraft heavy machine guns. Two engines were soon on fire and parachutes started to appear in a haphaz- 31 ard fashion. The pilot, who had proved his flying skill if not his map- reading ability in the morning, excelled himself by landing the aircraft on two engines on the tiny airstrip. We got reports later that neither the crew nor any of the parachutists had been injured, although we never heard what they had to say to their comrades who finally shot them down. Lieutenant Lalitbahadur was of course even more convinced that he had helped by seriously wounding the plane earlier in the day. In fact this dramatic incident of the Indonesians shooting down their own aircraft was not the end of the story. Some time later we patrolled across the border and went down to the airstrip some six miles away to see the wreckage. The pilot must have been very skilful. He landed on an airstrip not much bigger than a football field with two engines on fire. Forty years later, Bruce Jackman, who had commanded C Com- pany at the same base during the previous year, visited the site and reported that the remains of the Hercules were still there. However the real final act came when I visited Indonesia at the invita- tion of their Army Chief in 1990. During discussions with senior officers I told this story, when one of their generals, who happened to be from Kalimantan, told me the rest of the story which went roughly as follows. The week in September of this incident was chosen by the opposition in Jakarta to stage a coup against Sukarno because the élite paratroop garrison unit was being deployed to N. Kalimantan from its base in Jakarta. The first mission was to fly a company to Long Bawan to be followed by the rest of the battalion. This was the aircraft that appeared over us and then went back all the way to Jakarta from which it was sent off again in the evening ‘to do better’. Because they had shot down their own aircraft (one of only four Hercules owned by Indone- sia at the time) the rest of the flying was aborted or delayed. Thus the élite paratroop unit was mostly still in its base in central Jakarta when the trouble started and the disturbances rebounded on the opposition, leading to a confused situation in which many thousands were massa- cred. Sukarno was eventually ousted but not in the manner originally planned. 32 So perhaps Lieutenant Lalitbahadur didn’t just wound the Hercules but perhaps also helped to alter the history of how Sukarno was ousted from power. The account above is how I recall these momentous events. The only official record is contained in the daily sitreps submitted by the Intelli- gence Officer, to the Brigade headquarters. C Company only features with a fairly blunt entry in these sitreps, which are now included in the regimental records in the Gurkha Museum at Winchester. But this is my story on the ground – or in the air!

Major S Dewan, BEM, [1976 – 94] recounts some: Gurkha Expressions, Sayings and Slangs I have often wondered where some of the colloquial expressions and sayings used in daily conversation all over the Gurkhali-speaking world came from? For instance, if the CSM says ‘hukum ko jawab chaina’ it simply means that an ‘order is not appealable, just do it!’. Likewise, an expression ‘tu thu’ means all encompassing, a ‘high hukum’ order from the top level requiring everyone or everything on parade, literally a three-line whip. I assume there are many more unique ones but here I have selected only the best-known sayings that call to mind or those that you may well have used yourself and (hopefully) for others to enjoy. I might say at the end of the reading all this you would be au fait with some of the innate, behind-the-lines, Gurkha soldiering! In the barrack rooms, you will often hear the gurujis say ‘hukum mannu, khutta tannu’ which means “just do as told and keep out of trouble”. Another well used phrase is ‘paltan ko kam, kahile jancha gham’ roughly translates to “army work is like watching a clock - it’s just a case of: go here, go there, do this, do that”. ‘Dhal me kala’ is a phrase used to sus- pect something fishy is afoot with sardonic referral to particles in Kalo Dhal (black lentil) in Hindustani. The words ‘chhakka-panja’ or ‘char say bish’ are widely used numerical term for cheating or dishonesty. If somebody is acting pretentiously or creating a false impression you call them ‘jhuta harkat’. The expression ‘noon ko sojho’ (true to the salt taken) is to describe a very honest and reliable soldier. To be ‘gayal hajir’ is to 33 become absent without leave. The word ‘bhai-bund’ politely means a family togetherness or brotherhood which becomes a buzz of chatter at the time of promotion and manning. In fact, many of these phrases seem derived from the Hindi words, incorporating aspects of formal military concepts, slipped into the ‘paltane bhasa’ regimental Gurkhali language of the old Indian army. ‘Ganje-Manje’ is a great Gurkha word with many exceptional uses, eg. to cock-up or make a mess of something, or do something to cause an- noyance or trouble, etc. Generally speaking it means you have made a mistake but is typically used to describe something that is no good or that someone is talking rubbish. It just gets worse! When people ask you to do things, you mutter under your breath ‘normal SOP’ meaning it’s all part of the job, not to be confused with normal kaidas. You would call somebody ‘jhingge’ (chancer) if they are a bit dodgy, or use opportunities for their own advantage. The ‘IPC’ is an abbreviation for individual points collection, the link is fairly appar- ent to ‘jhingge’, I feel! ‘Howray’ is a person who has absolutely no clue, or you could call him a skilful waffler. ‘Khukuri ko dhar ma naukari garnu’ is an old Gurkha saying which basi- cally means to “keep your nose’s clean”. The phrase is indicative of reminding somebody, usually into doing nothing wrong or foolish, or else one who works and does his best goes down the road as same as the rest. Ironically, in this saying, the naukari (service) is rhymed with the sharp edge of Gurkha knife Khukuri . ‘Kannon ko barkhilaap’ usually means ‘disobeying a lawful command’ and for a Gurkha it would be the regimental or battalion standing orders. A person about to be taken into the CO’s office is referred to as going to ‘Hanuman Dhoka’ – a gate leading to the Monkey God, a sar- castic nod to it’s origins with the old palace square in Kathmandu and the Central Police Headquarters which are co-located. On the day of the judgment the accused is marched into the CO’s office in a super- quick marching pace with an escort and the RSM (in temporarily hys- terical mode) breathing down his neck, “Left, Right! Left, Right!” A short bugle call sounds the ‘defaulter’s orders’, signalling the an- nouncement that someone is about to be ‘charged’ by the CO Sahib. Of 34 all the regimental bugle calls, none is so easily recognisable than this call! The Adjutant would have laid out the charge sheet (AF B252) in front of the CO, based upon which the CO informs the accused of the charge for the offence committed. If found guilty, depending on the offence committed, the CO’s punishment could range from ‘thunuwa ma parnu’ (detention) to ‘billa jhari mangnu’ (reduction in rank), or ‘jari- mana tirnu’ (simple fine), ‘talab katnu’ (forfeit of pay), or ‘sakkhat warning paunu’ (severe reprimand/admonition) to the ‘khali khutta ghar janu’ - literal translation is ‘going home barefoot’ - i.e. top of the sheet admin- istrative discharge within 24 hours. A person locked away in the Quar- ter Guard becomes a ‘kaidee’ (prisoner) for rest of his spell in the cell. If someone is having a ‘tuppi tharo’ they are extremely busy. If you feel ‘wak dik’ you are fed up with something or someone. Then you will be susceptible to ‘notice ma parnu’ which is to come under observation of the seniors or get picked on. To be singled out as a ‘Figure 11 Target’ is another way of saying this! When you hear the word ‘danra pari ko gham’ (setting sun) it means you are made redundant, probably as a ‘hak katuwa’ (superseded in rank) earmarked for pension. A ‘Lal Book’ (Red Book) is the certificate of service and discharge, otherwise known as Testimonial (AF B108). ‘Cocktail nautch’ is the final ‘free for all’ dance on stage at the end of the Dashera Kalaratri programme. No Dashera party would have been complete without one and one could probably tell why! ‘Mess tin ko khabar’ (by clanging mess tins) refers to an unofficial way of passing information through rumour and gossip which is unlikely to be true. This normally happens in the big exercises where no one really knows what is going on! In the ‘cookhouse’ (dining hall), eating ‘bhat by hat’ (using hands) is not permissible, so by no means accus- tomed to, or particularly appreciative of, men use ‘gnaiti ani belcha’ (pick & shovel) alias fork and spoon. To call someone ‘jhoosay-moosay’ is generally regarded as a mildly humorous put-down without malice way of saying that you guys are not too important, eg. Battalion Vol- leyball Team ‘B’, transit-wallahs, Mr Vice, or your leave is cancelled, etc.

35 ‘Jhap marnu’ is to pinch something, a bit less serious than steal, mainly the army kit, eg. joorap (woollen socks) this appears to be a fairly common practice amongst recruits. And of course while one went off to explore and see what they could pinch, their kit in turn was being ex- plored by others! ‘Nari chamnu’ means to test the water that the gurujis do all the time (mildly implying caveman tactics) to keep the recruits on their toes or just to wind them up. ‘Ambak chepnu’ (munched on raw guava) is a look of baffled consternation on the recruit’s face in response to doubts and indecisions. Over all the rest, I reckon that the two renowned sayings are the Gurkha’s motto ‘Kaphar hunu bhanda marnu ramro’ (Better to die than live a coward) and their battle cry ‘Ayo Gurkhali’ (Gurkhas are coming!). During my own basic training, I vaguely recall the gurujis shouting ‘buckwash bund!’ to the ‘over batho’ (clever or cocky) recruits. It was only much later that I learned it’s the Gurkha slang for “Shut Up!” Not used anymore!

Andrew Johnston [1966 – 69] kindly contributes: A History of Curry [The Editor had a ‘light bulb’ moment earlier this year with an idea for an article common to all Sirmoories; hence the title. “Johnston is/was in catering; let’s see what he can do with the subject!”] Well, I entered the catering trade via the back door with the distinguished post of ‘chef-plongeur’ and had to marry the owner’s daughter due (to a large unpaid bar bill!) But Hey Ho here we go: The earliest known recipe for meat in spicy sauce with bread appeared on tablets found near Babylon in Mesopotamia, written in cuneiform text as discovered by the Sumerians, and dated around 1700 BC probably as an offering to the God Marduk. The origin of the word itself is the stuff of legends, but most pundits have settled on the origins being the Tamil word ‘kari’ meaning spiced sauce. In his excellent Oxford Companion to food, Alan Davidson

36 quotes this as a fact and supports it with a reference to the accounts of a Dutch traveller in 1598 referring to a dish called ‘carriel’. He also refers to a Portuguese cookery book from the seventeenth century called Atre do Cozinha, with chilli–based curry powder called ‘caril’. In her ’50 Great Curries of India’ Camellia Panjabi says the word today simply means ‘gravy’! She also goes for the Tamil word ‘kaari or kaaree’ as the origin, but with some reservation, noting in the North, where the English first landed in 1608, a gravy dish is called ’khadi’. Pat Chapman, of the Curry Club fame offers several possibilities: ‘karahi or karai (Hindi) from the wok-shaped cooking dish, ‘kari’ from the Tamil or ‘Turkuri’ a seasonal sauce or stew. The one thing they all seem to agree on is the word originates from In- dia and was adapted and adopted by the British Raj. On closer inspec- tion however there is just as much evidence to suggest that the word was English all along. In the time of Richard I (1189 – 99 ‘Lion Heart’) there was a revolution in English cooking. In the better-off kitchens, cooks were regularly using ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, galingale, cubebs, coriander, cumin, cardamom, and aniseed resulting in highly spiced cooking very similar to India. They also had a ‘powder fort, a ‘powder douce’ and a ‘powder blanche’. Then in Richard II’s reign (1377-1399) the first real English cookery book was written. Richard employed 200 cooks and they, plus others including philosophers produced a work with 196 recipes in 1390 called ‘The Forme of Cury’. Cury was the Old English word for cooking derived from the French ‘cuire’ to cook, boil, grill; hence cuisine. So when English merchants landed in Surat in 1608, then Calcutta in 1633, Madras 1640, Bombay 1668, the word ‘cury’ had been part of the English language for well over 200 hundred years. It was noted from Emperor Jahangir’s kitchens that dumpukht fowl stewed in butter with spices, almond and raisins and served to the merchants in 1612, was very similar to the recipe for English Chicken Pie in a popular cookery book of the time ‘The English Hus-wife’ by Gervase Markham. Indeed many spices had been in Europe for hundreds of years by then, after 37 the conquest of the Romans in AD 40 and the taking of Andulus by The Moors in AD 711, bringing to Europe the culinary treasures of the spice routes. Many supporters of the Tamil word ‘kari’ as the basis for curry use the definition from Hobson Jobson (no relation) Anglo English Dictionary published in 1886. The book quotes a passage from the Mahavanso c.AD 477. “He partook of rice dressed in butter with its full accompa- niment of curries”. The important thing, however, is to note that this is Turnour’s translation of the original Pali which used the word ‘supa’ not the word curry. Indeed Hobson Jobson even accepts that there is a possibility that the ‘kind of curry used by Europeans and Mahamadeans is not purely of Indian origin, but has come down from the spiced cookery of me- dieval Europe and Western Asia’. So there we are; you now know as much of the history of curry as I do! The first commercial curry powder appeared in 1780. This ditty below is from William Makepeace Thackeray’s Kitchen Melodies ‘A Poem to Curry’ 1846

Re: Curry Three pounds of veal my darling girl prepares, And chops it nicely into little squares; Five onions next pures the little minx (The biggest are the best, her Samiwe I thinks), And Epping butter nearly half a pound, And stews them in a pan until they’re brown’d. What’s next my dexterous little girl will do? She pops the meat into the savoury stew, With curry-powder table-spoonfuls three, And milk a pint (the richest that may be), And, when the dish has stewed for half an hour, A lemon’s ready juice she’ll o’er it pour. Then, bless her! Then she gives the luscious pot A very gentle boil - and serves quite hot. PS - Beef, mutton, rabbit, if you wish, Lobsters, or prawns, or any kind fish, Are fit to make a CURRY. ‘Tis, when done, A dish for Emperors to feed upon.

38 Major Sankar Gurung [1975 – 94] is employed by Serco and has been awarded their Pulse Award. (Serco is an MOD contractor and Sankar was given the task of recruiting ex- Gurkhas living in UK to form COEFOR (the Contemporary Operating Envi- ronment Force), a sort of Demo Company and exercise ‘enemy’ in Thetford and Rollestone training camps for UK Troops deploying on Op Herrick to Af- ghanistan. [See www.serco.com]. The Pulse Awards are Serco's employee awards designed to recognise and celebrate the achievements of employees based on the quality of achievement. )

The citation reads: Sankar joined Serco to bring together a team of Gurkhas, Afghans and ex-British military personnel to deliver pre-deployment exercises to the British Army for Afghanistan. This was a new contract for Serco and principal partner Mabway, and the transition to operations was extremely challenging. Sankar had to build his team during a legal challenge against the Min- istry of Defence which restricted recruiting activities to about six weeks before the operation start date. He had to recruit 300 new Gurkha role players and bring into the team 150 Gurkha personnel, from a competi- tor, who was unsettled by the move to a new employer. In addition, he had to work with Mabway, who were recruiting 500 Afghans. All personnel needed training and equipping in just a few days before they were deployed. Systems and processes had to be set up to manage the exercise with limited communications, no IT network and virtually no phone connectivity. Through dedication, diplomacy and his cheerful disposition, Sankar managed exceptionally challenging situations where relationships between the various groups reached crisis point. In such difficult circumstances, achieving the contract task was only made possible through Sankar’s superb commitment and leadership.

[Editor: This is all the more remarkable as Sankar had had a liver transplant operation three years earlier.]

39 Brigadier Hugh Willing [1981 – 82] provides The Scent of History – Frankincense When I was posted to Oman in 2002 as the Defence Attaché in the Brit- ish Embassy in Muscat, one of the first tasks I was given was to pro- cure a sizeable quantity of frankincense for St George’s Chapel at Win- dsor. I was unfamiliar with the ‘Bells and Smells’ rituals of the Church in England, thinking that this was a legacy left only for the Catholics or Monastic orders. But procuring frankincense in Oman was one of my simpler tasks as the souks of Oman are still awash with the stuff. Not only is it easily procured in Oman but it is also a surviving symbol of one of the very first traded commodities in the developed world. Its recorded origins go back to the Pharaohs of Egypt, at least two thousand years BC, and certainly to the time of the Queen of Sheba, who ruled over one of the most important and ancient civilizations in the known world a thousand years later in the Hadramout (modern-day Yemen) which included the Dhofar region of Southern Oman. Frankincense, or Luban in Arabic, is a gum that is tapped from a strange-looking tree (Boswellia Sacra) that grows in a small and specific coastal area of South-eastern Arabia and on the island of Socotra, which is touched by the Hareef or the south-east monsoon. It can only grow in a very dry climate taking its moisture from the warm mists that blow in off the Indian Ocean. It can’t be grown artificially from seed nor can it be transplanted; only nature knows how to propagate the Luban tree, and the best frankincense comes from the Dhofar. There is nothing about this nondescript tree to suggest that it is the source of a substance which, for at least five millennia, was one of the most prized substances in the civilized world, valued as highly as gold and even the gift of kings. Frankincense, which gets its modern name from the Frankish crusading knights who discovered its use in the Byzantine churches of the Holy Land, was used in staggering quanti- ties. According to ancient documents, the annual consumption of incense in the temple of Baal at Babylon was two tons. Some 3,000 years ago, Dhofar was reported to export hundreds of tons of the raw incense every year, mostly taken by camel caravans across the ‘Empty Quarter’ to the markets of the Mediterranean. 40

Jane besides a frankincense tree Whilst frankincense has a wonderful fragrance, - surely the quintessen- tial aroma of Arabia, it is hard to understand rationally why the great cultures of the Near East and Mediterranean valued it so highly. The answer is both philosophical and functional. The ancient world be- lieved that the smoke of incense carried their prayers to heaven. And frankincense had a practical function as well as it was a kind of anti- septic used to embalm corpses. When the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankha- mun was opened in 1922, one of the sealed flasks released a perceptible whiff of incense even after 3,300 years. During the time of the Black Death from 1603 to 1666, it was noted that the embalmers did not fall prey to the diseases from which their clients had died. Whilst not un- derstood at the time, the perfumers of the period were immune to plague since they were constantly surrounded by incense and oils. Today in the palm-lined souks of Salalah, the stallholders selling frankincense are doing a brisk trade. And it is good to know that its royal and religious connections – and not just in St. George’s Chapel, are obviously still alive and well to this day.

41 On The Funeral of Lady Thatcher from two contributors: “I and my wife attended Baroness Thatcher’s funeral yesterday at St Paul’s Cathedral. All in all, it was awe-inspiring. Thousands and thousands of people had lined the streets of London from Westminster to St Paul’s Cathedral to say good bye to the “Lady”. We stood outside, for five hours, with thousands of other people who came to pay their last respects to one of the greatest British Prime Ministers, quite aptly named the Iron Lady- “strong and feminine”! People from all parts of the UK had come to say goodbye to the baroness. Two ladies had come all the way from Wales, spending 200 pounds each for the fare and accommodation. All the Union Jacks were at half mast, Big Ben was silent, all the TV stations televised the funeral procession and the country stood still to say good bye to the great lady. I feel awesomely privileged to have had the opportunity to serve in the army when she was the PM and it was an honour to have met her in the Falklands in 1982. She was so humble and spoke to almost all of us on the camp site we were constructing. Baroness Thatcher, a grocer’s daughter from Grantham, electrified the dispatch box in the Houses of Parliament and wherever she went and became a world leader and went out with a bang. And how appropri- ate that she had chosen, “I vow to thee, my country” as one of the hymns to be sung at her funeral. Yesterday, the country and the people did her proud.”

“Agreed. She was an Iron Lady but very easy going and she made people feel at ease and I remember her when she came to my house in April 1977 when my daughter was only one month old and she was fast asleep and she ordered her accompanying entourage to be quiet and make no sound at all. She was not the Prime Minister at that time and was touring Hong Kong and China and the idea was to in- spect a soldier’s house and I was chosen to show mine.

It was good to see one of the Gurkha soldiers chosen to carry her cof- fin.” 42 SERVICE NEWS

What’s Happening at Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Church Crookham From Jayne Hawkins, Parish Clerk, Church Crookham Parish Council With many thanks

The Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Church Crookham was established in the late 1930’s as a Barrack site. It was originally called Boyce Barracks. Elizabeth, the Queen Consort of George VI, (and later the Queen Mother) visited the site in 1948 and the Barracks were renamed to commemorate this occasion. The site formed the Depot Training Estab- lishment for the Royal Army Medical Corps until they vacated the site in 1963/4. From 1965 until 1970 the site was used by training regiments of the Royal Corps of Transport and from 1970 until its closure in 2000 the site housed the Gurkha Infantry Regiments in UK. The site is now being redeveloped by Taylor Wimpey, the re- development started in 2011 and it is expected to take 10 years to complete the 872 houses that are planned to be built on the site. The old buildings on the site have now been demolished including the parade ground, the gymnasiums, the spider block dormitories, cook house and dining room, the cinema and the NAAFI, including the impressive mural showing a section of the Himalayas in North Central Nepal called Annapurna. Church Crookham Parish Council will be responsible for looking after many of the recreation facilities on the new housing estate which in- cludes a large number of play areas. The main playing fields from the old Barracks will be the site of a grass athletics track and possibly a jun- ior cricket pitch. There will also be two tennis courts and a five a side football pitch on this part of the site. The two target walls will also be retained. Many Gurkha soldiers will remember the orchard which is situated on the edge of the playing fields. In March 1990 100 trees were planted, 50

43 Cox’s and 50 Blenheims, [organised by JJB and QM Peter Luxton] and the Orchard was named ‘The Sirmoor Orchard’. The apple trees com- memorated the Gurkha soldiers who died whilst serving at the Bar- racks in all circumstances e.g. during training, road accident or during conflict. The orchard has been protected and will remain as a recrea- tional area on the site. It was somewhat neglected when the Parish Council first saw it in 2011. An experienced arboriculturist has been employed to prune all the trees and to replace a few missing trees. The Orchard will continue to be called the Sirmoor Orchard and hopefully the original name plaque will be installed on the site together with an information board. The Gurkha Regiments will continue to have a presence on the site as many of the roads have been given names that relate to the Gurkha Regiment such as Bramall Place, Everest Walk, Gurkha Way, Nepal Walk, and a lot of roads have been named after Gurkhas who were awarded the Victoria Cross such as Walker Close, Cook Avenue, Rana Drive and Grant Drive. In memory of the Gurkha Regiments that came through Queen Eliza- beth Barracks over the years the Parish Council will also be erecting a statue that will stand outside the local centre where there will be shops on the new site. ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Colonel Brigade of Gurkhas and 2nd Goorkhas – A Bit Of History Readers of Sirmooree might be interested to know that Colonel James Robinson, appointed Colonel Brigade of Gurkhas at the end of last year and son of Lt Col Keith Robinson 7 GR, has 2 GR ancestry. His great- great-great uncle served in the Regiment from 1883 to 1897 when he was killed at the battle of Dargai. Captain John Graham Robinson had been initially gazetted to The Royal Scots in 1880 and after various other appointments was posted permanently to 2 GR in 1883. He served initially as Wing Officer, then QM, Adjutant and finally Wing Commander for the Tirah campaign against dissident tribesmen in the North West Frontier. 44 In August 1897 Captain John Robinson travelled with the 1st Battalion by train from Dehra Dun to the North-West Frontier to join the British and Indian forces’ expeditions against the largest tribal offensive there had been for many years. The Great Rising, as it was known, started with Waziri tribesmen ambushing some 300 men of the Punjab Frontier Force in the Tochi Valley. Then, inflamed by the preaching of their mullahs, about 50,000 well-armed tribesmen attacked British and In- dian garrisons over some 200 miles of frontier. During the campaign the British and Indian Armies were forced to commit 64 infantry battal- ions with cavalry, artillery, engineer and logistic support in proportion. The 2nd Goorkhas were heavily involved, particularly on the Samana Range in Tirah where the Battle of Dargai took place. The first time John Robinson was wounded was when he was commanding a hard-pressed Rear Guard at Gogra Hill on 11 September, when he was slightly hurt by a bullet in the forearm. He was mentioned in despatches ‘for his coolness and gallantry on the occasion of the Rear Guard action.’ At the action of Dargai, on 20 October 1897, John Robinson led part of an assault on the Afridi and Orakzai tribesmen holding the heights, including the village itself. The attack was across open rising ground to an overhanging cliff which provided shelter from which to start the next climb, and, going over it, he was hit in the foot. He dashed back from the cliff across the open ground to warn the rearward companies to use another route, and in the course of his gallant effort he was mortally wounded. The Battalion Order on 24 October states: “It is with deepest regret that the Commandant announces that Captain JG Robinson died yesterday at Sinwari from wounds received in the action of 20th inst. During his fourteen years service with the regiment Captain Robinson had en- deared himself to every Officer and Man in it, and with almost his last breath he sent his love and good wishes to all ranks. As a fearless soldier, a true friend and comrade – an example of all a perfect gentlemen should be – long will his memory live in their hearts of those who knew and loved him.”

45 A copy of his Will and other documents detailing his Military Service are in the Gurkha Museum, Winchester, together with an account of his death which records that he was mortally wounded when returning across a fire-swept area to warn the Rear Companies to advance by a less exposed path. A memorial plaque to Captain John Robinson and two other officers of the Regiment killed in the Tirah Campaign is now in the Gurkha Mu- seum. His mother erected a drinking fountain in Dehra Dun in October 1899 with the inscription describing how her son was mortally wounded at Dargai on 20 October 1897 when returning across the fire- swept zone to warn rear companies to advance by a less exposed path and died on 23 October 1897. See frontispiece. The sword of Captain John Robinson is with his great-great-great nephew, Colonel James Robinson, Colonel Brigade of Gurkhas. [Taken from Chapter 16 of 2GR regimental history volume 1]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gurkha Settlement In UK – An Update From Colonel William Shuttlewood, OBE, Director GWT The Gurkha Settlement Programme (GSP) is now in its fourth year. It applies only to those ex-Gurkhas who left the Brigade on or before 30 Jun 97, the day prior to the transfer of sovereignty in Hong Kong. Those who left the Brigade on or after 1 Jul 97 were already entitled to settle in UK under the HM Forces Immigration Rules (HMFIR) issued in 2004. Authoritative figures are difficult to establish but the Trust es- timates that circa 11,000 heads of family have sought settlement in UK either under GSP or HMFIR. Individuals are allowed to be accompa- nied by their wives and dependant children up to the age of 18 years.

46 In support of the GSP the MOD has established in Kathmandu a Gurkha Settlement Office (GSO). Its primary task is to ensure those considering settlement make informed decisions. Once an individual declares his intent to move to UK the GSO will also assist with the visa application and arrange for a fast track issue of a National Insurance Number to enable the individual to access benefits and other support as necessary on arrival in UK. The cost of settlement to the individual is substantial: in the region of £5,500 for a married couple (visa fee/airfare/initial living expenses). Many intending to move to UK therefore borrow money in anticipation that work or their entitlement to benefits will enable them to repay their loan. The motives of those seeking settlement are not clearly defined. At one level they are a mix of: curiosity, entitlement, pursuit of a better life (especially for children), to be with wider family, to access medical treatment, to seek employment. There are also increasing signs that many individuals, especially those over age 60, seek settlement to take advantage of the UK’s benefits system and retain the hope/ anticipation that their wider family, especially children over age 18 years, will be allowed to join them in due course. A substantial number of those seeking settlement are over 60 years old. These are the most vulnerable group and from the outset of their time in UK they remain dependent on benefits and support from the Service charities. These individuals generally do not speak any English, lack the skills to secure employment and are unable to integrate into wider UK Society. Many have sought to settle in the Aldershot/Farnborough area to a life on welfare support. The extent of benefits is such that, in many cases, individuals are able to remit funds to Nepal to repay loans and to support the wider family/community. But we should not forget that many others seek and acquire work and become well-placed to integrate into UK Society. The Gurkha diaspora is increasingly well established across the country. It is estimated that 94% of those seeking settlement acquire employment and, with their wives and children, begin the process of inte- gration. The concentration of a large number of elderly ex-Gurkhas in Aldershot/Farnborough, and its attendant political and social implica-

47 tions at both national and local government levels does not always reflect well on the Brigade, part, present and future. There is a concern that the public’s perception of the Gurkha soldier could be affected, especially when combined with the political activities of various Gurkha ex-Servicemen’s organisations in UK seeking equal pensions and settlement for dependants over the age of 18 years. There are some early signs that the numbers seeking settlement is in decline, that life in UK (especially on benefits) is not quite the paradise expected, and that work is in short supply. Some individuals are beginning to return to Nepal, having “been there, done that and worn the T shirt”. But for many, the Programme has enabled them to seek a new life, to secure employment and to integrate with wider UK Society. The Trust continues to support the GSP by providing advice and coun- sel in UK for those in need, leaving Service charities to deliver welfare support that is required (the Trust makes an annual grant, currently £200,000 to ABF, in recognition of this work). This is an arrangement that enables the Trust to retain its focus on Nepal where there remains a different order of poverty and distress.

48 BATTLE HONOURS

BHURTPORE; ALIWAL; SOBRAON; DELHI 1857; KABUL 1879; KANDAHAR 1880; AFGHANISTAN 1878-80; TIRAH; PUNJAB FRONTIER.

WORLD WAR I LA BASSEE 1914; FESTUBERT 1914-15; GIVENCHY 1914; NEUVE CHAPELLE; AUBERS; LOOS; France and Flanders 1914-15; Egypt 1915; TIGRIS 1916; KUT AL AMARA 1917; BAGHDAD 1915; Mesopotamia 1916-18; PERSIA 1918; Baluchistan 1918.

AFGHANISTAN 1919.

WORLDWAR II EL ALAMEIN; Mareth; AKARIT; Djebel el Meida; Enfidavile; TUNIS; North Africa 1942-43 CASSINO 1; Monastery Hill; Pian di Maggio; GOTHIC LINE; Coriano; Poggio San Giovanni; Monte Reggiano; Italy 1944-45; Greece 1944-45; North Malaya; JITRA; Central Malaya; Kampar; SLIM RIVER; Johore, Singapore Island; Malaya 1941-42; NORTH ARAKAN; IRRAWADDY; Magwe; Sittang 1945; Point 1433, Arakan Beaches; Myebon; TAMANDU; Chindits 1943; Burma 1943-45. sirmoor cover Summer 2013:Layout 1 19/7/13 09:29 Page 1

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